298:. The Justice Benjamin K. Miller Recognition Award is an award named after him and is given to honor outstanding members of the community and judiciary for their work in preventing family violence. He focused on expanding judicial performance evaluations statewide. He added non-attorneys to disciplinary hearing boards that ruled on lawyer misconduct. He clarified the restrictions on political activity by judges and judicial candidates by amending the Code of Judicial Conduct. He also established the Special Commission on the Administration of Justice which produced reports on the management practices and administration of the state’s courts, and
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who was accused of abusing his position during traffic stops and disobeying police. He testified during Heiple’s impeachment proceedings that Heiple had failed to let other court members know the seriousness of the
Illinois Courts Commission’s investigation. The
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from 1976 to 1980. In 1981, he was elected Chief Judge of the 7th
Judicial Circuit and served in that capacity until 1982. It was during this time that he presided over the murder cases of inmates involved the 1978 riot at
333:
Miller retired from the court on
February 1, 2001. At the time, he was the senior member of the court. He was known as a keen administrator who streamlined court activities and a moderate-to-conservative Republican.
329:
statute and ensured privileged communications between sex assault victims and rape crisis counselors. In all, he wrote 487 opinions, participated in over 2,000 cases, and evaluated over 20,000 requests for review.
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for the 7th
Judicial Circuit by the state's Supreme Court. He was elected to that position in 1978. He served as Presiding Judge in the Criminal Felony Division of the Circuit Court in
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In 1984, he was elected to a ten-year term to the
Supreme Court of Illinois defeating Democratic candidate and fellow Appellate Judge Jim Craven. Miller won re-election in 1994.
294:
Miller was elected Chief
Justice of the Court in 1991 and served until January 1, 1994. During that time, he formed the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council to combat
354:. He also began practicing law again as of counsel to the 500 litigation Chicago law firm Jenner & Block appearing in front of the state’s appellate and supreme courts.
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reform. The next year the commission issued a comprehensive report detailing the problems of the system and gave forty recommendations for reform.
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Miller wrote the majority opinion for the court in overturning Andrew Wilson’s original murder conviction, which denounced
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615:(Press release). Wheaton, Illinois: OFFICE OF THE CHIEF JUDGE, 18th Judicial Circuit Court, DuPage County, Illinois
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panel voted not to impeach Heiple though he did step down as chief justice but remained on the bench.
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In
February 2014, he was one of a group of Illinois lawyers who wrote an open letter to President
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from 1988 to 1991. He also dissented from the majority in a case that would have prevented the
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in 1961. He returned to
Springfield where he had a private practice from 1961 to 1976.
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Schoenburg, Bernard (January 15, 2015). "Mays returns, still pushing biz climate".
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527:"Around The Nation: Charges Against 6 Dropped In Illinois Prison Riot Trial"
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granted Miller the Order of
Lincoln award, the highest honor bestowed by the
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In 1997 Miller was openly critical of the conduct of then Chief
Justice
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Miller represented the 4th judicial district, which runs across central
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In 1991, Miller was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the
586:"Republican Justice Says He Will Retire From State's Supreme Court"
482:. Vol. 77, no. 2. Summer 1991. p. 10. Archived from
613:"HON. ROBERT J. ANDERSON RECOGNIZED WITH BENJAMIN K. MILLER AWARD"
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from 1984 to 2001. He served as chief justice from 1991 to 1994.
662:
First native Springfield justice on state Supreme Court has died
183:(November 5, 1936 – February 25, 2024) was an American judge in
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used some of Miller's arguments in overruling the state court.
325:. He also wrote opinions on rulings that upheld the state's
649:"An Open Letter to President Obama: Close Guantánamo Bay"
473:"Alumni News: Southern Illinois University Carbondale"
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While on the Supreme Court he served as chair of the
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Miller died on February 25, 2024, at the age of 87.
237:In 1976, Miller was appointed to be a judge on the
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357:In 2013 he was named to co-lead a commission with
228:Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
724:Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni
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635:"Essential Components for Bond Court Reform"
350:as well as studying the developing field of
226:Miller became an adjunct professor at the
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734:People associated with Jenner & Block
674:"2019 Laureates Announced by Gov. Rauner"
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729:Vanderbilt University Law School alumni
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342:Upon retirement, Miller sailed between
280:from being on the ballot in 1990. The
209:Southern Illinois University Carbondale
714:Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court
250:. He was elected to the 4th District
57:December 1984 – February 2001
199:Miller was born November 5, 1936, in
7:
719:Lawyers from Springfield, Illinois
533:. New York, New York. June 2, 1981
14:
430:. Illinois Courts. Archived from
312:Illinois House of Representatives
211:in 1958 where he was a member of
232:Department of Medical Humanities
678:The Lincoln Academy of Illinois
389:The Lincoln Academy of Illinois
215:fraternity. He then earned his
611:Elsner, John (July 10, 2013).
584:Long, Ray (January 17, 2001).
1:
637:. Chicago Council of Lawyers.
447:Illinois Blue Book 1985-1986
144:Southern Illinois University
452:Illinois Secretary of State
387:On Saturday, May 18, 2019,
248:Pontiac Correctional Center
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555:The State Journal-Register
274:Illinois Courts Commission
16:American judge (1936–2024)
187:. He was a member of the
174:
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37:
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372:asking him to close the
289:John Marshall Law School
480:The Emerald of Sigma Pi
327:guilty but mentally ill
278:Harold Washington Party
189:Illinois Supreme Court
45:Illinois Supreme Court
515:. Jenner & Block.
374:Guantanamo Bay prison
221:Vanderbilt University
201:Springfield, Illinois
153:Vanderbilt University
108:Springfield, Illinois
513:"Benjamin K. Miller"
428:"Benjamin K. Miller"
592:. Chicago, Illinois
68:Robert C. Underwood
531:The New York Times
361:to draw a path to
319:forced confessions
282:U.S. Supreme Court
181:Benjamin K. Miller
393:State of Illinois
296:domestic violence
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118:February 25, 2024
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323:police brutality
300:juvenile justice
203:. He earned his
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105:November 5, 1936
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90:Personal details
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252:Appellate Court
243:Sangamon County
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127:Political party
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434:on 2016-08-05.
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122:(aged 87)
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651:. The Nation.
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489:on 2017-03-18
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681:. Retrieved
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558:– via
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535:. Retrieved
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491:. Retrieved
484:the original
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455:. Retrieved
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370:Barack Obama
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219:degree from
207:degree from
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120:(2024-02-25)
75:Succeeded by
52:
709:2024 deaths
704:1936 births
63:Preceded by
698:Categories
683:2019-08-27
493:2017-03-09
399:References
363:Bond Court
338:Retirement
195:Early life
165:Profession
138:Alma mater
131:Republican
101:1936-11-05
352:bioethics
254:in 1982.
234:in 1974.
53:In office
619:March 9,
596:March 9,
560:NewsBank
537:March 9,
302:system.
267:Illinois
213:Sigma Pi
185:Illinois
170:Attorney
457:May 19,
344:Florida
230:in the
383:Awards
168:Jurist
110:, U.S.
487:(PDF)
476:(PDF)
621:2017
598:2017
539:2017
459:2021
346:and
321:and
217:J.D.
205:B.A.
157:J.D.
148:B.A.
115:Died
95:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
