Sanjay T. Tailor receives Appellate Court assignment

Judge Sanjay T. Tailor remains a candidate for a 9th Subcircuit vacancy. Like nearly all other Cook County Democratic judicial nominees, Tailor is unopposed on the November ballot.

Which is nice, because, pursuant to an Order entered today by the Illinois Supreme Court, Judge Tailor will be busy with his new job on the Illinois Appellate Court: Today's Order reassigns Judge Tailor to the Appellate Court on October 3, where he will pick up the caseload of another Circuit Court Judge serving by assignment on the Appellate Court, namely, Justice Daniel J. Pierce, who is resigning from judicial service on September 30.

Justice Pierce had previously indicated he would seek retention this November as a Circuit Court judge.

Pierce was initially elected from the 14th Subcircuit so -- as I understand it -- his retirement creates a vacancy in the new 14th Subcircuit... wherever that is (it may include portions of the Back of the Yards, Humboldt Park, and into Belmont Cragin on the Northwest Side).

Yes, I know, the precise boundaries of the new 14th Subcircuit (and, indeed, of all the new Subcircuits 1-20) are of extreme import to a great many FWIW readers. Unfortunately, official maps have not yet been promulgated and -- I am guessing here and will inquire in an effort to confirm -- the creation and distribution of official subcircuit maps for 2024 will likely not be a burning priority for our election authorities until after the November election. And it may take longer than that.

The one thing I can tell you with great assurance and certainty is that, at this point, Judge Tailor's promotion does not create any Circuit Court vacancy. At any given time, fully a quarter of the personnel serving on the 1st District Appellate Court are Circuit Court judges serving pursuant to Supreme Court appointment. Justice Pierce has been one of these; Judge Tailor will soon be.