97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0011

 

Introduced , by Rep. William 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. 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, and 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 before a candidate for Judge is eligible to circulate petitions or be placed on the ballot for nomination or election 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.


LRB097 05130 RLC 47184 e

 

HC0011LRB097 05130 RLC 47184 e

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
5SENATE CONCURRING 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    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. A person shall not be appointed
22as an Associate Judge after the adoption of this Amendment
23unless he or she has been certified as qualified by the

 

 

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1Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the
2Supreme Court of Illinois as provided in Section 11 of this
3Article.
4(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
5    (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 11)
6SECTION 11. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE
7    No person shall be eligible to be a Judge or Associate
8Judge unless he is a United States citizen, a licensed
9attorney-at-law of this State, and a resident of the unit which
10selects him. No change in the boundaries of a unit shall affect
11the tenure in office of a Judge or Associate Judge incumbent at
12the time of such change. A person who is not a Judge or
13Associate Judge on the date that this Amendment is adopted
14shall not be eligible to be a Judge or Associate Judge unless
15he or she has actively practiced law in this State for at least
1610 years before his or her election or appointment as a Judge
17or Associate Judge and his or her license to practice law in
18this State has not been suspended or revoked for disciplinary
19reasons by the Supreme Court, and the person has been certified
20as qualified to be a Judge or Associate Judge by at least 5
21members of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary
22Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The certification
23by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the
24Supreme Court of Illinois shall be effective for 2 years after
25it is issued. A person issued certification is eligible for

 

 

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

 

 

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1term without retention in office. Whenever an additional
2Appellate or Circuit Judge is authorized by law, the office
3shall be filled in the manner provided for filling a vacancy in
4that office.
5    (c) A vacancy occurring in the office of Supreme, Appellate
6or Circuit Judge shall be filled as the General Assembly may
7provide by law. In the absence of a law, vacancies may be
8filled by appointment by the Supreme Court. A person appointed
9to fill a vacancy 60 or more days prior to the next primary
10election to nominate Judges shall serve until the vacancy is
11filled for a term at the next general or judicial election. A
12person appointed to fill a vacancy less than 60 days prior to
13the next primary election to nominate Judges shall serve until
14the vacancy is filled at the second general or judicial
15election following such appointment.
16    (d) Not less than six months before the general election
17preceding the expiration of his term of office, a Supreme,
18Appellate or Circuit Judge who has been elected to that office
19may file in the office of the Secretary of State a declaration
20of candidacy to succeed himself. The Secretary of State, not
21less than 63 days before the election, shall certify the
22Judge's candidacy to the proper election officials. The names
23of Judges seeking retention shall be submitted to the electors,
24separately and without party designation, on the sole question
25whether each Judge shall be retained in office for another
26term. The retention elections shall be conducted at general

 

 

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1elections in the appropriate Judicial District, for Supreme and
2Appellate Judges, and in the circuit for Circuit Judges. The
3affirmative vote of three-fifths of the electors voting on the
4question shall elect the Judge to the office for a term
5commencing on the first Monday in December following his
6election.
7    (e) A law reducing the number of Appellate or Circuit
8Judges shall be without prejudice to the right of the Judges
9affected to seek retention in office. A reduction shall become
10effective when a vacancy occurs in the affected unit.
11    (f) After the adoption of this Amendment, before a
12candidate for Judge is eligible to circulate petitions or be
13placed on the ballot for nomination or election as a Supreme,
14Appellate and Circuit Judge, he or she must be certified as
15qualified to hold the office of Judge by the Attorney
16Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court
17of Illinois as provided in Section 11 of this Article VI.
18(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
19
SCHEDULE
20    This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
21declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
22Constitutional Amendment Act and applies only to persons
23seeking election or appointment as a Judge or Associate Judge
24after the adoption of this Amendment.