Supreme Court of Illinois

The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court and the highest court of the Illinois judiciary. Its authority comes from Article VI of the Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from five appellate districts: three from the First District, which matches Cook County, and one from each of the other four. A justice serves a ten-year term, may seek retention, and the court elects its own chief justice for three years. The court has limited original jurisdiction and final appellate jurisdiction in matters of Illinois state law, with discretionary review of the Illinois Appellate Court, and a case that also raises a federal question can go on to the United States Supreme Court. It also promulgates rules for all state courts with the legislature, supervises attorney discipline and governs admission to the bar. Illinois is unusual in choosing its justices by partisan election by district, a practice that grew out of the legislature appointing judges under the first constitution, the move to direct election in 1848 and the reorganization of 1962 to 1964.