Illinois First District Appellate Court
Appellate Court |
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The Illinois First District Appellate Court (also called the Cook County Judicial Circuit) consists of all of Cook County, Illinois, and meets in the city of Chicago. An executive committee serves as the general administrative authority for this district.[1]
There are five appellate court districts in Illinois. Each judge has a support staff of two law clerks and a secretary.[1]
The clerk of the First District Appellate Court is Steven Ravid.[1]
- Published opinions of the Illinois Appellate Court can be found here.
| Illinois First District Appellate Court | |||
 | |||
| Court information | |||
| Judges: | 24 | ||
| Founded: | 1877 | ||
| Salary: | Associates: $281,331[2] | ||
| Judicial selection | |||
| Method: | Partisan election of judges | ||
| Term: | 10 years | ||
Judges
| Illinois Appellate Court Districts |
|---|
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| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
January 8, 2013 - Present |
Illinois Supreme Court |
|
|
2010 - Present |
Elected |
|
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2009 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
November 6, 2012 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 1, 2010 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 1, 2014 - Present |
||
|
2010 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 7, 2020 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
August 10, 2009 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2016 - Present |
Illinois Supreme Court |
|
|
1998 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 2, 2002 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 5, 2022 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 5, 2022 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 7, 2015 - Present |
Illinois Supreme Court |
|
|
September 6, 2024 - Present |
Illinois Supreme Court |
|
|
June 15, 2018 - Present |
Elected |
|
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September 2, 2025 - Present |
Illinoi Supreme Court |
Former judges
Caseload
The following charts display caseload statistics from the First District Court.[3]
| Civil and Criminal Caseload Breakdown | ||||
| Civil & Criminal Caseloads | Civil Filed | Civil Disposed | Criminal Filed | Criminal Disposed |
| 2013 | 2119** | 2292** | 1850 | 1543 |
| 2012 | 2142** | 2037** | 1622 | 1627 |
| 2011 | 2095** | 2338** | 1683 | 1724 |
| 2010 | 2118** | 2095** | 1664 | 1727 |
| 2009 | 1941** | 2031** | 1606 | 1663 |
| 2008 | 2020 | 1987 | 1582 | 1697 |
| 2007 | 1820 | 1998 | 1715 | 1808 |
| 2006 | 1965 | 1989 | 1768 | 1956 |
| 2005 | 2153 | 2227 | 1927 | 1577 |
**Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division cases
| Total Cases Pending by Year | |
| Year | Total Pending |
| 2013 | 4841* |
| 2012 | 4453* |
| 2011 | 6092* |
| 2010 | 6157* |
| 2009 | 5835* |
| 2008 | 5738 |
| 2007 | 5589 |
| 2006 | 5551 |
| 2005 | 5358 |
*Totals include Industrial Commission Division cases
Judicial selection
As in every appellate district, the judges elected to the First District serve 10-year terms "commencing on the first Monday in December following his election."[4]
Illinois appellate judges serve terms of 10 years. When an Appellate Court seat is vacant, judicial candidates run for the nomination in a primary election before running for the seat in a general election. Elections for the court are partisan. Incumbents run in nonpartisan retention elections, and subsequent terms are also 10 years.[5]
- See also: Judicial selection in Illinois
Qualifications
To be considered for appointment, a candidate must be:
- a U.S. citizen
- a district resident
- licensed to practice law in Illinois[6]
Salary
The annual salary for judges of the Illinois Appellate Court has been $203,806 since 2014.[7]
Elections
2020
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who had to stand for retention or partisan election in 2020 in order to remain on the bench. Justices could choose not to stand for election.
