State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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90_SC0023

      ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 8
      ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 10
      ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 11
      ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12
      ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12.5 new
          Proposes to amend the  Illinois  Constitution  to  repeal
      provisions   concerning   the   office  of  Associate  Judge.
      Provides that Associate Judges in  office  on  the  effective
      date  of  the amendment assume the office of Circuit Judge on
      that date.  Deletes provisions for election of Appellate  and
      Circuit  Judges  and  provides  for  their appointment by the
      Supreme Court.  Provides for Judicial Nominating  Commissions
      to  nominate persons for appointment as Appellate and Circuit
      Judges.  Makes other changes.  Effective upon approval by the
      electors.
                                                     LRB9005063DJcd
                                               LRB9005063DJcd
 1                       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
 2                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
 3        RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 4    OF THE  STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES
 5    CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  there  shall  be  submitted to the
 6    electors of the  State  for  adoption  or  rejection  at  the
 7    general  election  next occurring at least 6 months after the
 8    adoption of this resolution a proposition to repeal Section 8
 9    of Article VI, amend Sections 10, 11, and 12 of  Article  VI,
10    and  add  Section  12.5  to Article VI of the Constitution to
11    read as follows:
12                             ARTICLE VI
13                            THE JUDICIARY
14         (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 8)
15    SECTION 8. ASSOCIATE JUDGES
16        (Repealed). Each Circuit Court shall have such number  of
17    Associate  Judges  as provided by law. Associate Judges shall
18    be appointed by the Circuit Judges in  each  circuit  as  the
19    Supreme  Court  shall  provide by rule. In the First Judicial
20    District,  unless  otherwise  provided  by  law,   at   least
21    one-fourth  of  the Associate Judges shall be appointed from,
22    and reside, outside Chicago. The Supreme Court shall  provide
23    by rule for matters to be assigned to Associate Judges.
24    (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
25         (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 10)
26    SECTION 10. TERMS OF OFFICE
27        The terms of office of Supreme and Appellate Court Judges
28    shall  be ten years; and of Circuit Judges, six years; and of
29    Associate Judges, four years.
30    (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
                            -2-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1         (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 11)
 2    SECTION 11. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE
 3        No person shall be eligible to be a  Judge  or  Associate
 4    Judge unless he or she is a United States citizen, a licensed
 5    attorney-at-law of this State, and a resident of the district
 6    or  circuit  unit  which selects him or her. No change in the
 7    boundaries of a unit shall affect the tenure in office  of  a
 8    Judge  or  Associate  Judge  incumbent  at  the  time of such
 9    change.
10    (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
11         (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12)
12    SECTION 12. ELECTION AND RETENTION
13        (a)  Supreme Court, Appellate and Circuit Judges shall be
14    nominated at primary elections or  by  petition  and.  Judges
15    shall  be  elected  at  general  or judicial elections as the
16    General Assembly shall provide by law. A person eligible  for
17    the  office  of  Judge may cause his or her name to appear on
18    the ballot as a candidate for Judge at the primary and at the
19    general or judicial elections by  submitting  petitions.  The
20    General  Assembly shall prescribe by law the requirements for
21    petitions.
22        (a-5)  Appellate and Circuit Judges shall be appointed by
23    the  Supreme  Court  from  nominees  submitted  by   Judicial
24    Nominating Commissions in accordance with subsection (c-5) of
25    this Section.
26        (b)  The  office  of  a Judge shall be vacant upon his or
27    her death, resignation,  retirement,  removal,  or  upon  the
28    conclusion  of  his  or her term without retention in office.
29    Whenever  an  additional  Appellate  or  Circuit   Judge   is
30    authorized  by  law, the office shall be filled in the manner
31    provided for filling a vacancy in that office.
32        (c)  A vacancy occurring in the office of Supreme  Court,
33    Appellate  or  Circuit  Judge  shall be filled as the General
                            -3-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1    Assembly may provide  by  law.  In  the  absence  of  a  law,
 2    vacancies  may be filled by appointment by the Supreme Court.
 3    A person appointed to fill a vacancy 60 or more days prior to
 4    the next primary election to nominate  Supreme  Court  Judges
 5    shall  serve  until  the  vacancy is filled for a term at the
 6    next general or judicial election. A person appointed to fill
 7    a vacancy less  than  60  days  prior  to  the  next  primary
 8    election  to nominate Judges shall serve until the vacancy is
 9    filled at the second general or judicial  election  following
10    such appointment.
11        (c-5)  As  soon  as  a  vacancy  occurs  in the office of
12    Appellate or Circuit Judge, or if such a vacancy  will  occur
13    within 6 months by a day certain, the Administrative Director
14    of  the Illinois Courts shall promptly notify the chairperson
15    of the appropriate Judicial Nominating Commission, who  shall
16    immediately  convene  the  Commission  and give notice to the
17    public.
