Since 1964, Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Whiteside, and 17 other counties have been located in the state's Third Judicial District, with the justices hearing cases in Ottawa.
That changed early last summer, when the governor signed a bill to re-draw the judicial maps. The constitution requires the four districts located outside Cook County to be divided with roughly equal populations.
The new fourth judicial district is much larger than the old third district. It features 41 counties, and the justices meet in Springfield. It runs 275 miles between Rockford and Jerseyville, which is just north of Saint Louis.
In June, the Illinois Supreme Court ordered implementation of the new boundaries to be delayed to provide time for the courts to make numerous changes, and redistribute staff and resources as needed. In early December, the high court ordered the maps to be implemented on the first of the year.
It also created a task force to study the changes in the map and determine how much it cost. The task force includes subcommittees, such as one that's been helping circuit courts move to new appellate districts.
