Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., will be honored today, July 29, as the recipient of the William H. Hastie Award by the National Bar Association (NBA) at the 2026 Thurgood Marshall Awards Luncheon in Nashville, Tennessee. Presented by the NBA’s Judicial Council, the award recognizes excellence in legal and judicial scholarship and a demonstrated commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Illinois Supreme Court
-
July 29, 2026 | Practice News
-
July 27, 2026 | Practice News
Justice Sanjay T. Tailor of the Supreme Court of Illinois has announced the formation of a standing Judicial Screening Committee (Committee). The Committee has been formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those who apply for appointment to vacancies in the Supreme Court’s First District - Cook County.
Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies on the Circuit and Appellate Courts are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Appointed individuals then must run in the next election to maintain the seat.
-
July 22, 2026 | Practice News
Justice Lisa Holder White and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Associate Judge Mark E. Gilles as a Circuit Judge in the Tenth Judicial Circuit in Peoria County.
Judge Gilles is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Judge Stephen A. Kouri on July 31, 2026. The appointment is effective October 1, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.
“Judge Gilles is a highly respected jurist who will bring his strong work ethic and legal talent to this new position,” Justice Holder White said.
-
July 14, 2026 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) announced today the launch of a statewide circuit court user survey, the first statewide circuit court user survey in Illinois since 2015. Survey results will be used to inform future policy decisions and improve the court user experience.
1 comment (Most recent July 15, 2026) -
July 13, 2026 | Practice News
Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Andrea Zenker as a Circuit Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Fourth Judicial Subcircuit, in Kane County.
Ms. Zenker is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Judge Susan Clancy Boles on July 31, 2026. The appointment is effective August 7, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.
-
July 7, 2026 | Practice News
Three Illinois court leaders will present at the 2026 National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO) Annual Conference and Trial Court Leadership Academy, a national gathering focused on judicial leadership, innovation, and the future of court administration. The conference will take place August 16–19, 2026, in Wilmington, Delaware.
Illinois presenters include:
-
July 6, 2026 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments on six proposals on Wednesday, September 3, 2026, at a public hearing beginning at 10 a.m. at the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, in Chicago. All proposals must be approved by the Illinois Supreme Court before they can take effect.
The hearing will be livestreamed here.
-
July 6, 2026 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced in December 2025 that Illinois will accept transferred scores from the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE), a new version of the bar examination, beginning in July 2026. In an order issued today, the Court announces that the passing score recognized by Illinois for the NextGen UBE shall be 620.
-
June 23, 2026 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) today announced the hiring of Anna Hurst as the AOIC’s Title II ADA Compliance Attorney, a newly created position established to strengthen accessibility and ensure compliance with federal and state disability laws across the Illinois Judicial Branch.
-
June 18, 2026 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) are pleased to announce the selection of Jerome Galang as the new Director of the Illinois Judicial College (College).
Galang brings more than a decade of distinguished state and federal experience in judicial education, curriculum development, and court administration. As Director, Galang will lead the College’s ongoing efforts to provide high-quality, accessible, and impactful professional education to judges and justice partners throughout Illinois. His first day will be August 10.