55 ILCS 5/ Counties Code.

(55 ILCS 5/3-8012) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8012)

Sec. 3-8012. Political affiliation. All appointments and promotions shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Division and the rules and regulations of the Commission, without consideration of the political affiliation of any applicant.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8013) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8013)

Sec. 3-8013. Disciplinary measures. Disciplinary measures for actions violating either the rules and regulations of the Commission or the internal procedures of the sheriff's office may be taken by the sheriff. Such disciplinary measures may include suspension of any certified person for reasonable periods, not exceeding a cumulative 30 days in any 12-month period. However, on and after June 1, 2007, in any sheriff's office with a collective bargaining agreement covering the employment of department personnel, such disciplinary measures and the method of review of those measures shall be subject to mandatory bargaining, including, but not limited to, the use of impartial arbitration as an alternative or supplemental form of due process.

(Source: P.A. 95-136, eff. 1-1-08.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8014) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8014)

Sec. 3-8014. Removal, demotion or suspension. Except as is otherwise provided in this Division, no certified person shall be removed, demoted or suspended except for cause, upon written charges filed with the Merit Commission by the sheriff. Upon the filing of such a petition, the sheriff may suspend the certified person pending the decision of the Commission on the charges. After the charges have been heard, the Commission may direct that the person receive his pay for any part or all of this suspension period, if any.

The charges shall be heard by the Commission upon not less than 14 days' certified notice. At such hearing, the accused certified person shall be afforded full opportunity to be represented by counsel, to be heard in his own defense and to produce proof in his defense. Both the Commission and the sheriff may be represented by counsel. The State's Attorney of the applicable county may advise either the Commission or the sheriff. The other party may engage private counsel to advise it.

The Commission shall have the power to secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books and papers in support of the charges and for the defense. Each member of the Commission shall have the power to administer oaths.

If the charges against an accused person are established by the preponderance of evidence, the Commission shall make a finding of guilty and order either removal, demotion, loss of seniority, suspension for a period of not more than 180 days, or such other disciplinary punishment as may be prescribed by the rules and regulations of the Commission which, in the opinion of the members thereof, the offense justifies. If the charges against an accused person are not established by the preponderance of evidence, the Commission shall make a finding of not guilty and shall order that the person be reinstated and be paid his compensation for the suspension period, if any, while awaiting the hearing. The sheriff shall take such action as may be ordered by the Commission. However, on and after June 1, 2007, in any sheriff's office with a collective bargaining agreement covering the employment of department personnel, such disciplinary measures and the method of review of those measures shall be subject to mandatory bargaining, including, but not limited to, the use of impartial arbitration as an alternative or supplemental form of due process and any of the procedures laid out in this Section.

The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of any order of the Commission rendered pursuant to this Section. The plaintiff shall pay the reasonable cost of preparing and certifying the record for judicial review. However, if the plaintiff prevails in the judicial review proceeding, the court shall award to the plaintiff a sum equal to the costs paid by the plaintiff to have the record for judicial review prepared and certified.

(Source: P.A. 95-136, eff. 1-1-08.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8015) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8015)

Sec. 3-8015. Subpoenas; witnesses' fees; perjury. Any person who shall be served with a subpoena to appear and testify, or to produce books and papers, issued by the Merit Commission, or by any member thereof, and who shall refuse or neglect to appear, or to testify, or to produce books and papers relevant to such investigation, as commanded in the subpoena, shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

The fees of witnesses for attendance and travel shall be the same as the fees of witnesses before the circuit court of this State.

Any circuit court of this State, or any judge thereon, upon application of any member of the Commission, or any person acting under the orders of the Commission, may, in his discretion, compel the attendance of witnesses, the production of books and papers, and giving of testimony before the Commission by an Attachment for Contempt or otherwise in the same manner as production of evidence may be compelled before the court. Every person who, having taken oath or made affirmation before a member of the Commission, shall willfully swear or affirm falsehoods, shall be guilty of perjury and upon conviction shall be punished accordingly.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8016) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8016)

Sec. 3-8016. Reports to Merit Commission. The sheriff shall promptly notify the Merit Commission of all appointments, permanent or temporary, all promotions, suspensions, resignations or vacancies from any cause, and a record of the same shall be kept by the Commission. The sheriff shall prepare and furnish to the Commission annual efficiency reports for each person covered by merit system. The sheriff shall also furnish the Commission copies of all letters of commendation, academic achievements and reprimand and such other reports as the Commission may reasonably request.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8017) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8017)

