Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis has begun an application process for a vacancy in the Third Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County.

The vacancy is created by the upcoming retirement of Cook County Circuit Judge Maureen Leahy Delehanty. Judge Delehanty has been a judge since 2009 and is set to retire on July 31, 2016.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Justice Theis will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court after applicants for the position undergo a screening and evaluation process.

That process will include an evaluation by the Alliance of Bar Associations, which is made up of 11 bar groups in the Cook County area, and the Chicago Bar Association. Further review will be conducted by a special judicial screening committee that Justice Theis established in 2013 and is co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Michael J. Gallagher.

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer in good standing, licensed to practice law in Illinois, and a resident of the Third Subcircuit, which includes all or portions of Stickney, Worth, and several neighborhoods on the Southwest Side of Chicago.

To view a precise description and map of the Third Judicial Subcircuit, applicants should consult the State Board of Elections website at http://www.elections.il.gov/votinginformation/cooksubcircuits.aspx

The deadline for submission of applications is 4 p.m. on Monday, July 25, 2016.

Notice of the vacancy and details of the application process are posted on the Illinois Supreme Court's website at www.illinoiscourts.gov. From there, follow the instructions on the "Latest News" scroller announcing the Third Subcircuit vacancy.

Applications may be submitted electronically to lmarino@illinoiscourts.gov or by mail to: Supreme Court of Illinois, Attention: Ms. Laurie Marino, 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite N2013, Chicago, IL 60601.

Applicants who have previously applied for appointment to a vacancy must complete and submit a new application. If applicants have already been evaluated by the bar associations, they should include copies with the application.

The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until December 3, 2018, when the position is filled by the November 2018 general election.