Illinois Supreme Court

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on September 22, 2017. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

The Illinois Supreme Court Clerk's Office will join the eFileIL community on Thursday, June 15. Filers for the state's highest court will need to access the eFileIL filing platform at efile.illinoiscourts.gov and become a registered user through one of the authorized service providers. Supreme Court filers will no longer be able to use the i2File platform as of 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14.

On January 22, 2016, the Illinois Supreme Court entered Order M.R. 18368 announcing mandatory e-filing for civil cases in the Illinois Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Courts. Consistent with the amendment to this order, entered on May 30, 2017, permissive e-filing may continue in people cases on the Supreme Court's general docket and all cases on the Court's miscellaneous record ("MR") docket. The Supreme Court Order requires e-filing through a single, centralized electronic filing manager (EFM), which will be integrated with each court's case management system. The supreme and appellate courts have a July 1, 2017, deadline to join eFileIL. The Second Appellate District became the first reviewing court to join on May 18.

The Supreme Court Clerk's Office has been e-filing since 2012 on a pilot basis that was expanded to all cases in 2013. In 2016, approximately 48 percent of pleadings filed on the Court's general docket were e-filed and approximately 75 percent of the pleadings on the MR dockets were e-filed.

A State Historical Marker will be unveiled in Alton on Monday, June 19th to honor Scott Bibb, an African American who successfully fought in the Illinois Supreme Court for the desegregation of schools in what became known as the Alton School Cases in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Supreme Court Justices Anne M. Burke and Rita B. Garman will be attending the dedication ceremony. Also attending are John Lupton, Executive Director, Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission, and members of the Historic Preservation Commission Advisory Committee; Justice Joy V. Cunningham, Hon. Neil Cohen, and Scott Szala, J.D.

With the assistance of Lewis and Clark Community College, the Illinois State Historical Society sponsored and erected the historical marker. The Society maintains markers statewide regarding subjects of historical significance to Illinois.

“In recent years, the Illinois Supreme Court through its Historic Preservation Commission has undertaken an effort to bring Illinois’ history to life," Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman said. "We have explored the life of Mary Todd Lincoln and the Mormon experience in Illinois. The program on the Alton School Cases has made people throughout the state aware of the courage and dedication of Alton’s Scott Bibb. I am honored to have been invited to the dedication ceremony and to have the opportunity to speak to the Alton community about one of its great heroes.”

Michael J. Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced his retirement effective August 1, 2017, following a sterling 40-plus year career with the Judicial Branch. Tardy was named acting director in September 2011 and was officially appointed as director in January 2012.

"Throughout his long career, Mike has been an invaluable asset to the Supreme Court. An innovative administrator, a gifted leader, and a skillful diplomat, Mike has helped steer the Third Branch of Illinois government through some of its most difficult challenges. During a period of budgetary uncertainty, social change and rapid technological innovation, Mike has been instrumental in insuring that the judicial system remains available to all who need its protections," said Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier. "He has overseen the implementation of statewide electronic filing and the introduction of new measures to improve pretrial release practices. He has helped place Illinois at the forefront of initiatives to improve access to justice, and his contributions have been critical to our implementation of new measures to insure that Illinois judges receive the best possible training and education."

Director Tardy served in both clinical and administrative positions within the Illinois judicial branch for the past 41 years. He initially worked for the Circuit Court of Cook County Social Service Department, a court agency charged with providing community-based supervision for adult misdemeanor and DUI offenders in Cook County. In his 13 years with the Cook County department, he started as a case worker and worked his way to district supervisor, managing three offices and a staff of 40.