Illinois Code § 3-4004.2

§ 3-4004.2.

Qualifications of Public Defender and terms of employment in counties over 1,000,000. In counties with a population over 1,000,000, the following qualifications and terms of employment shall apply: (a) The president shall select as Public Defender only a person with the following qualifications: an attorney whose practice of law has clearly demonstrated experience in the representation of persons accused of crime; who has been licensed to practice law in this State or in another state for at least 5 years; who has had administrative experience; and who is dedicated to the goals of providing high quality representation for eligible persons and to improving the quality of defense services generally. (b) The Public Defender shall devote full time to the duties of the public defender system and shall not otherwise engage in the practice of law. (c) The Public Defender once approved by the Board shall serve for 6 years and may be removed by the President only for good cause or dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing before the Board. The effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991 shall be deemed the commencement of the term of the current public defender. (d) The Public Defender's compensation shall be set at a level that is commensurate with his qualifications and experience and professionally appropriate with the responsibility of the position. The Public Defender's compensation shall be comparable with that paid to circuit court judges, but in no event shall be more than that of the State's Attorney of the county. (Source: P.A. 87-111.) (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-300) Sec. 3-4004.2. Qualifications of Chief County Public Defender and terms of employment. In counties with an appointed Chief County Public Defender, the following qualifications and terms of employment shall apply: (a) The Chief County Public Defender shall be: an attorney whose practice of law has clearly demonstrated experience in the representation of persons accused of crime; who has been licensed to practice law in this State or in another state for at least 5 years; who has had administrative experience; and who is dedicated to the goals of providing high quality representation for eligible persons and to improving the quality of defense services generally. (b) The Chief County Public Defender shall devote full time to the duties of the public defender system and shall not otherwise engage in the practice of law. (c) In counties over 3,000,000, the Chief County Public Defender once approved by the Board shall serve for 6 years and may be removed by the President only for good cause or dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing before the Board. (c-5) In counties under 3,000,000, once approved, the Chief County Public Defender shall serve for 10 years and may be removed only for good cause or dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing before the State Public Defender Commission. (d) (Blank). (e) At the expiration of a term, the Chief County Public Defender may be reappointed to one or more subsequent terms. (f) Terms and qualifications apply to Chief County Public Defenders appointed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly. Removal only for cause or dereliction of duty applies to all Chief County Public Defenders serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly. (Source: P.A. 104-300, eff. 1-1-27.)