Appellate Court | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts
At the appellate court level, the presiding judge and judges of each appellate district are assisted by a clerk of the appellate court and a research director and their staffs appointed by the appellate judges. Appeals enter the clerk’s office, where deputy clerks assign each filing schedules and actively monitor and review cases as they progress through record preparation, motions, briefing, and oral arguments. After the court has heard an appeal, the clerk’s office issues the court’s decision and tracks all post-decision activity. The clerk’s office also manages the court’s computerized and manual recordkeeping systems and oversees the maintenance of physical facilities. The clerk responds to requests and questions concerning the court’s cases and procedures. The research director oversees a staff of attorneys and secretaries providing centralized legal research services to judges.
Except when a circuit court’s decision may be appealed directly to the Illinois Supreme Court, a person has the right to appeal the decision to the Illinois Appellate Court. The appellate court is organized into five districts, each of which hears appeals from the circuits within that district. After the appellate court decides an appeal, a person may petition the supreme court to review the appellate court’s decision.
Each district can have one or more divisions. There are six divisions in the first district and one in each of the other four. The Supreme Court assigns judges to the various divisions. The presiding judge of each division assigns judges to panels of three to hear appeals.
The number of appellate court judgeships, currently 54, is determined by the legislature. The Supreme Court can assign additional circuit, appellate or retired judges temporarily to any district. Judges are elected by voters in each district for 10-year terms, and may be retained for additional ten-year terms. Each judge has a support staff of two law clerks and a secretary.
Each district manages its own operations, subject to the overall authority of the Supreme Court. In the first district (Cook County), an executive committee exercises general administrative authority. This committee elects a chairperson and vice- chairperson for one year. In the other districts, judges select one of their members to serve as presiding judge for one year.
Meet the Appellate Court Justices
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