The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current

Illinois Constitution The Constitution of the State of Illinois is the governing document of the state of Illinois. There have been four Illinois Constitutions; the fourth and current version was adopted in 1970. The current constitution is referred to as the "Constit ...

, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: three justices from the First District ( Cook County) and one from each of the other four districts. Each justice is elected for a term of ten years and the chief justice is elected by the court from its members for a three-year term.

Jurisdiction

The court has limited

original jurisdiction In common law legal systems original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a higher court has the power to review a lower court's decision. India In India, the Sup ...

and has final

appellate jurisdiction A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

. It has jurisdiction in cases where the

constitutionality Constitutionality is said to be the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution; "Webster On Line" the status of a law, a procedure, or an act's accordance with the laws or set forth in the applicable constitution. When l ...

of laws has been called into question, and

discretionary jurisdiction Discretionary jurisdiction is a circumstance where a court has the power to decide whether to hear a particular case brought before it. Most courts have no such power, and must entertain any case properly filed, so long as the court has subject mat ...

from the Illinois Appellate Court. Until 2011, when Illinois abolished the death penalty, it had mandatory jurisdiction in

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

cases. Along with the state legislature, the court promulgates rules for all state courts. Also, its members have the authority to elevate trial judges to the appellate court on a temporary basis. The court administers professional discipline through the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee and it governs initial licensing through the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar. The official

reporter A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

of the Illinois Supreme Court is ''

Illinois Reports Illinois Reports is the official reporter of the Illinois Supreme Court. It is published by Thomson Reuters, under contract with the Illinois Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions. The Illinois Supreme Court retains the copyright. For purposes of cit ...

''.

Districts

The Illinois Supreme Court is separated into 5 districts, with one Justice elected from each except the 1st, which elects three Justices. The districts are separated along county lines. These districts were first established in 1963 and had not been updated in nearly sixty years, despite the Illinois Constitution's requirement that the four districts outside the 1st District (Cook County) have "substantially equal population". As of 2018 Census estimates, the populations of the old districts before the 2021 redistricting were: 1st District: 5,194,000; 2nd District: 3,189,000; 3rd District: 1,805,000; 4th District 1,320,000; 5th District: 1,321,000. In comparison, the 2020 Census reports the populations of the current districts as: 1st District: 5,275,541; 2nd District: 1,773,382; 3rd District: 1,959,246; 4th District 2,086,825; 5th District: 1,717,514. The state legislature redrew districts in 2021 to take effect in the 2022 elections, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed these changes into law. Below are the counties per district based on the 2021 redistricting. Only the first district has remained entirely the same.

1st district

Cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

2nd district

* DeKalb * Kane * Kendall *

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

* McHenry

3rd district

Bureau Bureau ( ) may refer to: Agencies and organizations *Government agency *Public administration * News bureau, an office for gathering or distributing news, generally for a given geographical location * Bureau (European Parliament), the administrat ...

* DuPage * Grundy *

Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...

* Kankakee * LaSalle *

Will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...

4th district

* Adams * Boone *

Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model used ...

Calhoun John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) was the 7th vice president of the United States. Calhoun can also refer to: Surname * Calhoun (surname) Inhabited places in the United States *Calhoun, Georgia *Calhoun, Illinois *Calhoun, Kansas *Calhoun, Kentucky ...

* Carroll * Cass * Ford *

Fulton Fulton may refer to: People * Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship * Fulton (surname) Given name * Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer * Fult ...

* Greene * Hancock *

Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada *He ...

* Henry *

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

* Jo Daviess * Knox *

Lee Lee may refer to: Name Given name * Lee (given name), a given name in English Surname * Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee: ** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname ** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese ...

Livingston Livingston may refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North American custom ...

Logan Logan may refer to: Places * Mount Logan (disambiguation) Australia * Logan (Queensland electoral district), an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly * Logan, Victoria, small locality near St. Arnaud * Logan City, local gover ...

* Macoupin * Marshall *

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

* McDonough *

McLean MacLean, also spelt Maclean and McLean, is a Goidelic languages, Gaelic surname Mac Gille Eathain, or, Mac Giolla Eóin in Irish language, Irish Gaelic), Eóin being a Gaelic form of Johannes (John (given name), John). The clan surname is an A ...

