Illinois Supreme Court justice vacancy (February 2020)
| Illinois Supreme Court |
|---|
 |
| Thomas vacancy |
| Date: February 29, 2020 |
| Status: Seat filled |
| Nomination |
| Nominee: Michael J. Burke |
| Date: March 1, 2020 |
Illinois Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert Thomas retired on February 29, 2020. Thomas announced plans to join law firm Powers Rogers following his retirement.[1][2]
As of February 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court was responsible for appointing an interim judge in the event of a midterm vacancy under Illinois law. The interim judge served until the next primary election occurring at least 60 days after their appointment, at which point the judge had to run in a partisan election to remain on the court.[3] Because the vacancy was set to occur less than 60 days before the next judicial election, Thomas' replacement was selected by the Illinois Supreme Court in a vote of the justices. The court appointed appellate Justice Michael J. Burke to serve from March 1, 2020, to December 5, 2022.[2]
The appointee
- See also: Michael J. Burke
Michael J. Burke served as a Justice on the Illinois Second District Appellate Court from July 2008 until his appointment to the state supreme court in March 2020.
Burke graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1980 and went on to receive his J.D. degree from The John Marshall Law School in 1984. He began his legal career in 1984 as an assistant state's attorney in DuPage County, Illinois. In 1992, he became an associate judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court and in 2001, he became a circuit judge. On the circuit court, he served as the presiding judge of the Misdemeanor/Traffic Division. He judged on the circuit court until 2008.[4]
The selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Illinois
As of February 2020, Illinois used the following judicial selection process:
The Illinois Supreme Court was responsible for appointing an interim judge in the event of a midterm vacancy. The interim judge served until the next primary election occurring at least 60 days after their appointment, at which point the judge had to run in a partisan election to remain on the court.[3]
Illinois Supreme Court justices were selected by popular vote in partisan elections and served 10-year terms, after which they had to stand for reelection in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections to remain on the court.[3]
Unlike most states, supreme court justices in Illinois were elected to represent specific districts. The seven justices were divided among five districts (three allocated to Cook County and the others divided evenly among the other four districts) and were voted into office by the residents of their respective regions. The only other states that used a similar system were Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi.[3]
Makeup of the court
- See also: Illinois Supreme Court
Following Thomas' retirement, the Illinois Supreme Court included the following members:
| ■ Mary Jane Theis | Elected | |
| ■ Anne M. Burke | Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court | |
| ■ P. Scott Neville | Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court | |
| ■ Thomas Kilbride | Elected | |
| ■ Rita Garman | Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court | |
| ■ Lloyd Karmeier | Elected |
About Justice Thomas
- See also: Robert Thomas
Justice Thomas joined the Second District of the Illinois Supreme Court after winning election in November 2000. Thomas served as the chief justice of the court from 2005 to 2008. He previously served as a judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois from 1988 to 1994, and as a judge of the Illinois Appellate Court from 1994 to 2000.[2]
Thomas received a B.A. in government from the University of Notre Dame in 1974. In 1981, he received his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.[4] Prior to beginning his legal career, Thomas was a kicker for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League.[5]
Other state supreme court appointments in 2020
- See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2020
The following table lists vacancies to state supreme courts that opened in 2020. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.
Click here for vacancies that opened in 2021.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Supreme Court of Illinois, "Justice Robert R. Thomas announces retirement from Illinois Supreme Court," February 10, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The State Journal-Register, "State Supreme Court Justice Thomas to retire," February 10, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Illinois Courts, Michael J. Burke biography," accessed April 21, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bio" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ John Marshall Law School, "Chief Justice Robert R. Thomas Will Address John Marshall Graduates May 18"
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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
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