Public Act 097-1069
 
HB4991 EnrolledLRB097 13402 AJO 58458 b

    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