Menard Menard may refer to: Places Canada *Menard River, a tributary of the Wawagosic River in Quebec, Canada United States * Menard County, Illinois ** Menard, Illinois * Menard County, Texas ** Menard, Texas * Menard–Hodges site, archaeological s ...

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader ...

Morgan Morgan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Morgan (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Morgan le Fay, a powerful witch in Arthurian legend * Morgan (surname), a surname of Welsh origin * Morgan (singer), ...

Ogle Ogle may refer to: Places * Ogle County, Illinois, United States * Original name of Ashton, Illinois, a village * Ogle, Kentucky, United States, an unincorporated community * Ogle Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States * Ogle, Nor ...

* Peoria * Piatt *

Pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...

* Putnam * Rock Island * Sangamon * Schuyler *

Scott Scott may refer to: Places Canada * Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec * Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380 * Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Saska ...

* Stark *

Stephenson Stephenson is a medieval patronymic surname meaning "son of Stephen". The earliest public record is found in the county of Huntingdonshire in 1279. There are variant spellings including Stevenson. People with the surname include: *Ashley Stephen ...

* Tazewell *

Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since ancient history, antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its correspondi ...

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...

Winnebago Winnebago can refer to: * The exonym of the Ho-Chunk tribe of Native North Americans with reservations in Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin ** Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, a federally recognized tribe group in the state ** The Winnebago language of the ...

* Whiteside *

Woodford Woodford may refer to: Places Australia *Woodford, New South Wales *Woodford, Queensland, a town in the Moreton Bay Region *Woodford, Victoria Canada * Woodford, Ontario England *Woodford, Cornwall * Woodford, Gloucestershire *Woodford, Greate ...

5th district

* Alexander *

Bond Bond or bonds may refer to: Common meanings * Bond (finance), a type of debt security * Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States * Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...

* Champaign *

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...

Clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...

* Coles *

Crawford Crawford may refer to: Places Canada * Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia * Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario United Kingdom * Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England * Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

* DeWitt *

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...

Edgar Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and ''gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, rev ...

Edwards Edwards may refer to: People * Edwards (surname) * Edwards family, a prominent family from Chile * Edwards Barham (1937-2014), a former member of the Louisiana State Senate * Edwards Pierrepont (1817–1892), an American attorney, jurist, and ora ...

* Effingham * Fayette *

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

* Gallatin *

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

* Hardin * Jackson *

Jasper Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref> ...

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

Johnson Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

* Macon *

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

* Massac * Monroe * Montgomery * Moultrie * Perry *

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

* Pulaski *

Randolph Randolph may refer to: Places In the United States * Randolph, Alabama, an unincorporated community * Randolph, Arizona, a populated place * Randolph, California, a village merged into the city of Brea * Randolph, Illinois, an unincorporated commun ...

* Richland *

Saline Saline may refer to: * Saline (medicine), a liquid with salt content to match the human body * Saline water, non-medicinal salt water * Saline, a historical term (especially US) for a salt works or saltern Places * Saline, Calvados, a commune in ...

* Shelby * St. Clair *

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

* Wabash *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

* Wayne *

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

* Williamson

Qualifications and elections

Justices are required to be U.S. citizens, members of the state bar, and resident in the district from which they are elected or appointed. Justices run in a general election for a 10-year term. At the end of the initial term, they may run in a non-partisan retention election where they must receive 60% of the vote to be retained for continuing terms of ten-years. When a vacancy occurs mid-term, the Supreme Court itself appoints a new justice. The appointed justice must run in the next partisan election (including primaries) that is more than 60 days from their appointment for a 10-year term to hold the seat. The court elects the chief justice from among its members for a three-year term.

Justices

While the justices of many states' supreme courts are expected to relocate to the state capital for the duration of their terms of office, the justices of the Illinois Supreme Court continue to reside in their home constituencies and have chambers in their respective appellate districts (for example, the three First District justices are chambered in the Michael Bilandic Building in Chicago). The justices travel to Springfield to hear oral arguments and deliberate. Accordingly, the Illinois Supreme courthouse building includes apartments for the justices' use while in Springfield.

Current justices

Previous justices

2000–present

* Thomas R. Fitzgerald (2000–2010) * Philip J. Rarick (2002–2004) *

Robert R. Thomas Robert Randall Thomas (born August 7, 1952) is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois and a former professional football player. He has served as the Illinois Supreme Court Justice for the Second District since December 4, 2000, and a ...

