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List of Clerks of the Supreme Court of Illinois

The clerk of the Supreme Court of Illinois is an appointed office that was formerly an elected position. From 1848 to 1902, the court had three clerks elected from three districts. From 1902 to 1975, the state had a single clerk that was elected at-large. The position has been appointed since 1975.

Before 1848

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Prior to 1848, the clerk was appointed by the court.[1] Among those who served during this period was Joseph Philips, who served from 1818 until resigning in 1822.[2]

1848–1872: clerks elected from three divisions)

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From 1848 to 1897, three Clerks were elected from each of the three "grand divisions" of the state. Under the Constitution of 1848, these divisions were titled the First Grand Division, Second Grand Division, and Third Grand Division.[1]

First Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Finney D. Preston 1848–1855 1848 [1][2]
Noah Johnson 1855–1867 1855, 1861 [1][2]
Robert A. D. Wilbanks 1867–1872 1867 [1][2]

Second Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
William B. Warren 1848–1855 1848 [1][2]
William A. Turney 1855–1872 1855, 1861,
1867		 [1][2]

Third Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Lorenzo Leland 1848–1867 1848, 1855,
1861		 [1][2]
Woodbury M. Taylor 1867–1872 1867 [1][2]

1872–1902: clerks elected from three divisions (under 1870 Constitution)

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From the ratification of the 1870 Constitution until a law change in 1897, clerks were elected from three grand divisions titled the Central Grand Division, Northern Grand Division, and Southern Grand Division.[1]

Central Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Robert A. D. Wilbanks 1872–1878 Democratic 1872 [1][2]
Jacob O. Chance 1878–1890 Democratic 1878, 1884 [1][2]
Frank W. Haville 1890–1896 Democratic 1890 [1][2]
Jacob O. Chance 1896–Nov. 1900 Republican 1896 died in office [1][2]
Oliver J. Page Nov. 6, 1900–1902 Republican N/a appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of Jacob O. Chance [1][2]

Northern Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Cairo D. Trimble 1872–1878 Republican 1872 [1][2]
Everell F. Dutton 1878–1884 Republican 1878 [1][2]
Alfred H. Taylor 1884–1896 Republican 1884, 1890 [1][2]
Christopher Mamer 1896–1902 Republican 1896 [1][2]

Southern Grand Division

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Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Emanuel C. Hamburger 1872–1878 Republican 1872 [1][2]
Ethan A. Snivley 1878–1896 Democratic 1878, 1884,
1890		 [1][2]
Albert D. Caldwallader 1896–1902 Republican 1896 [1][2]

1903–1975: elected clerk (post-reform, under 1870 Constitution)

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A 1897 state act consolidated the role of clerk into a single position elected at-large.

Name Took office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s)
Christopher Mamer 1902–1908 Republican 1902 had served a preceding term as Northern Grand Division clerk [1][2]
J. McCan Davis 1914–1914 Republican 1908 [1][2]
Charles W. Vail 1914–1932 Republican 1914, 1920, 1926 [1][2]
Adam F. Bloch 1932–May 9, 1940 Democratic 1932, 1938 died in office [1][2]
Edward F. Cullinane May 11, 1940 – 1944 Democratic N/a appointed to fill vacancy left by the death of Bloch [1][2]
Earle Benjamin Searcy 1944–Apr. 11, 1955 Republican 1944, 1950 died in office [1][2]
Fae Searcy[a] Apr. 13, 1955–Mar. 23, 1968 Republican 1956, 1962 appointed (in a widow's appointment) after her husband's death in office; won election to two full terms (first woman to win statewide elected office in Illinois); died in office [1][2]
Clell Woods Mar. 1968–Jan. 1969 Republican N/a appointed to fill vacancy left by the death of F. Searcy [2][3]
Justin Taft Jan. 1969–Jan. 1975 Republican 1968 [2]

1975-present: appointed clerk (under 1970 Constitution)

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Under the reforms imposed by the ratification of the 1970 Constitution, the clerk became an appointed office in 1975.[2]

Notes

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  1. ↑ known professionally as "Mrs. Earle B. Searcy"

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 "Illinois Blue Book, 1961-1962". Illinois Secretary of State. 1961. p. 880. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "Rosters of Government Officials U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents" (PDF). Illinois Blue Book (Illinois Secretary of State). p. 371. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Clell Woods Named High Court Clerk". The Illinois State Journal. March 26, 1968. Retrieved March 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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