In force 4th March, 1837.
County added.
Time of holding court in fifth circuit.
Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the county of Calhoun is hereby added to the fifth judicial circuit, and shall from the passage of this act, compose a part of said circuit, and the circuit courts for said county shall be holden on the Tuesdays before the first Mondays in April and September.
2Sixth.
County of Henry.
Sec. 2. The times of holding courts in the sixth judicial circuit, shall be as follows: In the county of Jo Daviess on the second Mondays in April, second Mondays in July, and third Mondays in October;
in the county of Rock Island, on the Thursdays after the third Mondays in April and on the first Mondays in September;
in the county of Mercer, on the fourth Mondays in April, and on the second Mondays in September; in the county of Henry, on the Fridays after the fourth Mondays of April and second Mon-
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days in September; in the county of Putnam on the first Mondays in May and third Mondays in September; in the county of Peoria, on the second Mondays in May and fourth Mondays in September; in the county of Ogle, on the fourth Mondays in May and first Mondays in October; in the county of Winnebago, on the Thursdays after the fourth Mondays in May and first Mondays in October.
Seventh circuit
Sec. 3. The times of holding the courts of the seventh judicial circuit, shall be as follows: in the county of Iroquois, on the first Mondays in April and October; in the county of Will, on the second Mondays in April and fourth Mondays in September; in the county of
La Salle on the third Mondays in April and September; in the county of Kane, on the first Mondays in May and second Mondays in September; in the county of McHenry, when organized, on the Thursdays after the first Mondays in May and the Thursdays
before the second Mondays in September; in the county of Cook, on the second Mondays in May, third Mondays in August and first Mondays in March.
Sec. 4. The times of holding the courts in the first judicial circuit hereafter, shall be as follows to wit: In the county of Sangamon on the first Mondays in March and July, and the second Mondays in October; in the county of Morgan on the third Mondays in March and third Mondays in July, and fourth Mondays in October;
in the county of Green, on the first Mondays in April, fourth Mondays in July and first Mondays in November;
in the county of Macoupin on the second Mondays in April and September; in the county of Tazewell, on the third Mondays in April and third Mondays in September; in the county of M’Lean, on the first Mondays in May and fourth Mondays in September; in the county of Macon, on the second Mondays in May and first Mondays in October.3
Power of Judge to appoint special term.
clerk to notify Sheriff.
Grand and petit jurors.
Sec. 5. The circuit judges of the several judicial circuits of this State, now or hereafter to be created, shall have power and they are required to appoint
a special term of the court in any of the counties comprising their respective circuits,
whenever it may be necessary for the prompt and efficient administration of justice,
and whenever any special court shall be held, the clerk of said court shall give the Sheriff of said county notice in writing at
least twenty days before said court is to be held, who shall summon twenty-three grand
and twenty-four petit jurors, to attend at the court house on the day appointed for holding said court, and said
Sheriff shall put up notices of the time of holding such court, in at least five of
the most public places in said county, and all process which may have been made returnable
to the regular
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term, shall be deemed in law returnable to the said special term appointed as aforesaid.
Judge of 7th circuit.
Sec. 6. The Judge of the seventh judicial circuit, shall continue the several terms of the courts in the counties constituting said
circuit, until all the business is disposed of, or until forced to attend the terms in other
counties as specified in the third section of this act.
Not in force anterior.
Sec. 7. This act so far as regards the first
and seventh judicial circuits, shall not take effect and be in force anterior to the first day of June next, and
all the terms of the courts necessary to be held in the counties constituting the
seventh and first judicial circuits, shall be held at the times prescribed in the act entitled and act regulating the times of holding the Supreme and circuit courts, and fixing the salary of the circuit Judges, approved 13th February 1835.
Writs and other process returnable.
Sec. 8. All writs or other process issued and made returnable to the courts in the 5th and 6th judicial circuits as heretofore established, shall be considered as made returnable
to the courts to be held under the provisions of this act. This act to take effect
and be in force from its passage.
Approved 4th March, 1837.
1On February 13, 1837, William Richardson introduced HB 270, originally titled “An act fixing the terms of the courts of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and
7th circuits,” in the House. On February 27, following the addition of amendments by two separate select committees,
as well as the Committee on the Judiciary, the House passed the bill, and referred it to the Senate. On March 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee proposed striking the original language of Section 1, and substituting
it with newly crafted language, which was approved by a vote of 23 yeas to 12 nays.
On March 4, the Senate passed the bill. On the suggestion of Orville H. Browning, Senate altered the title of the bill, removing the word “5th.” That same day, the
House concurred with the Senate amendments. TheCouncil of Revision then approved the bill, and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 577-78, 668, 691-92, 712, 732, 844, 845, 849, 855;
Illinois Senate Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 553, 574, 617-618, 628, 632-633, 634.
Printed Document, 3 page(s), Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Tenth General Assembly (Vandalia, IL: William Walters, 1837), 111-13, GA Session: 10-1