Justice David K. Overstreet and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Katherine D. Watson as Douglas County Resident Circuit Court Judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. 

Ms. Watson was appointed to fill the Douglas County vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Richard L. Broch on March 31, 2023. The appointment is effective May 2, 2023, and will conclude Dec. 2, 2024, following the November 2024 general election. 

Ms. Watson is currently the Douglas County State’s Attorney, serving as the county’s general counsel and lead prosecutor after having won election in 2016 and re-election in 2020.

She worked for 20 years in the Douglas County State’s Attorney’s Office before becoming State’s Attorney. Prior to joining the State’s Attorney’s Office, she was a partner at Hultquist and Giffin. 

“I am honored to be selected by the Supreme Court Justices. It has been my privilege and honor to have served Douglas County for 27 years as a state’s attorney,” Watson said. “I will dedicate all of my efforts to making sure the Sixth Judicial Circuit and the people of Douglas County have a judge they can be proud of.” 

Ms. Watson earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado Boulder and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. 

Her professional associations include the Douglas County Bar Association where she is a past Treasurer and has served as President since 2015. She is a board member of the Tuscola Community Foundation’s Legal Sector and is a past Club Director and current member of the Kiwanis Club of Tuscola.