Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis announced on Monday an application process for a vacancy in the Ninth Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County.

The vacancy is created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Allen S. Goldberg on September 6. Judge Goldberg has been a Circuit judge in Cook County since 1992.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Justice Theis will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court after applicants for the position undergo a screening and evaluation process.

That process will include an evaluation by the Alliance of Bar Associations composed of 11 bar groups in the Cook County area and the Chicago Bar Association. It also will include a further review by a special judicial screening committee established by Justice Theis and co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Michael J. Gallagher.

Notice of the vacancy and details of the application process were sent to various bar groups and posted on the Illinois Supreme Court's website at www.illinoiscourts.gov.

The application form is modified from the same form required of applicants for an associate judgeship in Cook County. Instructions may be obtained from the Supreme Court's website at www.illinoiscourts.gov. From there, follow the instructions on the "Latest News" scroller announcing the Ninth Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County vacancy.

Applications may be submitted by mail to:

Supreme Court of Illinois
Attention: Ms. Laurie Marino
160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite N2013
Chicago, Illinois 60601

If applicants already have been evaluated by the bar associations, they are asked to include copies with the application.

The deadline for submission of applications is Wednesday, September 18, 2013. The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until December 1, 2014 when the position will be filled by the November 2014 election.

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer in good standing licensed to practice law in Illinois.
The Ninth Subcircuit includes generally the far North Side of Chicago encompassing the 49th and 50th wards along with Evanston and Niles Townships and parts of New Trier and Northfield Townships. For a precise description, applicants may consult the Illinois State Board of Elections.