Public Act 1069 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4991 Enrolled LRB097 13402 AJO 58458 b

Public Act 097-1069

AN ACT concerning civil law.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Circuit Courts Act is amended by changing Sections 2 and 2a as follows:

(705 ILCS 35/2) (from Ch. 37, par. 72.2)

Sec. 2. Circuit judges shall be elected at the general elections and for terms as provided in Article VI of the Illinois Constitution. Ninety-four circuit judges shall be elected in the Circuit of Cook County and 3 circuit judges shall be elected in each of the other circuits except as provided in this Section. , but in In circuits other than Cook County containing a population of 230,000 or more inhabitants and in which there is included a county containing a population of 200,000 or more inhabitants, or in circuits other than Cook County containing a population of 270,000 or more inhabitants, according to the last preceding federal census and in the circuit where the seat of State government is situated at the time fixed by law for the nomination of judges of the Circuit Court in such circuit and in any circuit which meets the requirements set out in Section 2a of this Act, 4 circuit judges shall be elected in the manner provided by law. In circuits other than Cook County in which each county in the circuit has a population of 475,000 or more, 4 circuit judges shall be elected in addition to the 4 circuit judges provided for in this Section. In any circuit composed of 2 counties having a total population of 350,000 or more, one circuit judge shall be elected in addition to the 4 circuit judges provided for in this Section.

Any additional circuit judgeships in the 19th and 22nd judicial circuits resulting by operation of this Section shall be filled, if at all, at the general election in 2006 only as provided in Section 2f-1. Thereafter, however, this Section shall not apply to the determination of the number of circuit judgeships in the 19th and 22nd judicial circuits. The number of circuit judgeships in the 19th judicial circuit shall be determined thereafter in accordance with Section 2f-1 and Section 2f-2 and shall be reduced in accordance with those Sections. The number of circuit judgeships in the 22nd judicial circuit shall be determined thereafter in accordance with Section 2f-1 and Section 2f-5 and shall be reduced in accordance with those Sections.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section or any other law, the number of at large judgeships of the 12th judicial circuit may be reduced as provided in subsections (a-10) and (a-15) of Section 2f-4.

In the 23rd judicial circuit, there shall be no at large circuit judgeships and only resident circuit judges shall be elected as provided in Sections 2f-10 and 2f-11.

The several judges of the circuit courts of this State, before entering upon the duties of their office, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, which shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State:

"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 judge of.... court, according to the best of my ability."

One of the 3 additional circuit judgeships authorized by this amendatory Act in circuits other than Cook County in which each county in the circuit has a population of 475,000 or more may be filled when this Act becomes law. The 2 remaining circuit judgeships in such circuits shall not be filled until on or after July 1, 1977.

(Source: P.A. 96-108, eff. 7-30-09.)

(705 ILCS 35/2a) (from Ch. 37, par. 72.2a)

Sec. 2a. In any circuit, other than Cook County and the 23rd circuit, in which is situated any State institution providing educational or welfare facilities for more than 25,000 persons, 4 circuit judges shall be elected unless that circuit is entitled to a greater number under Section 2.

(Source: P.A. 76-2067.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/24/2012