The Illinois Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases arising in the Illinois Circuit Courts. Three Illinois Appellate Court judges hear each case and the concurrence of two is necessary to render a decision.[1] The Illinois Appellate Court will render its opinion in writing, in the form of a published opinion or an unpublished order.[2] As of 1935, decisions of the Illinois Appellate Court became binding authority upon lower courts in Illinois.[3]
The Illinois Appellate Court has 54 judges serving five districts. The majority of the judges (18 in the First District, and 6 in each of the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Districts) are elected, with the remaining judges having been appointed by the Supreme Court of Illinois.[4]
Civil cases appealed from the Illinois Appellate Court are heard by the Supreme Court of Illinois upon the grant of a Petition for Leave to Appeal under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 315[5], a Certificate of Importance under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 316[6], or a Petition for Appeal as a Matter of Right under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 317.[7] The same rules apply to criminal cases.[8]
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The First District is based in Chicago and hears cases arising in Cook County. It is divided into 6 divisions, each with 4 judges.[9] The First District clerk’s office, and the principal seat of the court are located in the Michael Bilandic Building, at 160 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60601.[10]
The Second District is based in Elgin and hears cases arising in 13 counties in northern Illinois (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, DuPage, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago). The Second District has 9 judges.[11] The Second District clerk’s office is located at Appellate Court Building, 55 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL 60120.[12]
The Third District is based in Ottawa and hears cases arising in 21 counties in central Illinois (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Kankakee, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, and Will). The Third District has 7 judges.[13] The Third District clerk’s office is located at 1004 Columbus Street, Ottawa, IL 61350.[14]
The Fourth District is based in Springfield and hears cases arising in 30 counties in central Illinois (Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Greene, Jersey, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Vermillion, and Woodford). The Fourth District has 7 judges.[15] The Fourth District clerk’s office is located at 201 West Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62794.[16]
The Fifth District is based in Mount Vernon and hears cases arising in 37 counties in southern Illinois (Alexander, Bond, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, St. Clair, Saline, Shelby, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson). The Fifth District has 7 judges.[17] The Fifth District clerk’s office is located at 14th & Main Street, Mount Vernon, IL 62864.[18]
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