§ 2f-6 — 17th judicial circuit; subcircuits

(a) Until December 2, 2024, the 17th circuit shall be divided into 4 subcircuits. On and after December 2, 2024, the 17th circuit is divided into 2 subcircuits as drawn by the General Assembly. The subcircuits shall be compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population. Beginning in 2031, the General Assembly shall, in the year following each federal decennial census, redraw the boundaries of the subcircuits to reflect the results of the most recent federal decennial census. Once a resident judgeship is assigned to a subcircuit, it shall continue to be assigned to that subcircuit for all purposes; provided that a resident judge elected from a subcircuit seeking retention shall run for retention at-large in the circuit in accordance with Article VI, Section 12(d) of the Illinois Constitution. Any vacancy in a resident judgeship existing on or occurring after the effective date of a law redrawing the boundaries of the subcircuits shall be filled by a resident of the redrawn subcircuit. (a-10) Of the 17th circuit's 9 circuit judgeships existing on April 7, 2005 (6 at large and 3 resident), but not including the one resident judgeship added by Public Act 96-108, the 3 resident judgeships shall be allotted as 17th circuit resident judgeships under subsection (c) as those resident judgeships are or become vacant on or after that date. Of the 17th circuit's associate judgeships, the first associate judgeship that is or becomes vacant on or after April 7, 2005 shall become a resident judgeship of the 17th circuit to be allotted by the Supreme Court under subsection (c) as a resident subcircuit judgeship; provided that a resident judge elected from a subcircuit seeking retention shall run for retention at-large in the circuit in accordance with Article VI, Section 12(d) of the Illinois Constitution. These resident judgeships, and the one resident judgeship added by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, shall constitute all of the resident judgeships of the 17th circuit. As used in this subsection, a vacancy does not include the expiration of a term of a resident judge who seeks retention in that office at the next term. A vacancy does not exist or occur at the expiration of an associate judge's term if the associate judge is reappointed. (b) The 17th circuit shall have a total of 4 judgeships (3 resident judgeships existing on April 7, 2005 and one associate judgeship), but not including the one resident judgeship added by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, available to be allotted to the 4 subcircuit resident judgeships. The at-large judgeships existing on January 7, 2022 (the effective date of Public Act 102-693) shall be converted to resident judgeships as they are or become vacant and shall be allotted by the Supreme Court according to subsection (c-5) of this Section. (c) The Supreme Court shall allot (i) the 3 resident judgeships of the 17th circuit existing on April 7, 2005 as they are or become vacant as provided in subsection (a-10) and (ii) the one associate judgeship converted into a resident judgeship of the 17th circuit as it is or becomes vacant as provided in subsection (a-10), for election from the various subcircuits until there is one resident judge to be elected from each subcircuit. No resident or associate judge of the 17th circuit serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly shall be required to change his or her residency in order to continue serving in office or to seek retention or reappointment in office as resident judgeships are allotted by the Supreme Court in accordance with this Section. (c-5) For vacancies to be filled beginning with the 2024 general election, the Supreme Court shall allot (i) the 4 resident judgeships of the 17th circuit existing on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly as they become vacant after January 7, 2022 (the effective date of Public Act 102-693) and (ii) the at-large judgeships converted to resident judgeships under subsection (b) as they become vacant after that date, to the subcircuits created by Public Act 102-693 in numerical order until there are 6 to be elected from the 1st subcircuit and 4 to be elected from the 2nd subcircuit. (d) A resident judge elected from a subcircuit shall continue to reside in that subcircuit as long as he or she holds that office. A resident judge elected from a subcircuit after January 1, 2008, must retain residency as a registered voter in the subcircuit to run for retention from the circuit at large thereafter. (e) Vacancies in resident judgeships of the 17th circuit shall be filled in the manner provided in Article VI of the Illinois Constitution.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 101-477, eff. 6-1-20; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21; 102-693, eff. 1-7-22; 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23.)