(2000–2020) *

Thomas L. Kilbride Thomas L. Kilbride (born August 5, 1953) is an American judge who served on the Supreme Court of Illinois from 2000 to 2020. Kilbride served as Chief Justice of the court from October 2010 through October 25, 2013. He was elected to the Illinois ...

(2000–2020) *

Rita Garman Rita B. Garman (born November 19, 1943) is a former American judge who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. She represented the Fourth Judicial District on the Supreme Court. She was elected by her peers to serve a three-year ter ...

(2001–2022) *

Anne M. Burke Anne Marie Burke (née McGlone; born February 3, 1944) is an American jurist who served on the Illinois Supreme Court from 2006 until 2022. She served a term as the chief justice from 2019 until 2022. Burke had previously been appointed to the Il ...

(2006–2022) *

Michael J. Burke Michael J. Burke (born October 28, 1958) is an American lawyer who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois from 2020 to 2022. He was previously a judge on the Illinois Second District Appellate Court. Early life and education Mich ...

(2020–2022) *

Robert L. Carter Robert Lee Carter (March 11, 1917 – January 3, 2012) was an American lawyer, civil rights activist and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Personal history and early life ...

(2020–2022)

1900–1999

Charles E. Freeman Charles E. Freeman (December 12, 1933 – March 2, 2020) was an American attorney who served as a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was elected to the position on November 6, 1990, becoming its first African-American justice. He served as ...

(1990–2018) *

S. Louis Rathje S. Louis Rathje (born November 1, 1939) is an American lawyer and former justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from the 2nd district. He served from January 8, 1999 to December 4, 2000. Biography S. Louis Rathje was born in Geneva, Illinois on No ...

(1999–2000) * Michael Anthony Bilandic (1994–1997) *

Mary Ann McMorrow Mary Ann McMorrow (née Grohwin; January 16, 1930 – February 23, 2013) was an Illinois Supreme Court chief justice. Career Mary Ann Grohwin was born to Roman and Emily Grohwin and grew up in a Roman Catholic household on the northwest side o ...

(1992–2006) *

Moses Harrison Moses Wilkins Harrison II (March 30, 1932 – April 25, 2013) was an American attorney and jurist who served as a judge of the Illinois Appellate Court and the Supreme Court of Illinois. Early life and education Born in Collinsville, Illinois ...

(1992–2002) * John L. Nickels (1992–1998) * Benjamin K. Miller (1984–2001) *

Joseph F. Cunningham Joseph F. Cunningham (February 25, 1924 – July 12, 2008) was an American jurist. Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, Cunningham received his bachelor's degree from University of Dayton in 1946 and his law degree from Washington University School ...

(1991–1992) *

James D. Heiple James D. Heiple (September 13, 1933 – January 18, 2021) was an American attorney and jurist. He was elected as a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court in 1990, and went on to serve as its chief justice briefly in 1997, and continued to serve o ...

(1990–2000) *

Horace L. Calvo Horace L. Calvo January 4, 1927 – June 3, 1991) was an American politician and jurist. He served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1969 to 1975 and was a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1989 to 1991. Born in C ...

(1988–1991) *

John J. Stamos John James Stamos (January 30, 1924 – January 28, 2017) was an American attorney and jurist who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois from 1988 to 1990. Early life Born in Chicago, Illinois to Greek people, Greek immigrants fro ...

(1988–1990) *

(1987–1988) *

Seymour Simon Seymour Simon (August 10, 1915 – September 26, 2006) was an American lawyer, Appellate Court and Supreme Court Justice in Illinois, and City Council member (alderman) in Chicago, Illinois. Life Simon was born in Chicago, and grew up in the ...

(1980–1988) *

Thomas E. Kluczynski Thomas E. Kluczynski (September 29, 1903 – May 16, 1994) was an American jurist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kluczynski received his LL.B. degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1927. He then practiced law until 1945, when he wa ...

(1978–1980) *

William G. Clark William G. Clark (July 16, 1924 – August 17, 2001) was an American politician and jurist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Clark went to Loyola University Chicago, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and received his law degree from D ...

