Illinois State Court Structure

Each state has its own, unique court system that is structured differently from every other state’s court system. The United States functions on what is known as a federalist system, whereby powers are extensively divided between the state and national governments, and one of the ramifications of this is that there are 51 court systems in the United States. Like every other state, Illinois has its own court system, whose structure is, in fact, very simply.

At the bottom of the Illinois court system are the state’s circuit courts, which are the main trial courts. Circuit courts have original jurisdiction for almost all civil and criminal cases, including personal injury cases. There a total of 22 circuits and the circuit court judges are elected for six-year terms. There are 505 circuit judges and 394 associate judges.

The next layer in the Illinois state court system structure is the court of appeals. The courts of appeals listen to cases that are appealed from the circuit courts. There are a total of 53 appellate court justices. The appeals courts also review administrative actions.

The final layer of the Illinois state court system is the Illinois Supreme Court. There are seven Supreme Court justices. Their jurisdiction includes appeals from the courts of appeals and circuits courts; cases involving habeas corpus, mandamus, revenue, and prohibition; and cases involving redistricting of Illinois’s General Assembly.

Contact a Chicago Personal Injury Attorney

It is important to know the court structure to better take utilize it. For more information about Illinois courts, contact the Chicago personal injury attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. by calling 312-466-8200.