Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis Announces Three At-Large Vacancies in Cook County

Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for three at-large judicial vacancies in the Cook County Judicial Circuit. 

The three vacancies are created by the retirements of Judge Vincent Gaughan, Judge William Raines, and Judge Lorna Propes, all of the Cook County Judicial Circuit.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to the final Court approval. Applicants will undergo an evaluation and screening process. Those submitting completed applications will be considered for all three vacancies.

The evaluation and screening process will include an evaluation by the Alliance of Bar Associations, which is made up of 11 bar groups in the Cook County area, and the Chicago Bar Association. Further review will be conducted by a special judicial screening committee that Justice Theis established in 2013. If applicants have already been evaluated by the bar associations, they should include copies with the application. Applications may be submitted without bar evaluations. 

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, applicants must be a lawyer in good standing licensed to practice law in Illinois and a resident of Cook County.

The application process will open on March 1, 2023, and the deadline for submission of applications is 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, 2023. 

Applications are available on the Illinois Courts website and may be submitted electronically to lmarino@illinoiscourts.gov.

The persons appointed to fill the vacancies will serve until the first Monday in December following the November 2024 general election.