The Illinois circuit courts are state courts of the judiciary of Illinois . They are trial courts of original and general jurisdiction . As of 2024, outside of Cook County which has its own circuit court, there are 24 numbered circuits, which may include one or more counties of Illinois -- the numbering of the circuits is based on when they were created, generally new higher numbers go to circuits that were later created from out of the lower numbered circuit courts.
30-468: There are two kinds of judges in the circuit court: circuit judges and associate judges. Circuit judges are elected for six years, may be retained by voters for additional six-year terms, and can hear any kind of case. Circuit judges are generally elected on a circuit-wide basis or from the county where they reside. (In the Circuit Court of Cook County , which contains Chicago and is the largest of
60-576: A high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.58 inches (40 mm) in January to 4.34 inches (110 mm) in July. As of the 2010 Census , there were 677,560 people, 225,256 households, and 174,062 families residing in
90-575: Is a county in the northeastern part of the state of Illinois . According to the 2020 census , it had a population of 696,355, an increase of 2.8% from 677,560 in 2010, making it Illinois's fourth-most populous county. The county seat is Joliet . Will County is one of the five collar counties of the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The portion of Will County around Joliet uses area codes 815 and 779, while 630 and 331 are for far northern Will County and 708
120-483: Is for central and eastern Will County. Will County was formed on January 12, 1836, out of Cook and Iroquois Counties . It was named after Conrad Will , a politician and businessman involved in salt production in southern Illinois. Will was a member of the first Illinois Constitutional Convention and a member of the Illinois legislature until his death in 1835. Besides its present area, the county originally included
150-629: Is further divided into seven subcircuits. The Nineteenth Circuit consists of Lake County . Under the Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022, the number of subcircuits in the Nineteenth Circuit is to increase from 6 to 12 subcircuits. As of December 5, 2022, the twentieth circuit consists solely of St. Clair County . Prior to December 5, 2022, it had also included the counties of Randolph, Monroe, Washington, and Perry. The Twenty-first Circuit consists of
180-410: Is governed by a 22-member county board elected from 11 districts. Each district elects two members. The county executive, county clerk, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder of deeds, state's attorney, and sheriff are all elected in a countywide vote. The current county executive is Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, who took office in 2020. Will County government has been housed in a succession of courthouses,
210-507: Is not a numbered circuit. The Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022 increased the number of subcircuits from 15 to 20 subcircuits starting December 2, 2024. The First Circuit consists of the counties of Alexander , Pulaski , Massac , Pope , Johnson , Union , Jackson , Williamson , and Saline . The Second Circuit consists of the counties of Hardin, Gallatin, White, Hamilton, Franklin, Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, Jefferson, Richland, Lawrence, and Crawford. The Third Circuit consists of
240-574: Is served by four U.S. interstate highways, four U.S. highways, and 12 Illinois highways. Pace provides bus transit services within the county. Four different Metra commuter rail lines ( Metra Electric Main Line , Southwest Service , Rock Island District and Heritage Corridor ) connect Will County with the Chicago Loop . Amtrak serves the county at Joliet Transportation Center . The Lincoln Service operates between Chicago and St. Louis, while
270-652: The Forest Preserve District of Will County . The 17,000 acres (69 km ) Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a U.S. Forest Service park in the county on the grounds of the former Joliet Arsenal . Other parks include Channahon State Park and the Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area . In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Joliet have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to
300-795: The Illinois General Assembly and the ability of the governor of Illinois to serve or resume office.) The circuit court also shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court of Illinois (the state supreme court ) to hear cases relating to revenue , mandamus , prohibition , and habeas corpus . However, if the supreme court chooses to exercise its jurisdiction over these cases, the circuit court may not decide them. The circuit court also reviews administrative decisions of certain state agencies. Circuit Courts may also have concurrent jurisdiction with federal courts, subject to removal jurisdiction . There are 25 judicial circuits in
330-639: The Texas Eagle provides service from Chicago south to San Antonio and west to Los Angeles . Will County is a major hub in the national natural gas pipeline grid where pipelines from Canada and the Gulf of Mexico meet and then fan out to serve the Midwest. The following major energy companies own pipeline that runs through Will County: ExxonMobil owns and operates the Joliet Refinery along
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#1732772618512360-635: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 849 square miles (2,200 km ), of which 837 square miles (2,170 km ) is land and 12 square miles (31 km ) (1.5%) is water. The Kankakee River , Du Page River and the Des Plaines River run through the county and join on its western border. The Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal run through Will County. A number of areas are preserved as parks (over 20,000 acres (81 km ) total) under
390-489: The 1969 courthouse, with Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois including the building on its “2022 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois”. After a number of votes and appeals, demolition was approved and the destruction of the building began on December 4, 2023. Like most of the collar counties , Will County was once a Republican stronghold. It went Republican in all but three elections from 1892 to 1988. Since
420-522: The 1990s, it has become a swing county. It voted for the national winner in every presidential election from 1980 to 2012, but Chicago-born Hillary Clinton won it along with the rest of the "collar counties" aside from McHenry in 2016. K-12 school districts, including any with any territory in Will County, no matter how slight, even if the schools and/or administrative headquarters are in other counties: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: Will County
450-420: The 24 circuits in Illinois, circuit judges are elected from the entire county or as resident judges from each of the fifteen subcircuits within the county.) Associate judges are appointed by circuit judges, under Supreme Court rules, for four-year terms. An associate judge can hear any case, except criminal cases punishable by a prison term of one year or more , unless the associate judge has received approval from
