Illinois Statutes Chapter 35. Revenue § 1010/1-25. Judges; number; term of office; removal

(a) The Governor shall, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a Chief Administrative Law Judge to be the executive of the Tax Tribunal. The Chief Administrative Law Judge shall serve a 5-year term. The Governor may appoint additional administrative law judges, with the advice and consent of the Senate, as necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, provided that no more than 4 administrative law judges, including the Chief Administrative Law Judge, shall serve at the same time. The administrative law judges, other than the Chief Administrative Law Judge, shall initially be appointed to staggered terms of no greater than 4 years. After the initial terms of office, all administrative law judges, other than the Chief Administrative Law Judge, shall be appointed for terms of 4 years. Each administrative law judge is eligible for reappointment.

(b) Once appointed and confirmed, each administrative law judge shall continue in office until his or her term expires and until a successor has been appointed and confirmed.

(c) The office of an administrative law judge under this Section shall be vacant upon the administrative law judge's death, resignation, retirement, or removal, or upon the conclusion of his or her term without reappointment. Within 30 days after such a vacancy occurs, a successor administrative law judge shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the remainder of the current unexpired term for that vacancy. In case of vacancies during the recess of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when the Governor shall nominate some person to fill the office, and any person so nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall hold office during the remainder of the term and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. No person rejected by the Senate for the office of an administrative law judge under this Section shall, except at the Senate's request, be nominated again for that office at the same session or be appointed to that office during a recess of that Senate.

(d) The Governor may remove an administrative law judge of the Tax Tribunal, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, for incompetency, neglect of duty, inability to perform duties, malfeasance in office, or other good cause.

(e) Each administrative law judge of the Tax Tribunal, including the Chief Administrative Law Judge, shall receive an annual salary equal to that of the Director of the Department of Revenue. The Chief Administrative Law Judge shall receive an additional $15,000 annual stipend.

(f) The Chief Administrative Law Judge shall have sole charge of the administration of the Tax Tribunal and shall apportion among the judges all causes, matters, and proceedings coming before the Tax Tribunal. Each administrative law judge shall exercise the power of the Tax Tribunal.

(g) An administrative law judge may disqualify himself or herself on his or her own motion in any matter, and may be disqualified for any of the causes specified in the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct.