Menard County Court

City: Petersburg

County: Menard

State: Illinois

The Menard County Court was a court in Menard County, Illinois, that handled probate and minor criminal cases. The 1848 Illinois Constitution provided for the creation of county courts. In 1849, the Illinois General Assembly created the county courts to replace the county commissioners' courts. The county judge held court with two justices of the peace for the transaction of county business. The county judge had the power of a justice of the peace. County courts also had jurisdiction in probate matters and in criminal cases in which punishment by fine did not exceed $100. Dissatisfied litigants could appeal decisions to the Menard County Circuit Court. During the 1850s, the General Assembly gave some county courts concurrent jurisdiction with circuit courts. Abraham Lincoln was involved in three cases that originated in the Menard County Court.

“Court Structure,” in Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition , 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Reference.aspx?ref=Reference html files/Court Structure.html; For Lincoln's cases in the Menard County Court, search "Menard County Court," Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org.