Sec. 3-8017. Enforcement of orders. If any provision of this Division or any order of the Merit Commission is violated by any person, regardless of whether that person's employment is under the jurisdiction of the Division, the Commission may apply to the circuit court for relief by injunction, mandamus or any other proper relief. The State's Attorney of the county where the violation occurred shall prosecute such action. Whenever the State's Attorney for the county where a violation is alleged to have occurred refuses to prosecute the action, or fails to begin to prosecute such action within 30 days after the date the Commission brings the matter to his attention, the Commission may retain special counsel of its own choice to prosecute such action.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-8018) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8018)

Sec. 3-8018. Multi-county operation. The county boards of 2 or more counties may, by enactment of uniform reciprocal ordinances consistent with this Division create a multi-county Merit Commission which shall be subject to this Division.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/Div. 3-9 heading) Division 3-9. State's Attorney

(55 ILCS 5/3-9001) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9001)

Sec. 3-9001. Oath; bond. Before entering upon the respective duties of their office, the state's attorneys shall each be commissioned by the governor, and shall take the following oath or affirmation:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be), that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of state's attorney according to the best of my ability.

Each State's attorney shall also execute a bond, to the People of the State of Illinois, (or, if the county is self-insured, the county through its self-insurance program may provide bonding) with good and sufficient securities in the penal sum of $5,000, to be approved by the circuit court for his respective county, which approval shall be indorsed upon the bond. The bond, with the approval thereof indorsed, shall be entered of record in the circuit court, and then forwarded by the county clerk to the secretary of state, to be filed in his office. Each of the bonds shall be conditioned upon the faithful discharge of the duties of the office, and the paying over all moneys as provided by law, which bond shall run to and be for the benefit of the state, county, corporation or person injured by a breach of any of the conditions thereof.

(Source: P.A. 88-387.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-9002) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9002)

Sec. 3-9002. Commencement of duties. The State's attorney shall enter upon the duties of his office on the first day in the month of December following his election on which the State's attorney's office is required, by statute or by action of the county board, to be open.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-9003) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9003)

Sec. 3-9003. Additional bond. Whenever the circuit court shall deem the bond filed by any State's attorney insufficient, the circuit court may require additional bond, in any penalty not exceeding that specified in Section 3-9001.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-9004) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9004)

Sec. 3-9004. Failure to give bond or take oath. If any person elected to the office of State's attorney shall fail to give bond, or take the oath required of him, within twenty days after he is declared elected, the office shall be deemed vacant, and if, being required to give additional bond, as provided in Section 3-9003 hereof, he fails to do so within twenty days after notice of such requirements, his office may, in the discretion of the governor, be declared vacant and filled as provided by law.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-9005) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9005)

Sec. 3-9005. Powers and duties of State's Attorney.

(a) The duty of each State's Attorney shall be:

(1) To commence and prosecute all actions, suits, indictments and prosecutions, civil and criminal, in the circuit court for his county, in which the people of the State or county may be concerned.

(2) To prosecute all forfeited bonds and recognizances, and all actions and proceedings for the recovery of debts, revenues, moneys, fines, penalties and forfeitures accruing to the State or his county, or to any school district or road district in his county; also, to prosecute all suits in his county against railroad or transportation companies, which may be prosecuted in the name of the People of the State of Illinois.

(3) To commence and prosecute all actions and proceedings brought by any county officer in his official capacity.

(4) To defend all actions and proceedings brought against his county, or against any county or State officer, in his official capacity, within his county.

(5) To attend the examination of all persons brought before any judge on habeas corpus, when the prosecution is in his county.

(6) To attend before judges and prosecute charges of felony or misdemeanor, for which the offender is required to be recognized to appear before the circuit court, when in his power so to do.

(7) To give his opinion, without fee or reward, to any county officer in his county, upon any question or law relating to any criminal or other matter, in which the people or the county may be concerned.

(8) To assist the Attorney General whenever it may be necessary, and in cases of appeal from his county to the Supreme Court, to which it is the duty of the Attorney General to attend, he shall furnish the Attorney General at least 10 days before such is due to be filed, a manuscript of a proposed statement, brief and argument to be printed and filed on behalf of the people, prepared in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court. However, if such brief, argument or other document is due to be filed by law or order of court within this 10-day period, then the State's Attorney shall furnish such as soon as may be reasonable.

(9) To pay all moneys received by him in trust, without delay, to the officer who by law is entitled to the custody thereof.

