In the early 1800's, the counties that currently make up the Eleventh Judicial Circuit were split among several different circuits. For example, initially, the First Circuit consisted of Calhoun Green, Macon, Macoupin, McLean, Morgan, Pike, and Sangamon Counties. It had two terms of court limited to three days each, with Samuel Lockwood as judge. The act of incorporation provided that "…all court for said county shall be held at the house of James Allin until public buildings are erected, unless changed to some other place by the County Commissioner".

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The Eighth Circuit was organized March 21, 1839, consisting of Champaign, DeWitt, Livingston, Macon, Mason, McLean, Menard, Sangamon, and Tazewell Counties. Christian, Logan, Piatt, Shelby and Woodford Counties were added to this Circuit in February 1841.

In February 1843, Moultrie County was attached to the Eighth Circuit and Edgar and Vermillion in 1845. In 1847, Livingston County was attached to the Ninth Circuit, and Shelby was attached to the Eighth making the Circuit consist of: Champaign, Christian, DeWitt, Edgar, Logan, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermillion, and Woodford Counties. This was the Eighth Circuit so famous in the history of Lincoln.

By 1857, the Eighth Circuit was reduced to Champaign, DeWitt, Logan, McLean, Tazewell, and Vermillion Counties. And in 1861, the Circuit consisted of DeWitt, Logan, and McLean Counties with the Circuit Judge receiving a salary of $1000 yearly.

In 1873, Ford and McLean Counties were made the 14th Circuit; and in June of 1877, the Appellate Courts were established, and the Circuit Courts were rearranged, with the number of Circuits reduced from 28 to 13. The Eleventh Circuit consisted of Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, and McLean Counties. Each Circuit had three judges.

McLean County Courthouse from 1900 - 1976.
Today, it houses the McLean County Historical Society and Museum.

The Circuit remained this way until 1897, when the 40th General Assembly passed: "An Act to divide the State of Illinois, exclusive of the County of Cook, into Judicial Circuits;

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: That in lieu of the Circuit Courts provided by law and now existing, the State of Illinois, exclusive of the County of Cook, shall be and the same is hereby divided into judicial circuits as follows…

…Eleventh Judicial Circuit-the Counties of McLean, Livingston, Logan, Ford, and Woodford…"
- Laws of 1897

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit has retained the same composition since that date.