Chief Justice Rita B. Garman of the Illinois Supreme Court announced Friday the formation of a judicial screening committee to help fill a vacancy for the Woodford County resident judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

The Circuit Court vacancy was created by the announced retirement of Judge John B. Huschen, effective March 31, 2014. Chief Justice Garman announced an application process for the vacancy on January 15. The only applicant is Associate Judge Charles M. Feeney of El Paso.

The committee will examine Judge Feeney's credentials for the Circuit Court position, seek public comment and interview the candidate. It will report its findings to Chief Justice Garman, and the Chief Justice will make a recommendation to the full Supreme Court. Under the Illinois Constitution, the Supreme Court is the sole appointing authority to fill interim judicial vacancies in the Illinois courts.

The appointee will serve until December 5, 2016, when the position will be filled by the 2016 General Election.

The screening committee consists of seven persons who reside in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Four of the committee members are non-lawyers and three are lawyers.

The non-lawyer members of the committee are Eureka residents Randy Crump and Matt Smith, El Paso resident Linda Haas and Roanoke resident Robert Knepp.

The lawyer members of the committee are Guy Fraker of Bloomington, Ned Leiken of Minonk and James Stoller of El Paso.

Guy Fraker will serve as chairperson of the committee.

Members of the public are invited to submit comments concerning the applicants by writing to Randy Crump, Secretary, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Screening Committee, 1907 Oak Drive, Eureka, IL, 61530, email rkcrump@mtco.com. Comments should be received by the committee before 4 p.m. on March 15, 2014. All comments will be held in the strictest confidence by the committee and the Court.

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit is composed of Ford, Livingston, Logan, McLean and Woodford counties.