18        Within 60 days after receiving the notice of  a  vacancy,
19    the  Judicial  Nominating  Commission  shall  submit  to  the
20    Supreme  Court  a list of 3 nominees who, by their character,
21    background, temperament, professional  aptitude,  experience,
22    and  commitment to justice are deemed by the Commission to be
23    best qualified to fill the  vacancy.   The  Commission  shall
24    also give due consideration to diversity of representation on
25    the  bench.   The Commission shall submit the nominees' names
26    in  alphabetical  order.   The  selection   of   Judges   for
27    appointment  by  the  Supreme Court shall be from among those
28    persons best qualified to hold judicial office in this State.
29    All such qualified persons have the right  to  be  considered
30    for  selection  by a Judicial Nominating Commission free from
31    discrimination on the basis of race, color,  creed,  national
32    ancestry, or sex.  The Commission may not include on a list a
33    nominee  who  is  on  another  list  then  pending before the
34    Supreme Court.  The function of  a  list  of  nominees  shall
                            -4-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1    terminate  upon  the  making of the required appointment from
 2    the list.
 3        Immediately upon receiving a  list  of  nominees  from  a
 4    Judicial  Nominating Commission, the Supreme Court shall make
 5    the list public.  Not fewer than 28 nor  more  than  56  days
 6    after  receiving a list, the Supreme Court shall appoint from
 7    the list a person to fill the vacancy.  If the Supreme  Court
 8    does  not  make an appointment within 56 days, the Commission
 9    shall immediately submit the list to the Governor, who  shall
10    make  the  appointment  from  the  list  within 28 days after
11    receiving the list.
12        A person appointed to fill a  vacancy  pursuant  to  this
13    subsection  shall  serve  an  initial  term equal to the term
14    specified in Section 10.
15        (d)  Not less than six months before the general election
16    preceding the expiration of his or  her  term  of  office,  a
17    Supreme,  Appellate  or Circuit Judge who has been elected or
18    appointed to that office  may  file  in  the  office  of  the
19    Secretary  of  State  a  declaration  of candidacy to succeed
20    himself or herself. The Secretary of State, not less than  63
21    days before the election, shall certify the Judge's candidacy
22    to the proper election officials. The names of Judges seeking
23    retention  shall be submitted to the electors, separately and
24    without party designation, on the sole question whether  each
25    Judge  shall  be  retained  in  office  for another term. The
26    retention elections shall be conducted at  general  elections
27    in   the  appropriate  Judicial  District,  for  Supreme  and
28    Appellate Judges, and in the circuit for Circuit Judges.  The
29    affirmative  vote  of 50% three-fifths of the electors voting
30    on the question shall elect the Judge to  the  office  for  a
31    term commencing on the first Monday in December following his
32    or her election for retention.
33        (e)  A  law  reducing  the number of Appellate or Circuit
34    Judges shall be without prejudice to the right of the  Judges
                            -5-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1    affected  to  seek  retention  in  office.  A reduction shall
 2    become effective when a vacancy occurs in the affected unit.
 3        (f)  The office of Associate Judge is abolished, and  all
 4    Associate  Judges  in  office  on  the effective date of this
 5    amendment shall on that date assume  the  office  of  Circuit
 6    Judge.   In  order  to  end  the  terms  of those Judges, the
 7    Administrative Director of the Illinois Courts,  as  soon  as
 8    possible after the effective date of this amendment, shall by
 9    lot  divide  those  Judges into 3 groups that are as equal in
10    number as possible.  The terms of the  Judges  in  the  first
11    group  shall  end  on  the first Monday in December after the
12    next  general  election  following  the  adoption   of   this
13    amendment  and  every  6  years thereafter.  The terms of the
14    Judges in the second group shall end on the first  Monday  in
15    December  after  the  second  general  election following the
16    adoption of this amendment and every 6 years thereafter.  The
17    terms of the Judges in the third group shall  expire  on  the
18    first  Monday  in  December  after the third general election
19    following the adoption of this amendment and  every  6  years
20    thereafter.
21        The  Judges  described in this subsection may be retained
22    in the same manner as other Circuit Judges.
23    (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
24         (ILCON Art. VI, Sec. 12.5 new)
25    SECTION 12.5.  JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSIONS
26        (a)  There shall be a Judicial Nominating  Commission  in
27    each  Judicial  District for the nomination of Judges for the
28    Appellate Court, in each Judicial Circuit for the  nomination
29    of  Judges  for  the  Circuit  Court,  and  in  each Judicial
30    Subcircuit for the nomination of Judges  for  the  Subcircuit
31    Courts.
32        (b)  Each Judicial Nominating Commission shall consist of
33    11  members.   Six of the members must be persons who are not
                            -6-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1    licensed to practice as  an  attorney  or  counselor  at  law
