Illinois Legal Overview The Supreme Court of Illinois is the highest court in Illinois, with seven justices elected by constituents in their own judicial district for a 10-year term. The Chief Justice is the administrative head of the state court system. The Illinois Appellate Court has five district divisions to hear appeals from the Illinois Circuit Courts, which have 23 circuits, each comprising of one or more of the state's 102 counties. The circuit courts have general jurisdiction for all cases, although the Supreme Court also has direct jurisdiction over certain matters, such as habeas corpus, prohibition, mandamus and revenue.
Top metro Illinois areas for Legal Issues: Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City
1. Illinois abolished the death penalty on March 9, 2012. Illinois is known for landmark law enforcement and gun control cases such as Brown v. Illinois (1975) and McDonald v. Chicago (2010). In the former, a suspect arrested without probable cause and a warrant was read his Miranda Rights twice and made statements both times that got him indicted for murder. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the conviction, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the statements inadmissible. In McDonald v. Chicago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right to bear arms in violation to state law and city ordinances. 2. A lawsuit that was in filed in Illinois claims that a man in jail was denied the prescription medications he needed to keep his HIV under control. 3. They were two lawsuits recently filed in Sangamon County, home of Springfield, that questions reductions in healthcare compensation made to state retirees and workers.
Trending Illinois Legal Topics: The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) is a voluntary organization founded in 1877. The ISBA now has over 30,000 members, but no regulatory powers over the 60,000 or so practicing lawyers in Illinois. The bar exam is administered by the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, made up of seven bar members appointed by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Judicial conduct is overseen by the Judicial Inquiry Board and the Courts Commission, with the former responsible for investigating complaints and the letter for taking disciplinary action. |