After 41 years working for the court system, Michael Tardy is ready for a change. He retired August first as director of the Administrative Office. Tardy told me he has been blessed to work with a progressive court that is open and transparent.

Tardy began his career working for the Circuit Court of Cook County in the Department of Social Services. He was a clinical social worker – working with misdemeanor, DUI, and drug defendants. He worked with a range of people. One early experience was a client high on PCP who jumped out of a first floor window.

He did not plan to work for the Administrative Office. He was happy in his position with the Circuit Court. A friend he knew through his work as a probation officer had begun work for the AOIC and suggested Tardy apply for a position in the new probation services division. The appeal was the opportunity to supervise the office and impact policy on a statewide basis. So, he applied for the position and was hired. Gradually, he moved up the ranks, first as a regional director of probation services, later as deputy director and finally as Director of the Administrative Office. In the course his career, Tardy developed a deep respect and passion for the judicial system.

Talk with Mike Tardy, as I have on several occasions, and you talk with a person who is calm, smiling, reflective, and in control. Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeier described Tardy this way: “He was outstanding. He had patience, understanding, was organized. And, he had the foresight to know where the Administrative Office should go.”

Justice Mary Jane Theis described Tardy as passionate about access to justice. “He used creative thinking to bring in new ideas such as evidence based practices.” Chief Justice Karmeier said Tardy pushed the development of evidence based systems to assist judges presiding in bond court with more information and tools to help them set bonds for criminal defendants. Justice Theis agreed and added that Tardy was aware of and pushed the use of risk assessment tools in the bond-setting process before it became a topic of conversation and emphasis for the Supreme Court.

Justice Theis said Tardy “used his probation experience to approach issues like a system of community correction in the juvenile justice issues.” And, he used his background to find ways to try to change behavior to try to reduce recidivism.

Tardy told me he relied upon his training as a social worker in working with contemporaries and in finding ways to improve access to the justice system. On his watch, there were programs to develop forms to assist pro se litigants negotiate the judicial process, and specialized courts to provide alternatives to incarceration, and programs to help senior citizens and veterans through the system.

Tardy views as among his accomplishments as director using the AOIC to have a presence and profile with all the courts, to improve competency at all levels, including education programs for judges, and through instilling a management process for court administration. Another big accomplishment is the growing use of technology, e-fling at the appellate and Supreme Court and soon at all of the trial courts across the State. Tardy’s disappointment is that it has taken longer to achieve an e-filing system than he had hoped. But, he is confident that when practitioners, judges, and court clerks realize the advantages technology can provide the system will be much better off.

Chief Justice Karmeier added that Tardy “has introduced new measures to improve pretrial release practices and helped place Illinois at the forefront of initiatives to improve access to justice.”

Tardy told me he will miss most “the extraordinary gift of working with a court staff and the dialogue with the staff” in working to move the Court forward. He is pleased that the Supreme Court has chosen his deputy, Marcia Meis, to be the next Director of the Administrative Office.

Tardy plans to spend more time with his family and grandson and travel. In addition, he hopes to continue working on some projects for the court system. 