The Illinois Judges Association consists of over 1250 current and retired judges. The Association supports judicial excellence and professional development and judicial education, fosters public confidence in an independent judiciary, works to preserve the independence of the judiciary by educating the public and students, and promotes a diverse judiciary that administers justice in a fair and impartial court system.

 President David Overstreet and Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis give updates on IJA happenings.

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Membership Benefits

IJA BENEFITS of MEMBERSHIP

All benefits are available to members, regardless if the judge is “sitting” or retired

Benefits offered by IJA:

  • Participates with ISBA and CBA in the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee answering any state judge’s ethics questions, and publishing written IJEC Ethics Opinions at www.ija.org
  • Disseminates vital information for judges
  • Maintains the IJA website at www.ija.org, with a public access area and a members’ only access
  • Serves as the voice of Illinois judges to the media
  • Health Insurance Consultant (includes Medicare Advantage) at no cost to members and survivor

 Click here to read more: IJA Benefits of Membership

 

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Judges in the News

The Illinois Judges Association (IJA) is excited to share its latest series of informational videos designed to educate the public about the highly-publicized and much-anticipated changes brought about by the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act (also known as the SAFE-T Act) and the elimination of cash bond in Illinois.  

Madison County - Child Abuse Prevention Month

IJA stands firm for Judicial Independence

The 1st Annual IJA's Judges Go To School was a great success. In classrooms all over the state, judges talked with students, read books, shared stories, and answered questions. It was a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to next year!

Judges make up the third and co-equal branch of government.  But, what does it mean to have an independent judiciary that are duty-bound to serve without regard to outside influences or political affiliation?  And why is an independent judiciary important to you?  Watch now!

One single judge never has the last word in any civil or criminal case in Illinois.  Every party has the automatic right to appeal any trial court’s final ruling if they believe mistakes were made.  So, how does the appeals process work, and why do rulings get reversed, in whole or in part, for reasons that have nothing to do with errors by the trial court judge?  Learn the answer to these questions and other important facts about Illinois judges in this informative video from the Illinois Judges Association!

How do judges set bond conditions and what sorts of non-cash conditions can judges impose? Learn the answer to these questions and other important facts about Illinois judges in this informative video from the Illinois Judges Association!

Judicial Independence Declaration

How exactly are judges selected in Illinois? Why do some judges appear on the ballot for election or retention, but others do not? And, what qualities should we all expect from all our judges? Learn the answer to these questions and other important facts about Illinois judges in this informative video from the Illinois Judges Association!

Illinois Judges Join Legal and Community Stakeholders to Address Inequities in the Legal System