Judges who had to stand for partisan election
■ John C. Griffin
■ Michael Hyman
Judges who had to stand for retention election
■ Shelvin Louise Marie Hall
■ Aurelia Marie Pucinski
■ Mary Katherine Rochford
2016
Candidates for partisan election
Judges who faced retention
■ Joy Cunningham
■ Daniel James Pierce (standing for retention to his circuit court; holds appellate seat by appointment)
■ Mary L. Mikva (standing for retention to her circuit court; holds appellate seat by appointment)
Election results
November 8 general election
Incumbent Bertina E. Lampkin ran unopposed in the general election for the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Quinn vacancy.
| Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Quinn Vacancy, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Bertina E. Lampkin Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 1,507,691 | |
| Total Votes (100% Reporting) | 1,507,691 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results | ||||
Incumbent Eileen O'Neill Burke ran unopposed in the general election for the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Epstein vacancy.
| Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Epstein Vacancy, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Eileen O'Neill Burke Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 1,563,233 | |
| Total Votes (100% Reporting) | 1,563,233 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results | ||||
Joy Cunningham was retained in the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Cunningham Seat election with 78.84% of the vote.
| Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Cunningham Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Joy Cunningham | 78.84% | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results | ||
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.[8][9] Daniel James Pierce was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Daniel Pierce Retention Election with 74.88 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Daniel Pierce Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Daniel James Pierce | 74.88% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
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.[10][11] Mary L. Mikva was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Mary Mikva Retention Election with 75.40 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Mary Mikva Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Mary L. Mikva | 75.40% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
March 15 primary election
| Illinois First Appellate District Democratic Primary, Quinn Vacancy, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bertina E. Lampkin (unopposed) |
100.00% | 792,641 | |
| Total Votes (100% reporting) | 792,641 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
| Illinois First Appellate District Democratic Primary, Epstein Vacancy, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Eileen O'Neill Burke (unopposed) |
100.00% | 805,190 | |
| Total Votes (100% reporting) | 805,190 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
2014
Gordon vacancy
| Candidate | Incumbency | Party | Primary Vote | Election Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Kennedy Sullivan | No | Democratic | 27.2% | |
| Freddrenna M. Lyle | No | Democratic | 35.4% | |
Sheldon Harris | No | Democratic | 37.4% | |
| Unopposed | David Ellis (Illinois) (Murphy vacancy) |
|---|
Steele vacancy
| Candidate | Incumbency | Party | Primary Vote | Election Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Oden-Johnson | No | Democratic | 45.9% | |
| John B. Simon | Yes | Democratic | 54.2% | |
Retention
| Judge | Election Vote |
|---|---|
| Thomas Hoffman | 78.3% |
2012
| Candidate | Incumbency | Party | Predecessor | Primary Vote | Election Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Fitzgerald Smith | Yes | | |||
| Jesse G. Reyes | No | Democratic | Vacancy of Sheila O'Brien | 33% | 100% |
| Mathias W. Delort | No | Democratic | Vacancy of Robert Cahill | 25% | 100% |
| Maureen Connors | Yes | Democratic | Vacancy of Mary Jane Theis | | 100% |
| Nathaniel R. Howse | No | Democratic | Vacancy of Sharon Coleman | | 100% |
| P. Scott Neville | Yes | Democratic | Vacancy of Michael Gallagher | 44% | 100% |
| Terrence J. Lavin | Yes | Democratic | Vacancy of John Tully | | 100% |
Ethics
The Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates in Illinois. It consists of seven canons:
- Rule 61 - Canon 1: "A Judge Should Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary"
- Rule 62 - Canon 2: "A Judge Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all of the Judge's Activities"
- Rule 63 - Canon 3: "A Judge Should Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially and Diligently"
- Rule 64 - Canon 4: "A Judge May Engage in Activities to Improve the Law, the Legal System and the Administration of Justice"
- Rule 65 - Canon 5: "A Judge Should Regulate His or Her Extrajudicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict With the Judge's Judicial Duties"
- Rule 66 - Canon 6: "Nonjudicial Compensation and Annual Statement of Economic Interests"
- Rule 67 - Canon 7: "A Judge or Judicial Candidate Judicial Office Shall Refrain from Inappropriate Political Activity"[12]
The full text of the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct can be found here.