480-646: The Chief Judge of the respective circuit court to hear other criminal cases. Circuit judges in a circuit elect one of their members to serve as chief judge of the circuit court. Cases may be assigned to general or specialized divisions by the chief judge who has general administrative authority in the circuit, subject to the overall administrative authority of the Supreme Court. The circuit court has general jurisdiction and can decide, with few exceptions, any kind of case. (The exceptions are redistricting of
510-709: The Kankakee and Des Plaines Rivers , branches of the Illinois . The surface is generally level, and destitute of timber, excepting small groves. The soil is very fertile, and much of it is under cultivation. The soil of the prairies is a deep, sandy loam, adapted to Indian corn and grass. In 1850 the county produced 527,903 bushels of Indian corn; 230,885 of wheat; 334,360 of oats; 32,043 tons of hay, and 319,054 pounds of butter. It contained 14 churches, 3 newspaper offices; 3472 pupils attending public schools, and 200 attending other schools. Quarries of building stone are worked near
540-754: The Sixteenth Circuit by Public Act 97-0585. The circuit came into effect on December 3, 2012. The twenty-fourth circuit came into effect on December 5, 2022. It consists of the counties of Randolph, Monroe, Washington, and Perry. Retention election Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.133 via cp1102 cp1102, Varnish XID 549828610 Upstream caches: cp1102 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:43:38 GMT Will County, Illinois Will County
570-571: The counties of Madison and Bond. Under the Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022, the third circuit is to receive four subcircuits (three in Madison County, one in Bond County). The Fourth Circuit consists of the counties of Clinton, Marion, Clay, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Montgomery, Shelby, and Christian. The Fifth Circuit consists of the counties of Vermilion, Edgar, Clark, Cumberland, and Coles. The Sixth Circuit consists of
600-522: The counties of Bureau, LaSalle, and Grundy. The Fourteenth Circuit consists of the counties of Rock Island, Mercer, Whiteside, and Henry. The Fifteenth Circuit consists of the counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle, and Lee. The Sixteenth Circuit consists of Kane County . The Seventeenth Circuit consists of the counties of Winnebago and Boone. The number of subcircuits will decrease from four to two effective December 2, 2024. The Eighteenth Circuit consists of DuPage County . The circuit
630-459: The counties of Knox, Warren, Henderson, Hancock, McDonough, and Fulton. The Tenth Circuit consists of the counties of Peoria, Marshall, Putnam, Stark, and Tazewell. The Eleventh Circuit consists of the counties of McLean, Livingston, Logan, Ford, and Woodford. The Twelfth Circuit consists of Will County . Under the Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022, the twelfth circuit is to receive five subcircuits. The Thirteenth Circuit consists of
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#1732772618512660-557: The counties of Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt, and Piatt. The Seventh Circuit consists of the counties of Sangamon, Macoupin, Morgan, Scott, Greene, and Jersey. Under the Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022, the seventh circuit is to receive seven subcircuits (two in Sangamon County, one in each of the remaining counties). The Eighth Circuit consists of the counties of Adams, Schuyler, Mason, Cass, Brown, Pike, Calhoun, and Menard. The Ninth Circuit consists of
690-435: The counties of Iroquois and Kankakee. The Twenty-second Circuit consists of McHenry County . The circuit was created when McHenry County was separated from the Nineteenth Circuit into its own circuit and is divided into four subcircuits. It came into effect December 4, 2006. The Twenty-third Circuit consists of the counties of DeKalb and Kendall. The circuit was created after DeKalb County and Kendall County were split from
720-581: The county seat. The Des Plaines river furnishes water-power. The county is intersected by the Illinois and Michigan canal , by the Chicago branch of the Central railroad , the Chicago and Mississippi , and by the Chicago and Rock Island railroad . Named in honor of Conrad Will, for many years a member of the Illinois legislature. Capital, Joliet. Population 16,703." — 1854 U.S. Gazetteer According to
750-404: The county. The population density was 809.6 inhabitants per square mile (312.6/km ). There were 237,501 housing units at an average density of 283.8 per square mile (109.6/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 76.0% white, 11.2% black or African American, 4.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 5.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 15.6% of
780-526: The first being erected in 1837. The fourth courthouse was designed of reinforced concrete in the Brutalist style by Otto Stark of C.F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1969. Citing lack of space, inefficiency and high operating costs, the County Board chose to erect a new courthouse, which was designed by Wight & Co. and completed in 2020. Considerable controversy surrounded the disposition of
810-537: The part of Kankakee County, Illinois , north of the Kankakee River . It lost that area when Kankakee County was organized in 1852. Since then its boundaries have not changed. 36 locations in Will County are on the National Register of Historic Places . "WILL, a county in the E. N. E. part of Illinois, bordering on Indiana, has an area of 1,236 square miles (3,200 km ). It is intersected by
840-454: The population. In terms of ancestry, 21.6% were German , 18.6% were Irish , 13.3% were Polish , 11.1% were Italian , 5.9% were English , and 2.1% were American . Of the 225,256 households, 44.0% had children under 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 22.7% were non-families, and 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
870-467: The state, each comprising one or more of Illinois' 102 counties . The jurisdiction of seven of these circuits courts are solely within the confines of a single county ; these are Cook , Kane , Will , DuPage , Lake , McHenry (all Chicago metropolitan area counties), and St. Clair in Metro East . The other 18 circuits each contain between two and 12 counties. The Circuit Court of Cook County
900-442: Was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.41. The median age was 35.4. The median income for a household in the county was $ 75,906 and the median income for a family was $ 85,488. Males had a median income of $ 60,867 versus $ 40,643 for females. The per capita income was $ 29,811. About 5.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.0% of those under 18 and 5.6% of those 65 or older. Will County
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