Kimberly Lightford
Tom Cross
Metro-East lawyers aspiring to be judges, take note.
The Illinois General Assembly passed legislation today authorizing additional associate judgeships in Third (Madison and Bond counties) and Twentieth Judicial Circuits (St. Clair, Randolph, Monroe, Washington, and Perry counties).
Senate Bill 997, which goes into effect immediately upon the governor's signature, passed 52-0 in the state Senate on June 27, and today in the House 108-0.
Any legislation passed in this year's record-breaking overtime general assembly session requires three-fifths majority approval. Legislators, who normally finish business by May, are still trying to reach agreement on a budget.
The bill's Senate sponsors included Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Westchester), Emil Jones Jr. (D-Chicago) and Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago).
House sponsors included Rep. Tom Cross (R-Plainfield), Frank J. Mautino (D-Spring Valley), Ronald A. Wait (R-Belvidere), Robert W. Pritchard (R-Sycamore), Brent Hassert (R-Romeoville) and Jack D. Franks (D-Woodstock).
The bill also authorized additional circuit judgeships across the state, such as:
In the 19th judicial circuit's existing resident judgeships, eliminates the first judgeship that is or becomes vacant on or after the bill's effective date.