Removal of judges
Judges in Illinois may be removed in one of two ways:
- By the Illinois Courts Commission, which may hold a hearing upon a complaint from the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board
- By a two-thirds vote of the Illinois State Senate upon a majority vote for impeachment by the Illinois House of Representatives[13]
Notable Cases
- For all recent Court opinions see: Illinois Courts, "Recent Appellate Court Opinions"
Abortion clinic dodges state fines (2015)
In 2009, Antonesha Ross, an 18-year-old, sought a surgical abortion at Chicago's Women's Aid Clinic. At the time, Ross had pneumonia, a condition which should have made her ineligible for an abortion that day. The first time Ross visited the Clinic, she was turned away because of an upper respiratory infection; doctors told her to see her primary care doctor for a course of antibiotics. She returned less than a week later, still unwell. The Women's Aid Clinic proceeded to provide the service Ross requested; they did so without first determining that Ross actually obtained the medical care the Clinic said she needed before they would perform the abortion. This time, instead of a respiratory infection, Ross had pneumonia. When she began having trouble breathing, workers did not perform CPR on Ross and instead handed her a paper bag in which to breathe. Ross died several hours later from cardiopulmonary arrest.
An investigation was opened by the state following Ross' death. Women's Aid Clinic was ultimately fined $36,000 in 2011 for:
1. failing to inform patients of medical conditions which make abortion too risky to perform ($9,000); 2. failure to employ an on-staff registered nurse to act as supervisor of care in the operating room ($18,000); and 3. for sanitary violations ($9,000).
In 2011, the Women's Aid Center filed for bankruptcy and closed. The Clinic's ending bank balance was just $77. The fines were never paid because of the bankruptcy. Its owner, Larisa Rozansky, later opened a new clinic called the Women's Aid Center. The Illinois Department of Public Health challenged nonpayment of the fine, attempting to seize over $3,000 held in the Center's bank account. The Department of Public Health attempted to seize those funds to collect on the Clinic's debt, but Rozansky sought judicial intervention. An evidentiary hearing was held by Judge Alexander White to determine if those funds were part of the Clinic's assets. Judge White ultimately determined that the Clinic and the Center were entirely separate entities, as Rozansky argued, and thus the state could only collect the $77 in the Clinic's bank account.
The Department of Public Health appealed Judge White's ruling to the First District Appellate Court, arguing that the money in the Center's account could be traced back to the Clinic closed by Rozansky. The court's decision was written by Judge Mathias W. Delort. He wrote that, at the evidentiary hearing held by Judge White, no evidence was presented linking the two businesses; the Clinic offered surgical abortions while the Center provides only medication-induced abortions. Further, there was no evidence Rozansky transferred any funds or equipment from the Clinic to the Center, and there was ample evidence that, at the time of closing, the Clinic was insolvent. Therefore, the state could not seize the funds in the Center's bank account.
Articles:
Other cases
- Oak Park School District 97 was sued by Chicago-based Taxpayers United of America for allegedly printing misleading information on the school ballot for the election on April 5, 2011. The group claims that the school wrote the ballot in a way that did not disclose the full impact of the school property tax increase. The school noted, though, that they had consulted a law firm about the ballot language before they submitted it.[14]
- Tower Automotive v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission dealt with the issue of worker's compensation benefits, and if it was applicable for time that was spent after the 40 hours of a traditional work week, otherwise known as overtime. The court ruled that if an employee was injured during overtime hours, it was still included in their benefit plan.[15]
State profile
| Demographic data for Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 12,839,047 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 55,519 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 72.3% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 14.3% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 87.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 32.3% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $57,574 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 16.8% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Illinois
Illinois voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, 11 are located in Illinois, accounting for 5.34 percent of the total pivot counties.[16]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Illinois had 11 Retained Pivot Counties, 6.08 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Illinois coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Illinois
- United States congressional delegations from Illinois
- Public policy in Illinois
- Endorsers in Illinois
- Illinois fact checks
- More...
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Illinois First District Appellate Court. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Illinois Appellate Court, "General Information"
- ↑ The salary of the chief judge may be higher than an associate judge.
- ↑ First District Appellate Court, "Criminal and Civil Caseload Statistics," accessed September 9, 2015
- ↑ Illinois Constitution, "Article VI, Sections 10 and 12(d)"
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "About the Courts in Illinois," archived March 15, 2015
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Judicial Salary Tracker," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
- ↑ State of Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, "Code of Judicial Conduct," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois, Removal of Judges," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ Pioneer Local, "Lawsuit filed against Oak Park school district's referendum wording," April 26, 2011
- ↑ JD Supra, "Towers Automotive: Illinois Court On Workers’ Compensation Benefits and Excess Hours Worked," April 8, 2011
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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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