(10) To notify, by first class mail, complaining witnesses of the ultimate disposition of the cases arising from an indictment or an information.

(11) To perform such other and further duties as may, from time to time, be enjoined on him by law.

(12) To appear in all proceedings by collectors of taxes against delinquent taxpayers for judgments to sell real estate, and see that all the necessary preliminary steps have been legally taken to make the judgment legal and binding.

(13) To notify, by first-class mail, the State Superintendent of Education, the applicable regional superintendent of schools, and the superintendent of the employing school district or the chief school administrator of the employing nonpublic school, if any, upon the conviction of any individual known to possess a certificate or license issued pursuant to Article 21 or 21B, respectively, of the School Code of any offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of the School Code or any other felony conviction, providing the name of the certificate holder, the fact of the conviction, and the name and location of the court where the conviction occurred. The certificate holder must also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice.

(b) The State's Attorney of each county shall have authority to appoint one or more special investigators to serve subpoenas and summonses, make return of process, and conduct investigations which assist the State's Attorney in the performance of his duties. In counties of the first and second class, the fees for service of subpoenas and summonses are allowed by this Section and shall be consistent with those set forth in Section 4-5001 of this Act, except when increased by county ordinance as provided for in Section 4-5001. In counties of the third class, the fees for service of subpoenas and summonses are allowed by this Section and shall be consistent with those set forth in Section 4-12001 of this Act. A special investigator shall not carry firearms except with permission of the State's Attorney and only while carrying appropriate identification indicating his employment and in the performance of his assigned duties.

Subject to the qualifications set forth in this subsection, special investigators shall be peace officers and shall have all the powers possessed by investigators under the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act.

No special investigator employed by the State's Attorney shall have peace officer status or exercise police powers unless he or she successfully completes the basic police training course mandated and approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or such board waives the training requirement by reason of the special investigator's prior law enforcement experience or training or both. Any State's Attorney appointing a special investigator shall consult with all affected local police agencies, to the extent consistent with the public interest, if the special investigator is assigned to areas within that agency's jurisdiction.

Before a person is appointed as a special investigator, his fingerprints shall be taken and transmitted to the Department of State Police. The Department shall examine its records and submit to the State's Attorney of the county in which the investigator seeks appointment any conviction information concerning the person on file with the Department. No person shall be appointed as a special investigator if he has been convicted of a felony or other offense involving moral turpitude. A special investigator shall be paid a salary and be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in performing his assigned duties. The county board shall approve the salary and actual expenses and appropriate the salary and expenses in the manner prescribed by law or ordinance.

(c) The State's Attorney may request and receive from employers, labor unions, telephone companies, and utility companies location information concerning putative fathers and noncustodial parents for the purpose of establishing a child's paternity or establishing, enforcing, or modifying a child support obligation. In this subsection, "location information" means information about (i) the physical whereabouts of a putative father or noncustodial parent, (ii) the putative father or noncustodial parent's employer, or (iii) the salary, wages, and other compensation paid and the health insurance coverage provided to the putative father or noncustodial parent by the employer of the putative father or noncustodial parent or by a labor union of which the putative father or noncustodial parent is a member.

(d) (Blank).

(e) The State's Attorney shall have the authority to enter into a written agreement with the Department of Revenue for pursuit of civil liability under subsection (E) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 against persons who have issued to the Department checks or other orders in violation of the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection (B) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012, with the Department to retain the amount owing upon the dishonored check or order along with the dishonored check fee imposed under the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, with the balance of damages, fees, and costs collected under subsection (E) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or under Section 17-1a of that Code to be retained by the State's Attorney. The agreement shall not affect the allocation of fines and costs imposed in any criminal prosecution.

(Source: P.A. 101-275, eff. 8-9-19.)

(55 ILCS 5/3-9006) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9006)

Sec. 3-9006. Internal operations of office; simultaneous county board tenure.

(a) Internal operations of the office. The State's Attorney shall control the internal operations of his or her office and procure the necessary equipment, materials, and services to perform the duties of that office.

(b) Simultaneous county board tenure. A duly appointed Assistant State's Attorney may serve as an Assistant State's Attorney and, simultaneously, serve as a county board member for a county located outside of the jurisdiction of the State's Attorney Office that he or she serves. An Assistant State's Attorney serving as a county board member is subject to any internal mechanisms established by the State's Attorney to avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of his or her duties as an Assistant State's Attorney.

(Source: P.A. 95-1014, eff. 12-15-08.)