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Sophia Hall
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2028
Sophia H. Hall is a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. Her current term ends on December 4, 2028.
Hall ran for re-election for judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. She won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
Hall earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, going on to receive her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.[1] Prior to her judicial election in 1980, Hall was a practicing attorney at the law firm of McCoy, Ming and Black.[2] She has also served as an adjunct professor at Loyola University of Chicago.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court, Sophia Hall's seat
Sophia H. Hall was retained to the Cook County Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 79.2% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
79.2
|
904,620 | ||
No |
20.8
|
237,060 | |||
Total Votes |
1,141,680 | ||||
|
|
2016
Judges of the Illinois Circuit Court stand for retention after their first full term. To be retained, a judge must receive at least 60 percent of the vote.[3][4] Sophia Hall was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Sophia Hall Retention Election with 78.95 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Sophia Hall Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Sophia Hall | 78.95% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
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.[5]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[5]
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.[6][5]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[5]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2010
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
Hall was retained in 2010, receiving 80.07% of the vote.[7][8]
Hall was recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County.[9]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Sophia H. Hall did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Noteworthy cases
Circuit judge allows lawsuit challenging Illinois' same-sex marriage law to proceed
Judge Hall allowed a lawsuit to proceed that seeks to overturn the law banning same-sex marriage in Illinois. On September 27, 2013, Hall dismissed three of the five claims brought by 25 gay couples against the 1996 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. However, she did not dismiss the case entirely, as requested by five county clerks. The lawsuit claims that the current state law regardin same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.[10][11]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 State Justice Institute, "Past Members of the Board of Directors"
- ↑ Informedia Digital Video Library, "The History Makers: Judge Sophia Hall," May 2003
- ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations - How it works," accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "General Election – Combined Summary Report," November 2, 2010
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County sample ballot (dead link)
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, "Report on the Judges Seeking Retention on the November 2, 2010 Ballot in Cook County," archived January 30, 2012
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Ill. judge rules same-sex marriage lawsuit can proceed," September 27, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Judge Allows Illinois Marriage Equality Lawsuit To Continue," September 27, 2013
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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