Circuit Court | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

In Illinois, the circuit court is the court of original jurisdiction. There are 25 judicial circuits in the state, of which seven are single county circuits (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, St. Clair and Will). and the remaining eighteen circuits comprise as few as two and as many as twelve counties each.

Each circuit is administered by a chief judge who is elected by vote of the circuit court judges of that circuit. The chief circuit judge is assisted by an administrative assistant and/or trial court administrator and other support staff. The number of counties in each circuit currently ranges from one to twelve. In each county, voters elect a circuit clerk for a four-year term. Circuit clerks, with help from deputy clerks hired by the circuit clerk, attend sessions of the court, preserve court files and documents, maintain complete records of all cases, and maintain records of money received and disbursed related to these cases.

Except for redistricting of the general assembly and ruling on the ability of the governor to serve or resume office, the circuit court has jurisdiction for all matters properly brought before it. The circuit court shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court to hear cases relating to revenue, mandamus, prohibition, and habeas corpus. If the Supreme Court chooses to exercise its authority in a case of these types, the circuit court loses jurisdiction. The circuit court is also the reviewing court for certain state agency administrative orders. There are two types of judges in the circuit court: circuit judges and associate judges. Circuit judges are elected for a six-year term and may be retained by voters for additional six-year terms. They can hear any circuit court case. Circuit judges are initially elected either circuit-wide, from the county where they reside or from a sub-circuit within a circuit, depending on the type of vacancy they are filling. Associate judges are appointed by circuit judges of that circuit, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39, for four-year terms. An associate judge can hear any matters deemed suitable by the chief judge or designated circuit judge. Circuit judges in a circuit elect one of their members to serve as chief circuit court judge. The chief circuit judge has general administrative authority in the circuit, subject to the overall administrative authority of the Supreme Court. The chief judge can assign cases to general or specialized divisions within the circuit.