Chief Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for an At-Large Circuit Court vacancy in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge Arnold F. Blockman on September 16, 2016. Judge Blockman has been an At-Large Circuit Judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit since 1996.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to the final Court approval. Applicants will undergo an evaluation and screening process.

Notice of the vacancy has been posted in the courthouses throughout the Circuit. The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at www.illinoiscourts.gov and following the instructions in the “Latest News” scroller announcing the Sixth Judicial Circuit vacancy.

Deadline for submission of an application is Friday, April 1, 2016.

The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until the first Monday in December following the November 2018 election.

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer licensed to practice law in Illinois.

The Sixth Judicial Circuit includes Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties.