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Laninya Cason
Laninya Cason is a former candidate for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. She ran in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Cason was previously an associate judge on the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. She joined the court on February 3, 2003, serving in the probate division.[1][2] Cason was reappointed to that position for a four-year term beginning on July 1, 2011, and expiring on June 30, 2015.[3]
Education
Cason received a B.S. in finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1992. She earned a master's degree in education from the same school in 1993. She received her J.D. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Law in 1996.[2]
Career
Cason began her career in 1994 as a clerk for the firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson. She became an attorney there in 1996 and a partner in 2002. She also worked as a prosecutor and defense counsel for the City of East St. Louis and as corporation counsel for the Village of Washington Park. She joined the circuit court in 2003.[2]
Elections
2016
Illinois held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. Robert P. LeChien defeated Laninya Cason in the Illinois Twentieth Circuit Court (St. Clair County) general election.
| Illinois Twentieth Circuit Court, St. Clair County, LeChien Vacancy, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Robert P. LeChien |
50.97% | 58,797 | |
| Republican | Laninya Cason | 49.03% | 56,550 | |
| Total Votes | 115,347 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results General Election - 11/8/2016," accessed April 10, 2017 | ||||
Illinois held a primary election for local judicial offices on March 15, 2016.[4] Laninya Cason ran unopposed in the Illinois Twentieth Circuit Court (St. Clair County) Republican Primary.[5]
| Illinois Twentieth Circuit Court, St. Clair County, LeChien Vacancy, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Laninya Cason (unopposed) |
100.00% | 18,826 |
| Total Votes | 18,826 | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Primary Election Results: Judicial," accessed June 13, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- 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.[6]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[6]
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.[7][6]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[6]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2012
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2012
Cason ran for election to replace retiring Circuit Judge Milton S. Wharton on the 20th Circuit Court. She was defeated by Zina Renea Cruse on November 6, 2012, receiving 46.0 percent of the vote. She was unopposed in the Republican primary on March 20, 2012.[8][9][10]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "Illinois Circuit Court Judges, Twentieth Judicial Circuit Associate Judges," accessed June 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Judge Laninya Cason campaign website: Biography
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "Press Release: Administrative Director Declares Three Hundred Seventy-Eight Illinois Associate Judges Reappointed for another Four Year Term," June 10, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "2016 Election Schedule and Registration Deadlines," accessed October 26, 2016
- ↑ Illinois Judges, "Announced Vacancies for the Primary and General Elections 2016," accessed December 21, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Board of Elections, "November 6, 2012 Official Vote"
- ↑ Belleville News Democrat, "Cruse easily defeats Keely in race for circuit judge," March 21, 2012
- ↑ IllinoisJudges.net, "Vacancy of Milton S. Wharton - Candidates for Circuit Judge - Twentieth Circuit (Circuitwide)"
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