 2    within  this  State  and  are  residents  of  the appropriate
 3    District, Circuit, or Subcircuit ("non-lawyer members").  The
 4    remaining 5 members must  be  persons  who  are  licensed  to
 5    practice as an attorney or counselor at law within this State
 6    and  are  residents  of the appropriate District, Circuit, or
 7    Subcircuit ("lawyer members").
 8        (c)  Three of the non-lawyer  members  of  each  Judicial
 9    Nominating  Commission  shall  be  appointed  by the Attorney
10    General.   The  remaining  3  non-lawyer  members  shall   be
11    appointed  by the officer first in the following order who is
12    not affiliated with the same political party as the  Attorney
13    General:  the  President  of  the  Senate, the Speaker of the
14    House of Representatives, and  the  Minority  Leader  of  the
15    Senate.
16        (d)  The  lawyer  members  of  each  Judicial  Nominating
17    Commission  shall  be  selected  in  the  manner  provided by
18    Supreme Court Rule.
19        (e)  Upon appointment of the initial  non-lawyer  members
20    of  each Judicial Nominating Commission, the Attorney General
21    shall divide the appointees by lot into 3 groups as equal  in
22    number  as  possible,  with  one  of  the  Attorney General's
23    appointees in each group.  The Attorney General shall by  lot
24    designate  the members in those groups to serve initial terms
25    of 2, 4,  and  6  years  respectively.   The  initial  lawyer
26    members  of each Judicial Nominating Commission shall also be
27    divided by lot into 3 groups as equal in number as  possible,
28    and the members in those groups shall by lot be designated to
29    serve initial terms of 2, 4, and 6 years respectively, all in
30    the  manner  provided by Supreme Court Rule.  Thereafter, the
31    terms of all Commission members shall be 6 years.
32        (f)  A vacancy in the non-lawyer membership of a Judicial
33    Nominating Commission shall be filled for  the  remainder  of
34    the unexpired term or for a full term, as the case may be, by
                            -7-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1    the  Attorney  General (if the Attorney General is affiliated
 2    with the same political party as the official  who  appointed
 3    the  member  whose  vacancy  is to be filled) or by the other
 4    officer specified in subsection (c) of this Section  (if  the
 5    Attorney   General  is  affiliated  with  a  political  party
 6    different from that of the official who appointed the  member
 7    whose  vacancy  is  to be filled).  A vacancy at the end of a
 8    term in  the  lawyer  membership  of  a  Judicial  Nominating
 9    Commission  shall be filled in the manner provided by Supreme
10    Court Rule.
11        (g)  The members of each Judicial  Nominating  Commission
12    shall   select   a   Chairperson   of  the  Commission.   The
13    Chairperson shall serve for a term of 3 years unless  his  or
14    her  remaining  term  as  a  member of the Commission expires
15    sooner.
16        (h)  A person is not eligible  to  serve  on  a  Judicial
17    Nominating Commission if he or she (i) holds any office under
18    the   United   States   or   this  State,  or  any  political
19    subdivision, municipal corporation, municipality, or unit  of
20    local government of this State, and receives compensation for
21    services  rendered in that office or (ii) holds any office or
22    official position in  a  political  party.  Compensation  for
23    service  in  the  State  militia or the armed services of the
24    United States, for the period of time determined  by  Supreme
25    Court  Rule,  does  not disqualify a person from serving on a
26    Judicial Nominating  Commission  under  this  subsection.   A
27    member  of  a  Judicial  Nominating  Commission  may  not  be
28    appointed  to judicial office while serving on the Commission
29    or for a period of 6 months thereafter.
30        (i)  A person who has served a full term of 6 years as  a
31    member of a Judicial Nominating Commission may not serve on a
32    Commission  during  the  next 3 years following expiration of
33    that 6-year term.  A person may not serve on  more  than  one
34    Judicial Nominating Commission at the same time.
                            -8-                LRB9005063DJcd
 1        (j)  A   Judicial   Nominating   Commission  may  conduct
 2    investigations, meetings, and hearings, all of which  may  be
 3    secret,  and may employ staff members as necessary to perform
 4    the  Commission's  duties.   Judicial  Nominating  Commission
 5    members may  not receive any compensation for their  services
 6    on the Commission but shall be reimbursed for their necessary
 7    expenses  actually  incurred in performing their duties.  The
 8    General Assembly shall appropriate funds to the Supreme Court
 9    for that  reimbursement  and  for  all  other  administrative
10    expenses of the Judicial Nominating Commissions.
11        (k)  A   Judicial   Nominating  Commission  shall  submit
12    nominees for the office of Appellate or Circuit Judge to  the
13    Supreme   Court   upon  the  concurrence  of  not  less  than
14    three-fifths of the members of the Commission voting  on  the
15    nominations.
16        (l)  Lawyer and non-lawyer members of Judicial Nominating
17    Commissions   are   not   subject   to   economic  disclosure
18    requirements as provided by law.
19                              SCHEDULE
20        This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon  approval
21    by the electors of this State.

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