SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court on June 7 halted boundary changes that legislators approved for judicial districts effective June 4.
“Appeals and other matters shall continue to be filed in the judicial districts as they existed on June 3, until further order of the court,” the court’s order says.
Justices say they issued the order to give sufficient time to plan and implement a bill that legislators adopted as the Judicial Districts Act of 2021.
They acted, “to facilitate an orderly transition, avoid errors, and guarantee access to justice.”
They stated that the Act necessitated numerous changes to the processing of appeals and the administration of justice.
They stated that the changes included updates to electronic filing and case management software, redistribution of staffing and judicial resources, training of stakeholders, and education of the public and the bar.
The Act would add 11 counties to the Fifth District in the state’s southern region, pushing it north to Champaign.
It would push the Fourth District in the state’s center north to Wisconsin.
It would do away with most of the Third Circuit, which combines Will County south of Chicago with a region from Kankakee through Peoria to Rock Island.
Will County would remain in the Third District, but would attach itself to other suburban counties.
The Second District, mostly suburban, would turn almost entirely suburban.
The Act provided that nothing in it was intended to alter or impair the Supreme Court’s ability to fulfill its obligations to ensure proper administration of the judicial branch, and the Justices quoted that in support of their order.
“This order secures the efficient and orderly administration of the justice system and makes certain the faithful execution of Public Act 102-0011,” the court stated.