Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Peter J. Birnbaum, president and CEO, Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., as chief justice of the Illinois Court of Claims. Birnbaum has served as a judge on the Court since 2004.
The Illinois Court of Claims was established by the legislature in 1889 as a forum of limited jurisdiction to render decisions on monetary claims and lawsuits against the state. Birnbaum is one of seven judges on the Court of Claims. They are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Illinois Senate. “I am honored to be chosen by Governor Rauner to lead the court, and I welcome the challenges and responsibility that go with the role of chief justice,” Birnbaum said. “It is a privilege to serve on a court that plays an integral role in determining the rights and responsibilities of the state and its citizens.
During his tenure, Birnbaum has provided leadership for the court in a number of areas, for example, cases involving soldiers killed in the line of duty. He also has authored several significant opinions including Dorsey v. State, a case involving a State Trooper who killed two young girls while he was texting and driving at reckless speeds.