The Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday that Circuit Judge James R. Moore of the First Judicial Circuit has been assigned to the Fifth District Appellate Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Appellate Justice Stephen L. Spomer on November 30, 2014.

The assignment of Judge Moore to the Appellate Court is effective January 2, 2015 and remains in effect until further order of the Court.

Judge Moore was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2007 by the Supreme Court after undergoing an extensive application, evaluation, and interview process that included a review by a six member screening committee appointed by Justice Lloyd Karmeier to fill a vacancy created when Judge Bruce Stewart was elected to the Appellate Court in November 2006. After his appointment to the Circuit Court, Judge Moore successfully ran for election in 2008, and was retained by voters in November.

"I am fully appreciative of the high honor bestowed to me by this appointment," Judge Moore said. "It is an important trust. I shall endeavor to exert my full energy to fulfilling these duties. I am thankful to God, my wife Cindy, my eight children, and my 10 grandchildren for their love and support.

"I would like to express my gratitude to the Supreme Court, Justice Karmeier, my predecessor Justice Spomer, and my First Circuit colleagues for their confidence and support as well."

After obtaining his juris doctor degree cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 1977, Judge Moore worked as an assistant city attorney for the City of Carbondale until he founded his own law firm two years later. As a sole practitioner, he was engaged in the general practice of law, focusing on civil litigation, municipal, corporate, bank and small business representation, personal injury, real estate, probate, and worker's compensation until his appointment to the
bench in 2007.

While in law school, Judge Moore had assisted Professor Ted Kionka with his well-known work "Torts in a Nutshell." He was also the recipient of the Faculty Research Scholarship, and was on the Dean's List.

Judge Moore was also a distinguished undergraduate at SIU. Majoring in economics with a minor in political science, he accrued a 4.952 grade point average on a scale of 5.00; received University Highest Honors, was on the President’s List, and was a member of the scholastic fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi.

Judge Moore serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Judicial Retirement Systems of Illinois, appointed by the Supreme Court in 2012. He currently serves as vice-chair of the Board.

Judge Moore has been active in civic and charitable affairs. He was elected to the Carterville City Council three times, was an elected member of the Williamson County Board of Regional School Trustees, and had served as a member of the Williamson County Courthouse Public Building Commission.He also served as an elder with Grace Presbyterian Church in Carbondale, and served as a member of the Carterville Chamber of Commerce.

He was also the developer of a Carterville subdivision with over 100 residential lots on land acquired by his great-great grandfather in 1874.

A lifelong resident of Carterville, Judge Moore has been married for 39 years to Cynthia Moore. They have eight children and 10 grandchildren.

The Fifth Judicial District is composed of 37 counties in the southernmost part of Illinois, including: Alexander, Bond, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Shelby, St. Clair, Wabash, Wayne, Washington, White, Williamson, and Union.