(1976–1992) *

Caswell J. Crebs Caswell Jones Crebs (January 14, 1912 – March 5, 1988) was an American jurist who was a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Born in Carmi, Illinois, Crebs received his bachelor's degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 1932, hi ...

(1975–1976) * Thomas J. Moran (1976–1992) *

James A. Dooley James A. Dooley (August 7, 1914 – March 5, 1978) was an American jurist. Early life and education Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dooley received his bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1935 and his law degree from Loyola University ...

(1976–1978) *

Howard C. Ryan Howard C. Ryan (June 17, 1916 - December 10, 2008) was an Illinois attorney and judge, including service as judge of the Supreme Court of Illinois (1970 to 1990), and that court's Chief Justice (1982–1985). Early and family life A native of T ...

(1970–1990) *

Joseph H. Goldenhersh Joseph H. Goldenhersh (November 2, 1914 – March 11, 1992) was an American jurist. Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, Goldenhersh received his law degree from Washington University Law School and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1936. He pract ...

(1970–1987) * Charles H. Davis (2nd time, 1970–1975) * Marvin Burt (1969–1970) *

(1969–1970) *

John T. Culbertson Jr. John T. Culbertson Jr. (August 7, 1891 – July 26, 1982) was an Illinois lawyer and judge. Early and family life Born in Delavan, Tazewell County, Illinois, Culbertson graduated from Delavan High School. He received his law degree from Ill ...

(1969–1970) *

(1966–1976) *

Daniel P. Ward Daniel Patrick Ward (August 30, 1918 – April 23, 1995) was an American jurist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Ward graduated from Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois. He went to St. Viator College and then received his law degree from DePaul Univer ...

(1966–1990) *

Robert C. Underwood Robert C. Underwood (October 27, 1915 – March 30, 1988) was an American jurist. Born in Gardner, Illinois, Underwood received his bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1937 and his bachelor's degree from University of Illino ...

(1962–1984) *

Roy Solfisburg Roy John Solfisburg Jr. (September 9, 1912 – April 19, 1991) was the Supreme Court of Illinois, Chief Justice of Illinois for the 1962–63 term and again from 1967 to 1969. Solfisburg was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1960, the fir ...

(1962–1963) * Byron O. House (1957–1969) * Charles H. Davis (1st time, 1955–1960) *

Ray Klingbiel Raymond I. Klingbiel (March 1, 1901 – January 18, 1973) was an Illinois lawyer and judge who twice served as the Chief Justice of Illinois (1956–1957, and 1964–1967) during sixteen years as justice of that court. In 1969, Klingbiel and then ...

(1953–1969) *

Walter V. Schaefer Walter Vincent Schaefer (December 10, 1904 – June 15, 1986) was an American jurist and educator. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Schaefer graduated from Hyde Park High School and then received his bachelor's and law degrees from University of C ...

(1951–1976) *

Harry B. Hershey Harry B. Hershey (March 8, 1885 – August 3, 1967) was an American jurist. Hershey was born March 8, 1885, in Mifflin, Ohio. His family moved to Taylorville, Illinois where Hershey was educated in Taylorville public schools. He earned his bac ...

(1951–1966) *

George W. Bristow George Washington Bristow (September 23, 1894 – November 12, 1961) was an American jurist. Born in New Grand Chain, Illinois, Bristow served in the United States Army during World War I. He graduated from University of Illinois and went to H ...

(1951–1961) *

Ralph L. Maxwell Ralph L. Maxwell (April 9, 1905 – August 29, 1956) was an American jurist. Born in Nashville, Illinois, Maxwell received his bachelor's degree from University of Illinois and his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. He pra ...

(1951–1956) * Albert M. Crampton (1948–1953) * Joseph E. Daily (1948–1965) *

Jesse L. Simpson Jesse Leander Simpson (January 13, 1884 – May 7, 1973) was an American jurist. Born in Troy, Illinois, Simpson grew up on a farm and worked as a telegraph operator. In 1909, he received his law degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and was a ...

(1947–1951) * Charles H. Thompson (1942–1950) *

William J. Fulton William John Fulton (January 14, 1875 – March 24, 1961) was a Canadian-born American jurist. He became an Illinois lawyer and judge, serving as city attorney for Sycamore, Illinois, a circuit court judge for DeKalb County, Illinois, appeallate j ...

