Illinois Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court
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The Illinois Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court resides in Illinois. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]
| “ | In Illinois, the circuit court is the court of original jurisdiction. There are 25 judicial circuits in the state, of which seven are single county circuits (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, St. Clair and Will). and the remaining eighteen circuits comprise as few as two and as many as twelve counties each.
Except for redistricting of the general assembly and ruling on the ability of the governor to serve or resume office, the circuit court has jurisdiction for all matters properly brought before it. The circuit court shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court to hear cases relating to revenue, mandamus, prohibition, and habeas corpus. If the Supreme Court chooses to exercise its authority in a case of these types, the circuit court loses jurisdiction. The circuit court is also the reviewing court for certain state agency administrative orders.[2] |
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Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Partisan elections
There are 513 judges on the Illinois Circuit Court, each elected in partisan elections to six-year terms. Upon the completion of these terms, judges who wish to continue serving must compete in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections.[3]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[3]
The circuit courts are also served by 391 associate judges, who are limited in that they may not preside over cases in which the defendant is charged with a felony (an offense punishable by one or more years in prison). Associate judges are appointed to four-year terms by circuit judges.[4][3]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[3]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
Judicial elections in Illinois
- See also: Illinois judicial elections
Illinois is one of eight states that use partisan elections to initially select judges and then use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
Primary election
The general primary occurs on the third Tuesday in March.[5] Unlike many states with contested judicial elections, races in Illinois are regularly contested, often with several candidates running for a seat. The Illinois primary is closed, meaning that voters must declare which major political party's ballot they wish to vote on.[6]
The candidate that wins the most votes in the primary advances to the general election to compete against the candidate from the other party.[5] If only one party has candidates in a primary race, that winner will continue on to run unopposed in the general election.[7] Uncontested primary candidates are not included on the primary ballot but instead automatically advance to the general election.[5][8]
General election
The general election is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.[5]
Retention election
At the expiration of their term, judges may run for retention. Judges seeking retention are required to file a declaration of candidacy to succeed themselves with the secretary of state at least six months prior to the general election. The names of judges seeking retention are then given to voters on a special judicial ballot—without party designation and without an opposing candidate—featuring the sole question of whether he or she should be retained for another term in office.[9] Retention elections are held along with the general elections in the specific district or circuit where the judge is seeking retention. To be retained, judges must receive three-fifths of the vote.[10]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Illinois Courts, "Circuit Courts," accessed May 11, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Illinois State Board of Elections, "Voting on Election Day," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago, "2014 Primary: Frequently Asked Questions," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ The News-Gazette, "John Roska: Judicial elections explained," March 9, 2014
- ↑ The Chicago Tribune, "Unopposed Candidates Find Waiting The Primary Concern," February 3, 1992, accessed March 7, 2014
- ↑ The Illinois Courts, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed March 10, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Constitution, Article VI, Section 12 (d)
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois
State courts:
Illinois Supreme Court • Illinois Appellate Court • Illinois Circuit Court
State resources:
Courts in Illinois • Illinois judicial elections • Judicial selection in Illinois
