(a) Appointment. Administrative hearing officers shall be hired by the chief judge of each judicial circuit, after satisfying the qualifications set by the Supreme Court. Candidates for the position of administrative hearing officer must apply for appointment with the chief judge of each judicial circuit.
Rule 100.2.Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Administrative Hearing Officers
Article I. General Rules · Last amended 1992 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 100.2 requires administrative hearing officers to be licensed attorneys with at least three years of practice, restricts them from competing legal work, and ties their conduct to judicial disqualification and communication standards.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 100.2
(b) Qualifications. Administrative hearing officers must be licensed to practice law in Illinois and must have been engaged in the active practice of law for a minimum of three years.
(c) Disqualification. A full-time administrative hearing officer shall not practice law before any court. A part-time administrative hearing officer shall not practice law in any domestic relations matter or other matter which would qualify for an expedited hearing before an administrative hearing officer without the written consent of both parties. Upon appointment to a case, an administrative hearing officer shall notify the judge and withdraw from the case if any grounds appear to exist for disqualification under Supreme Court Rules 61 through 67.
(d) Oath of Office. Each administrative hearing officer shall take an oath of office similar to a judicial oath.
(e) Compensation. Each administrative hearing officer shall be compensated as provided in the Plan.
(f) Communications with Attorneys. Disciplinary rules governing the conduct of attorneys before a court remain applicable in expedited child support hearings. Disciplinary rules governing communications between an attorney and a judge govern communications between attorneys and administrative hearing officers.
Plain-English Summary
An administrative hearing officer isn't a judge, but Rule 100.2 holds them to similar standards. Candidates apply to the chief judge of the circuit and must be licensed to practice law in Illinois with at least three years of active practice behind them.
Once hired, a full-time hearing officer can't practice law in any court, and a part-time hearing officer can't handle domestic relations or other cases that could have gone to an administrative hearing officer, unless both parties agree in writing. Like a judge, a hearing officer takes an oath of office and must step aside from a case if grounds for disqualification exist under the same rules that govern judges. The same rules that limit private conversations between attorneys and judges apply to hearing officers too, and attorney discipline rules still cover how lawyers behave in front of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications does an administrative hearing officer need?
A law license in Illinois and at least three years of active legal practice.
Can an administrative hearing officer also practice law?
A full-time hearing officer can't practice law before any court; a part-time hearing officer can't handle domestic relations or similar cases without both parties' written consent.
Do administrative hearing officers take an oath like judges?
Yes, each one takes an oath of office similar to a judicial oath.
What happens if a hearing officer has a conflict of interest in a case?
The hearing officer must notify the judge and withdraw if grounds for disqualification exist under the rules that apply to judges.
Can a lawyer talk privately with an administrative hearing officer about a pending case?
No. The same disciplinary rules that govern attorney communications with judges apply to communications with hearing officers.
Amendment History
Adopted April 1, 1992, effective immediately.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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