(1942–1954) *

June C. Smith June C. Smith (March 24, 1876 – February 7, 1947) was an American jurist who served as justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1941 to 1947. Life Born in Irvington, Washington County, Illinois, Smith received his law degree from Southern ...

(1941–1947) *

Loren E. Murphy Loren E. Murphy (July 25, 1882 – June 2, 1963) was an American jurist who served as an associate justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Born on a farm near Cuba, in Fulton County, Illinois, Murphy received his law degree fr ...

(1939–1948) *

Walter T. Gunn Walter T. Gunn (June 4, 1879 – October 13, 1956) was an American jurist. Born in LaSalle County, Illinois, Gunn moved with his parents to Vermillion County, Illinois in 1880. He went to high school in Hoopeston, Illinois and to Greer College ...

(1938–1951) * Francis S. Wilson (1935–1951) * Elwyn Riley Shaw (1933–1942) *

Lott R. Herrick Lott Russell Herrick (December 8, 1871 – September 18, 1937) was an American lawyer and jurist. Born in Farmer City, Illinois, Herrick graduated from Farmer City High School in 1888. He then graduated from University of Illinois in 1892 and the ...

(1933–1937) * Paul Farthing (1933–1942) *

Norman L. Jones Norman Lemuel Jones (September 19, 1870 – November 15, 1940) was an American jurist and politician. Born in Patterson, Illinois, Jones and his family moved to Carrollton, Illinois in 1872. Jones was educated at Valparaiso University and th ...

(1931–1940) *

Warren H. Orr Warren Henry Orr (November 5, 1888 – January 12, 1962) was an American jurist. Born in Hannibal, Missouri, Orr received his bachelor's degree from University of Missouri and his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law. He worke ...

(1930–1939) *

Paul Samuell Henry Paul Samuell (October 2, 1886 – March 21, 1938) was an American jurist and lawyer. Born on a farm near Havana, Illinois, in Mason County, Illinois, Samuell went to Illinois College and then received his degree from Illinois Wesleya ...

(1929–1930) *

Cyrus E. Dietz Cyrus Edgar Dietz (March 17, 1876 – September 13, 1929) was a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and a college football player and coach. Dietz graduated in 1897 from the Grand Prairie Seminary in Onarga, Illinois. Dietz then attended Nor ...

(1928–1929) *

Oscar E. Heard Oscar E. Heard (June 26, 1856 – July 16, 1940) was an American jurist. Born in Freeport, Illinois, Heard received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1879. He practiced law in Freeport, Illi ...

(1927–1928) *

Frank K. Dunn Frank Kershner Dunn (November 13, 1854 – August 8, 1940) was an American lawyer and judge, who was thrice elected to the Illinois Supreme Court, serving from 1907 to 1933. Born in Mount Gilead, Ohio, Dunn received his bachelor's degree from Ke ...

(1907–1933) *

Frederic R. DeYoung Frederic R. DeYoung (September 12, 1875 – November 16, 1934) was an American jurist and politician who served as a judge on the Supreme Court of Illinois (1924–1934), judge on the Superior Court of Cook County (1923–1924), judge on the ori ...

(1924–1934) *

(1924–1933) * Floyd E. Thompson (1919–1928) * Clyde E. Stone (1918–1948) *

Warren W. Duncan Warren Webster Duncan (January 21, 1857 – April 11, 1938) was an American jurist. Born near Jeffersonville, Illinois, Duncan received his bachelor's degree from Ewing College. He then studied law and received his law degree from Saint Lou ...

(1915–1933) * Albert Watson (1915–1915) * Charles C. Craig (1913–1918) * George A. Cooke (1909–1919) *

(1907–1933) *

Orrin N. Carter Orrin Nelson Carter (January 22, 1854 – August 16, 1928) was an American jurist. Biography Born in Jefferson County, New York, Carter moved with his parents to DuPage County, Illinois where he lived on a farm. Carter received his bachelor's ...

(1906–1924) * Alonzo K. Vickers (1906–1915) *

William M. Farmer William Maurice Farmer (June 5, 1853 – August 28, 1931) was an American jurist and politician. Biography Born in Fayette County, Illinois, Farmer went to McKendree University and then received his law degree from Northwestern University Schoo ...

