The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that Brian T. Otwell, received a majority of the votes cast by the circuit judges in the Seventh Judicial Circuit and is declared to be appointed to the office of associate judge. Mr. Otwell received his undergraduate degree in 1980 from the Illinois State University in Normal and his Juris Doctor in 1984 from the Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Mr. Otwell is currently affiliated with the Sangamon County Public Defender’s Office in Springfield.

The current term of office of the Honorable David G. Bernthal, United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of Illinois at Urbana, is due to expire on April 30, 2011. The Court is considering the reappointment of Judge Bernthal for an additional eight-year term and is soliciting comment from the bar and public as to whether Magistrate Judge Bernthal should be recommended for reappointment. Written comment should be sent to Pamela E. Robinson, Clerk of Court, 210 U.S. Courthouse, 600 E. Monroe, Springfield, Illinois, 62701 by September 30, 2010. All comments received by the Court will be provided to the Merit Selection Panel of attorneys and private citizens from the Urbana Division of the Court. This panel will consider the comments received and will assess Judge Bernthal’s performance in office. The Panel will then make its recommendation to the Court regarding reappointment.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced Wednesday that Sangamon County State’s Attorney John P. Schmidt has been appointed a circuit judge at-large in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Mr. Schmidt was appointed to fill the Circuit Court vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Thomas Appleton to the Fourth District Appellate Court. The appointment is effective October 1, 2010 and will expire December 3, 2012. Justice Rita B. Garman recommended the appointment of Mr. Schmidt after a review process by a special citizen screening committee. The committee unanimously recommended Mr. Schmidt’s appointment to Justice Garman to fill the vacancy. Mr. Schmidt graduated from Western Illinois University in 1987 with a B.S. degree in History. He received his juris doctor degree from University of Tulsa in 1990. Before his appointment to the bench, Mr. Schmidt served as special assistant U.S. attorney from 1990-1992; he was responsible for prosecution of federal law violations, advising federal law enforcement agencies and preparing briefs for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. From 1992-1995, he served as Sangamon County assistant state’s attorney. While there, he prosecuted various types of traffic, misdemeanor and felony cases. Subsequently, Mr. Schmidt served as first assistant state’s attorney for four years until his appointment as Sangamon County State’s Attorney in 1999. He has since won election to that position three times, most recently in 2008. Mr. Schmidt has served as member of the board of directors, treasurer and president of the Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois and as chairman of the Sangamon Child Advocacy Center. A resident of Springfield, Mr. Schmidt is married with one child.

Longtime Lincoln attorney John R. Gelbach passed away on Monday at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Mr. Gehlbach graduated from Beason High School in 1938 and studied for two years at the University of Illinois, where he served on the staff of the Daily Illini newspaper. He transferred to Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree as a member of the class of 1942. During World War II, John spent 4½ years of Navy service for his country in the Seabees. He was on duty in the Pacific Theatre in Australia and New Guinea. While in the Navy, John studied for 8 months at the Harvard University School of Business. Discharged in 1946, he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After the war he enrolled at Northwestern University Law School, a member of the class of 1949, he was an editor of the Northwestern Law Review and received a bachelor of laws degree in 1949. After being admitted to the bar, Mr. Gehlbach became assistant to the general counsel for Swift & Company in Chicago until 1951 when he moved back to Lincoln to open his law firm. Family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Thursday, Aug. 26, at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home, 127 South Logan, Lincoln. A funeral ceremony will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 402 Pekin Street, Lincoln, Illinois on Friday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. with Father James Cravens officiating. Burial will be in Elkhart Cemetery, Elkhart. Memorial contributions may be made to Lincoln College or Trinity Episcopal Church. Read the full obituary in the Springfield State Journal-Register.