98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
SC0007

 

Introduced 2/4/2013, by Sen. Bill Cunningham

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 8
ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 11
ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12

    Proposes to amend the Judiciary Article of the Illinois Constitution relating to the eligibility to be elected or appointed as a Judge or Associate Judge in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more. Provides that in order to be eligible for election or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge after the adoption of the Amendment, the person must have actively practiced law in the State for at least 10 years before his or her election or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge and his or her license to practice law in the State must not have been suspended or revoked for disciplinary reasons by the Supreme Court. Provides that in order to be eligible for election or retention as a Judge, or appointment or reappointment as an Associate Judge, after the adoption of the Amendment, the person must have been certified as qualified to be a Judge or Associate Judge by at least 5 members of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Provides that the certification is for 2 years and the person is subject to recertification if the person meets the requirements. Provides that the retention of an elected Judge requires a two-thirds vote (currently three-fifths). Provides that before a candidate for Judge is eligible to circulate petitions or be placed on the ballot for nomination, election or retention as a Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Judge, he or she must be certified as qualified to hold the office of Judge by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Effective upon adoption and applies only to persons seeking election or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge after the adoption of the Amendment.


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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
5CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
6electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
7election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
8this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 8, 11, and 12
9of Article VI of the Illinois Constitution as follows:
 
10
ARTICLE VI
11
THE JUDICIARY

12    (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 8)
13SECTION 8. ASSOCIATE JUDGES
14    (a) Each Circuit Court shall have such number of Associate
15Judges as provided by law. Associate Judges shall be appointed
16by the Circuit Judges in each circuit as the Supreme Court
17shall provide by rule. In the First Judicial District, unless
18otherwise provided by law, at least one-fourth of the Associate
19Judges shall be appointed from, and reside, outside Chicago.
20The Supreme Court shall provide by rule for matters to be
21assigned to Associate Judges.
22    (b) In a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, a
23person shall not be appointed or reappointed as an Associate

 

 

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1Judge after the adoption of this Amendment unless he or she has
2been certified as qualified by the Attorney Registration and
3Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois as
4provided in Section 11 of this Article.
5(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
6    (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 11)
7SECTION 11. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE
8    (a) No person shall be eligible to be a Judge or Associate
9Judge unless he is a United States citizen, a licensed
10attorney-at-law of this State, and a resident of the unit which
11selects him. No change in the boundaries of a unit shall affect
12the tenure in office of a Judge or Associate Judge incumbent at
13the time of such change.
14    (b) In a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, a
15person who is not a Judge or Associate Judge on the date that
16this Amendment is adopted shall not be eligible to be a Judge
17or Associate Judge unless he or she has actively practiced law
18in this State for at least 10 years before his or her election
19or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge and his or her
20license to practice law in this State has not been suspended or
21revoked for disciplinary reasons by the Supreme Court. A person
22who is not a Judge or Associate Judge on the date that this
23Amendment is adopted shall not be eligible to be elected or
24retained as a Judge, or appointed or reappointed as an
25Associate Judge, unless the person has been certified as

 

 

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1qualified to be a Judge or Associate Judge by at least 5
2members of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary
3Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The certification
4by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the
5Supreme Court of Illinois shall be effective for 2 years after
6it is issued. A person issued certification is eligible for
7recertification if the requirements of this Section are met.
8During the evaluation process, the Commission shall consider
9each candidate's legal experience, skill and knowledge, as well
10as his or her academic background, personal character,
11commitment to community service, and professional conduct and
12temperament. The Commission may consult with the Illinois State
13Bar Association and other well established local bar
14associations in evaluating applicants for Judge or Associate
15Judge. The Commission shall charge an applicant for Judge or
16Associate Judge a suitable fee, set by the Commission, in an
17amount necessary to defray all costs incurred by the evaluation
18process.
19(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
20    (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12)
21SECTION 12. ELECTION AND RETENTION
22    (a) Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Judges shall be
23nominated at primary elections or by petition. Judges shall be
24elected at general or judicial elections as the General
25Assembly shall provide by law. A person eligible for the office

 

 

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1of Judge may cause his name to appear on the ballot as a
2candidate for Judge at the primary and at the general or
3judicial elections by submitting petitions. The General
4Assembly shall prescribe by law the requirements for petitions.
5    (b) The office of a Judge shall be vacant upon his death,
6resignation, retirement, removal, or upon the conclusion of his
7term without retention in office. Whenever an additional
8Appellate or Circuit Judge is authorized by law, the office
9shall be filled in the manner provided for filling a vacancy in
10that office.
11    (c) A vacancy occurring in the office of Supreme, Appellate
12or Circuit Judge shall be filled as the General Assembly may
13provide by law. In the absence of a law, vacancies may be
14filled by appointment by the Supreme Court. A person appointed
15to fill a vacancy 60 or more days prior to the next primary
16election to nominate Judges shall serve until the vacancy is
17filled for a term at the next general or judicial election. A
18person appointed to fill a vacancy less than 60 days prior to
19the next primary election to nominate Judges shall serve until
20the vacancy is filled at the second general or judicial
21election following such appointment.
22    (d) Not less than six months before the general election
23preceding the expiration of his term of office, a Supreme,
24Appellate or Circuit Judge who has been elected to that office
25may file in the office of the Secretary of State a declaration
26of candidacy to succeed himself. The Secretary of State, not

 

 

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1less than 63 days before the election, shall certify the
2Judge's candidacy to the proper election officials. The names
3of Judges seeking retention shall be submitted to the electors,
4separately and without party designation, on the sole question
5whether each Judge shall be retained in office for another
6term. The retention elections shall be conducted at general
7elections in the appropriate Judicial District, for Supreme and
8Appellate Judges, and in the circuit for Circuit Judges. The
9affirmative vote of two-thirds three-fifths of the electors
10voting on the question shall elect the Judge to the office for
11a term commencing on the first Monday in December following his
12election.
13    (e) A law reducing the number of Appellate or Circuit
14Judges shall be without prejudice to the right of the Judges
15affected to seek retention in office. A reduction shall become
16effective when a vacancy occurs in the affected unit.
17    (f) After the adoption of this Amendment, before a
18candidate for Judge is eligible to circulate petitions or be
19placed on the ballot for nomination, election or retention as a
20Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Judge in a county with a
21population of 3,000,000 or more, he or she must be certified as
22qualified to hold the office of Judge by the Attorney
23Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court
24of Illinois as provided in Section 11 of this Article VI.
25(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 

 

 

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1
SCHEDULE
2    This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
3declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
4Constitutional Amendment Act and applies only to persons
5seeking election or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge
6after the adoption of this Amendment.