Thaddeus L. Wilson
Thaddeus L. Wilson is an acting judge of the Illinois 1st District Appellate Court (Assigned). He assumed office on February 6, 2026.
Wilson is also a judge for the 1st Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. His current term ends on December 4, 2028.
Wilson ran for re-election for the 1st Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
The Illinois Supreme Court assigned Wilson to the Illinois First District Appellate Court on January 12, 2026.[1]
Biography
Wilson graduated with a B.B.A. degree (Bachelor of Business Administration) from the University of Notre Dame in 1989, earning a double major in philosophy and management of information systems. He went on to receive his J.D. from Northern Illinois University in 1994.[2] Prior to his judicial appointment in 2007, Wilson was the managing attorney at the Law Offices of Brookins & Wilson.[2]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court 1st Subcircuit, Thaddeus L. Wilson's seat
Thaddeus L. Wilson was retained to the 1st Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 69.8% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
69.8
|
777,742 | ||
No |
30.2
|
335,928 | |||
Total Votes |
1,113,670 | ||||
|
|
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] Thaddeus L. Wilson was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Thaddeus Wilson Retention Election with 74.87 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Thaddeus Wilson Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Thaddeus L. Wilson | 74.87% | |
| 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
Wilson was elected after running unopposed in the general election.[7][8]
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Thaddeus L. Wilson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Illinois Supreme Court, “Thaddeus L. Wilson assignment to the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District", accessed February 6, 2026
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Official website of Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "2010 General Election Results"
- ↑ Cook County Elections, Judicial Subcircuit Election Results
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sanjay Tailor |
Illinois 1st District Appellate Court (Assigned) 2026-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Cook County Circuit Court 1st Subcircuit -Present |
Succeeded by - |
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
