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Michael Kramer
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Michael Kramer is a judge for the Illinois Twenty-First Circuit Court in Illinois. Kramer was appointed an associate judge in 2002. He was appointed circuit judge in April 2016 to complete the term of Kendall O. Wenzelman after Wenzelman's retirement.[1] He then won the seat in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Elections
2016
Illinois held a primary election for local judicial offices on March 15, 2016.[2] Michael Kramer defeated Jamie Boyd in the Illinois Twenty-First Circuit Court Republican Primary.[3]
| Illinois Twenty-First Circuit Court, Kankakee County, Wenzelman Vacancy, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Michael Kramer |
74.15% | 10,237 |
| Jamie Boyd | 25.85% | 3,569 |
| Total Votes | 13,806 | |
| 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.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[4]
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.[5][4]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[4]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
See also
- Courts in Illinois
- Local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Illinois Twenty-First Judicial Circuit Court
- Illinois counties
- Judicial selection in Illinois
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Daily Journal, "Kramer to be appointed circuit judge," April 21, 2016
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
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
