2-1001.Substitution of judge.

Section 2-1001 sets out four distinct paths to substituting the judge assigned to a civil case. The first covers the judge's own involvement: when the judge is a party, has an interest in the case, has testimony material to either side, or is related to or was counsel for a party, the court can order a substitution with or without either party asking.

The second path is substitution as of right — each party gets one substitution without having to give any reason at all. To use it, a party must file a motion before trial or hearing begins and before the assigned judge has ruled on any substantial issue in the case, or the parties can instead consent to the substitution. The statute protects parties who have not yet appeared: if a party has not appeared and has not been found in default, rulings the judge made on a substantial issue before that party's appearance do not count against an otherwise timely request for substitution as of right.

The third path, substitution for cause, lets a party get a judge removed by showing an actual reason. This requires a verified petition setting out the specific cause, and a hearing on whether that cause exists takes place before a different judge — the judge named in the petition need not testify but may submit an affidavit. If the petition succeeds, the case goes to a judge not named in it; if it fails, the case returns to the original judge.

The fourth path applies narrowly to contempt proceedings arising from an attack on a judge's character or conduct that happened outside open court: a defendant who fears an unfair trial before the judge whose character was impugned can seek substitution by verified petition filed before the contempt trial. Once any substitution is granted, Section 2-1001(c) lets the case go to another judge in the same county or a convenient county with no valid objection, and if it moves to another county, the transfer procedures in Section 2-1001.5 apply.