(1906–1931) *

Guy C. Scott Guy C. Scott (August 14, 1863 – May 24, 1909) was an American jurist and politician. Born in Bald Bluff, Illinois, Scott went to Knox College (Illinois), Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois. He then studied law and was admitted to the Illinois ...

(1903–1909) * James B. Ricks (1901–1906) *

John P. Hand John Pryor Hand (November 10, 1850 – May 22, 1923) was an American jurist. Born in Henry County, Illinois, Hand studied at Rock River Seminary in Mount Morris, Illinois. In 1872, Hand received his bachelor's degree from University of Iowa. He ...

(1900–1913)

1818–1899

Carroll C. Boggs Carroll Curtis Boggs (October 19, 1844 – December 16, 1923) was an American jurist. Born in Fairfield, Illinois, Boggs received his bachelor's degree from McKendree University. Boggs served as state's attorney for Wayne County, Illinois and as ...

(1897–1906) * Joseph N. Carter (1894–1903) * James H. Cartwright (1895–1924) *

Jesse J. Phillips Jesse J. Phillips (February 22, 1837 – February 16, 1901) was an American jurist and military officer. Biography Born in Montgomery County, Illinois, Phillips served in the 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civ ...

(1893–1901) *

Joseph M. Bailey Joseph Mead Bailey (June 22, 1833 – October 17, 1895) was an American jurist and politician. Early life Bailey was born in Middlebury, New York, to deacon and farmer Aaron (1801-1876) and Maria (née Braman, 1806–1880) Bailey. Through his ...

(1888–1895) * Jacob W. Wilkin (1888–1907) * Benjamin D. Magruder (1885–1906) *

Simeon P. Shope Simeon Peter Shope (December 3, 1837 – January 23, 1920) was an American attorney and politician from Ohio. Coming to Illinois as a small child, Shope worked on the family farm before become a teacher. He studied law and formed a practice in Le ...

(1885–1894) *

Damon G. Tunnicliff Damon George Tunnicliff (August 20, 1829 – December 20, 1901) was an American jurist. He briefly served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Illinois Supreme Court in 1885. Biography Damon G. Tunnicliff was born in Herkimer Count ...

(1885–1885) * David J. Baker Jr. (1888–1897) *

John H. Mulkey John H. Mulkey (May 24, 1824 – July 9, 1905) was an American attorney and judge from Kentucky. Mulkey worked a series of jobs until William J. Allen loaned him his law books in 1851 so that he could study. Two years later, Mulkey was admitted ...

(1879–1888) * David J. Baker Jr. (1878–1879) * T. Lyle Dickey (1875–1885) *

Alfred M. Craig Alfred Marion Craig (January 15, 1832 – September 6, 1911) was an American judge from Illinois. Born and raised in the state, he was first elected as Knox County judge before he was named to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1873. Craig served thre ...

(1873–1900) *

John Scholfield John Scholfield (August 1, 1834 – February 12, 1893) was an American politician and jurist. Born near Marshall, Clark County, Illinois, Scholfield received his law degree from the University of Louisville School of Law in Louisville, Kentuck ...

(1873–1893) *

William K. McAllister William King McAllister (August 5, 1818 – October 29, 1888) was an American jurist. Born in Salem, Washington County, New York, McAllister was admitted to the New York bar. In 1858, McAllister moved to Chicago, Illinois, and practiced law. He ...

(1870–1875) *

Benjamin R. Sheldon Benjamin Robbins Sheldon (April 15, 1811 – April 13, 1897) was an American jurist. Born in New Marlborough, Massachusetts, Sheldon received his bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1831 and his law degree from Yale Law School in 1836. ...

(1870–1888) *

John M. Scott John Milton Scott (August 1, 1824 – January 21, 1898) was an American attorney, judge, politician and philanthropist from Illinois. Although he did not win election to the Illinois Senate from Bloomington, Illinois, he served on both the Illin ...

(1870–1888) * Anthony Thornton (1870–1873) * Charles B. Lawrence (1864–1873) * Corydon Beckwith (1864–1864) * Pinkney H. Walker (1858–1888) * Sidney Breese (1857–1878) *

Onias C. Skinner Onias Childs Skinner (July 21, 1817 – February 4, 1877) was an American jurist and legislator. Born in Floyd, New York, Skinner moved to Peoria, Illinois in 1836. He then moved to Greenville, Ohio where he studied law and was admitted to t ...

