Irreconcilable Principles: Law, Politics, and the Illinois Supreme Court

This article attempts to evaluate the recent criticisms of the political structure of the Illinois Supreme Court. The author examines the electoral and legal systems that usually come into potential conflicts. The goal of the article is to illustrate some important issues in the environment free from the sensationalism of press accounts and the emotionalism of political attacks, and provoke a sensible debate among the State's bar, legislators, and public about how the perception of a "political" court impacts on Illinois' legal system.