Supreme Court of Illinois Decisions
Seven justices serve on the Illinois Supreme Court, which is located in Springfield. The Court generally reviews appeals from the Illinois Appellate Court at its discretion, but it must hear an appeal when a case involves the constitutionality of a law. It also holds original jurisdiction over matters related to writs of mandamus and habeas corpus, as well as certain other narrow situations. The Chief Justice and the staff of the Supreme Court oversee the other Illinois courts. The Court works together with the Illinois legislature in making rules for the judicial branch.
To be qualified to serve as a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen who is licensed to practice law in the state. They also must be a resident of the district in which they run for election. The Illinois legislature formerly required all justices (and other judges) to retire at the age of 75, but the Illinois Supreme Court struck down this rule in 2009. Justices serve 10-year terms, for which they are elected in partisan elections. Illinois is divided into five judicial districts for the purposes of these elections. The district that contains Chicago and Cook County elects three justices, while each of the other districts elects one justice. At the end of their term, a justice will receive another term if they secure at least 60 percent of the votes in a retention election. The justices of the Court elect the Chief Justice to serve a three-year term.
When a vacancy arises on the Court, the remaining justices will appoint an interim justice to fill the seat. Illinois is the only state in the U.S. that allows its state Supreme Court to make interim appointments to its own seats. To retain their seat, the interim justice must seek a full term in the first general election that is held more than 60 days after they are appointed.
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Recent Decisions From the Supreme Court of Illinois
Date: April 4, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129263
Docket Number: 129263
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves the City of Joliet and five commercial truck drivers who were fined for violating city ordinances prohibiting overweight and/or overlength vehicles on nondesignated highways. The drivers challenged the…
Date: April 4, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129425
Docket Number: 129425
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Korem M. Johanson, was found guilty of Class X felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a child following a bench trial in the circuit court of McHenry County. Before sentencing, Johanson argued that…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 127464
Docket Number: 127464
Justia Opinion Summary: This case concerns a challenge to an Illinois statute that prohibits child sex offenders from living within 500 feet of a day care home. The plaintiff, Martin Kopf, who in 2003 had pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 127815
Docket Number: 127815
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, defendant Demetrius Gray was convicted of the offense of being an armed habitual criminal. The appellate court reversed this conviction, contending that the prosecution failed to prove that Gray had two…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128508
Docket Number: 128508
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a dispute between a grain producer, Robert Miller, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture over compensation from the Illinois Grain Insurance Fund. The fund is intended to compensate grain…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128587
Docket Number: 128587
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011, Shamar Griffin entered a guilty plea in the circuit court of Cook County, Illinois, to one count of first-degree murder in exchange for a 35-year sentence and the dismissal of additional charges. Several years…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128687
Docket Number: 128687
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the defendant, Clayton T. Marcum, was convicted of two counts of aggravated domestic battery and sentenced to consecutive prison terms of seven years on each count. Marcum appealed, arguing that his right…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129054
Docket Number: 129054
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of the State of Illinois evaluated a case involving Jessica Logan, who was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of her 19-month-old son. Before her trial, Logan moved to suppress a video…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129227
Docket Number: 129227
Justia Opinion Summary: In a lawsuit between two competitors in the shipping logistics industry, Project44, Inc. and FourKites, Inc., Project44 alleged that FourKites agents sent defamatory emails to Project44's chief revenue officer and two…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129289
Docket Number: 129289
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of the State of Illinois reviewed a case where a defendant, Ramon Torres, was convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of his four-year-old daughter. The State’s evidence included testimony that…
Date: March 21, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 129402
Docket Number: 129402
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of the State of Illinois considered an appeal by Emanuel Wells, who had entered a fully negotiated plea agreement with the state. Wells had pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of cannabis…
Date: March 8, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128935
Docket Number: 128935
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, a minor identified as M.U., through her parents, filed a complaint against Team Illinois Hockey Club, Inc. and the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, Inc., alleging that they violated Section 5-102(A)…
Date: February 16, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128373
Docket Number: 128373
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois affirmed the lower courts' decisions denying Darrell Fair's claim of torture. Fair, who had been convicted of a felony, appealed the circuit court’s denial of his…
Date: February 1, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128492
Docket Number: 128492
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Richard Huff, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, filed a pro se postconviction petition alleging that his life sentence was unconstitutional under Apprendi v. New Jersey. The petition was…
Date: January 19, 2024
Citation: 2024 IL 128644
Docket Number: 128644
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court's decision, affirming the trial court's decision to allow the postconviction counsel to withdraw and to dismiss the postconviction petition. The…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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