(1855–1858) *

Walter B. Scates Walter Bennett Scates (January 18, 1808 – October 26, 1886) was an American lawyer and jurist. Born in South Boston, Virginia, Scates moved with his parents to a farm near Hopkinsville, Kentucky and then learned the printer's trade in Nashvi ...

(1853–1857) *

Lyman Trumbull Lyman Trumbull (October 12, 1813 – June 25, 1896) was a lawyer, judge, and United States Senator from Illinois and the co-author of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Born in Colchester, Connecticut, Trumbull esta ...

(1848–1853) *

David M. Woodson David Meade Woodson (May 18, 1806 – August 26, 1877) was an American jurist and legislator. Biography Born in Jessamine County, Kentucky, Woodson received his bachelor's degree from Transylvania University. He served in the Kentucky House o ...

(1848–1848) * Jesse B. Thomas Jr. (1847–1848) *

William A. Denning William A. Denning (1817 – September 4, 1856) was an American jurist and politician. Born in Kentucky, Denning moved to Frankfort, Illinois to practiced law. He then moved to Benton, Illinois when the county seat for Franklin County, Illin ...

(1847–1848) * Norman H. Purple (1845–1848) * Gustavus P. Koerner (1845–1848) * James Shields (1843–1845) * Jesse B. Thomas Jr. (1843–1845) *

John D. Caton John Dean Caton (March 19, 1812, Monroe, New YorkJuly 30, 1895) was an associate justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Caton attended the Utica Academy in Utica, New York. After graduation, he worked as a teacher in Utica. Dur ...

(1843–1864) * John M. Robinson (1843–1843) *

Richard M. Young Richard Montgomery Young (February 20, 1798–November 28, 1861) was a U.S. Senator from Illinois. Young was born in Fayette County, Kentucky and was admitted to the bar in 1816. In 1817, he moved his law practices to Jonesboro, Illinois, and ...

(1843–1847) *

James Semple James Semple (January 5, 1798 – December 20, 1866) was an American attorney and politician. He was Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Attorney General of Illinois, an associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Chargé d'A ...

(1843–1843) *

John Dean Caton John Dean Caton (March 19, 1812, Monroe, New YorkJuly 30, 1895) was an associate justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Caton attended the Utica Academy in Utica, New York. After graduation, he worked as a teacher in Utica. D ...

(1842–1843) *

Stephen A. Douglas Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. A senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party for president in the 1860 presidential election, which wa ...

(1841–1843) * Samuel H. Treat (1841–1855) *

(1841–1847) * Sidney Breese (1841–1843) * Thomas Ford (1841–1842) *

Theophilus W. Smith Theophilus Washington Smith (September 28, 1784 – May 6, 1845) was an Illinois Supreme Court Justice from 1825 until his resignation on December 26, 1842. He holds the distinction of being the subject of Illinois's first impeachment trial, hel ...

(1825–1842) *

Samuel D. Lockwood Samuel Drake Lockwood (August 2, 1789 – April 23, 1874) was an Illinois lawyer and politician who served as the state's Attorney General, Secretary of State, Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and the state's trustee on the board of the Il ...

(1825–1848) *

Thomas Reynolds Thomas, Tom or Tommy Reynolds may refer to: Politics * Thomas Reynolds (Assemblyman) (1840–1919), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *Thomas Reynolds (Australian politician) (1818–1875), Premier of South Australia, 1860–1861 *Thomas Reyno ...

(1822–1825) * William Wilson (1819–1848) * Joseph Phillips (1818–1822) * Thomas C. Browne (1818–1848) *

William P. Foster William Patrick Foster (August 25, 1919 – August 28, 2010), also known as The Law and The Maestro, was the director of the noted Florida A&M University Marching "100". He served as the band's director from 1946 to his retirement in 1998. His ...

(1818–1819) * John Reynolds (1818–1825)

References

Bibliography

List of Supreme Court Justices
from Supreme Court's website * * * * * * *

External links

Illinois Supreme Court website

A Chronicle of the Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois State Judiciary

Chief Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission
{{authority control Springfield, Illinois 1818 establishments in Illinois Territory Courts and tribunals established in 1818