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Circuit shorts James Holderman U.S. court's new chief By Stephen Anderson
Federal jurist James F. Holderman capped a 35-year legal career on July 7 with his induction as the 16th chief judge of U.S. District Court for the Northern District. Senior Judge William J. Bauer of the U.S. Court of Appeals administered the oath during a ceremony in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, although Holderman had acceded to the office six days earlier when Charles P. Kocoras stepped aside. Most of the district judges attended, including former chiefs Marvin E. Aspen, John F. Grady and James B. Moran. Judge William T. Hart regaled the packed courtroom with witty remarks about the history of the court and its leaders. Chief Judge Joel M. Flaum of the Court of Appeals made the obligatory motion for the installation, and words of support were provided by Matthew C. Crowl of Schiff Hardin, one of Holderman's 23 present and former clerks. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke, who was one of his law student “Holdermaniacs” at Chicago-Kent, also spoke. A 1971 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, Holderman had been raised on a Grundy County farm and had a degree in agricultural science. His first job in law was clerking for Judge William C. Hanson of the Northern District of Iowa. In 1972, Holderman joined the U.S. attorney's office under James R. Thompson in Chicago, where Flaum was one of his colleagues for three years. From 1978 to 1985, he practiced with Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. Holderman's tenure as the first and only occupant of the 18th seat on the Northern District bench began in 1985, when he was nominated by President Reagan. Twenty-one years later, at age 60, he was the most senior judge under 65 when Kocoras decided to relinquish the center seat he had held for only four years. Holding the Bible while Holderman took the oath was his wife, Paula Hudson Holderman of Winston & Strawn, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors and a past president of the Champaign County Bar Association. Speaking from the floor, rather than from the bench, the new chief judge said he planned few changes during his seven-year term, and will continue implementing the transition to electronic filing of court documents. Holderman will reduce his docket of civil cases and will take no new criminal cases. He is co-chair of the 7th Circuit's American Jury Project Commission. Justice Theis presides over appellate bar
For only the second time in its 38-year history, the Appellate Lawyers Association has installed an Appellate Court justice as its president. She is Mary Jane W. Theis of the 1st District, a jurist since 1983, who is a member of the ISBA Special Committee on Implementation of the Future of the Courts Conference and past co-chair of the Special Committee on Appellate Practice. She succeeded Robert M. Dow Jr. on June 13. Other new officers are Vice President Craig L. Unrath, Secretary Michael I. Rothstein and Treasurer Gary S. Feinerman. Justice Theis began her judicial career as a Cook County associate judge in 1983, and she was elected to the circuit court in 1988. She was assigned to the Appellate Court in 1993 and elected in 1994. A 1974 graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law, Theis was an assistant Cook County public defender for nine years until her appointment to the court. She was president of the Illinois Judges Association in 1997-98 and received its Lifetime Service Award in 2004. The ISBA honored her in 1998 with an Access to Justice Award, and she received a Mary Heftel Hooton Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois in 2000. She was named Celtic Lawyer of the Year in 2000 and Catholic Lawyer of the Year in 2004. Justice Theis, the daughter of former Cook County judge Kenneth R. Wendt, is married to Chicago attorney John T. Theis, a past chair of the ISBA Criminal Justice Section Council and member of the Committee on Legislation and Committee on Cable Television Programming. One of their children, John K. Theis, is a lawyer in the Chicago office of Perkins Coie. For more information about the Appellate Lawyers Association, visit the Web site, www.applawyers.org.
Reyes installed as president of Illinois Judges By Stephen Anderson
Jesse G. Reyes became president of the Illinois Judges Association on June 2 during the 35-year-old organization's first public installation ceremony. The special event, held at the Chicago Bar Association, was attended by officers of several bar associations and representatives of community groups that Reyes hopes to partner with in civic projects. An associate judge of the Cook County Circuit Court, Reyes has identified three initiatives for his tenure that will recognize and build on certain segments of the IJA membership. A Past President's Council, chaired by James M. Wexstten and Patrick E. McGann, will honor the stewardship and support of 34 former leaders and benefit from their rich resources of history and information. A Heroes in History Committee will develop a program to salute active and retired judges who have served in the military. Reyes has challenged the committee to conduct a Veteran's Day recognition event on Nov. 11. The co-chairs are Ronald D. Spears, who chairs the ISBA Committee on Military Affairs, and Alexander P. White, who serves on the ISBA committee. The third initiative is to address the needs of retired judges. A Retired Judges Committee, chaired by William Madden and Patricia Brown Holmes, will identify concerns and encourage participation of retired judges in IJA activities. The extensive agenda that Reyes hopes to accomplish in his year in office will involve more interaction with the community at large through partnerships with bar associations and civic organizations. A major focus will be continuation of Reyes' involvement with schools in an effort to make a difference in the lives of young people. IJA members will participate in the Principal for a Day program, provide mentorship and guidance opportunities, and donate books to schools that lack essential educational tools. A member of the ISBA Assembly, Jesse Reyes has held other bar leadership positions, including service as president of the former Latin American Bar Association. He is a past chair of the ISBA Committee on Minority and Women Participation and former member of the Committee on Community Involvement and the Access to Justice Advisory Board. A 1984 graduate of The John Marshall Law School, Reyes is a former assistant Chicago corporation counsel and member of the Chicago Board of Education legal staff. He became an associate judge in 1997. Joining him as 2006-07 officers of the IJA are Vice Presidents Mark A. Schuering, James R. Epstein and Ronald Spears; Secretary Jane L. Stuart, and Treasurer Mary S. Schostok. For information about events and activities, access www.ija.org or e-mail info@ija.org.
Circuit Court will reconvene mediation seminars Sept. 14
The Cook County Circuit Court Law Division will resume its series of free court-annexed mediation seminars next month after a summer recess. Conducted on the second Thursday of each month, with co-sponsorship by the ISBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, the brown-bag luncheon programs for judges, lawyers and mediators take place at 12 noon in courtroom 2005 of the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago. Although there is no charge to attend, reservations should be made by calling Raimondi Ferenzi at (312) 603-6078 or Kim Atz at (312) 793-0125. The program topic on Thursday, Sept. 14, is “The Ten Worst Moves by Counsel in Mediation: A 24-Year Perspective,” with William E. Hartgering of JAMS. Future presentations follow. Thursday, Oct. 12 – A roundtable discussion by former judges on “What Lawyers and Mediators Should Do for Successful Mediation.” Speakers are Thomas P. Durkin, Michael J. Hogan, John E. Morrissey, Richard A. Siebel and Michael C. Zissman. Thursday, Nov. 9 – “Mediation Beyond Reason: The Use and Abuse of Power and Emotion,” with Steven Schwartz. Thursday, Dec. 14 – “Becoming a Master Mediator: The Art of Unlearning,” with Andy G. Miller. Thursday, Jan. 11 – “Mediating Customer-Broker Securitieds Disputes: What Does Coun-sel Want from the Mediator and the Mediation?” Panelists are Kent Lawrence, Les--lie Blau, Bruce Lewitas and Andrew Stoltman. Program topics and presenters will be announced later for seminars on Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12.
Anne Burke seated on Supreme Court
Anne M. Burke, a justice of the Appellate Court since 1995, began her interim appointment July 5 to the Illinois Supreme Court vacancy of Mary Ann G. McMorrow. She will serve until December 2008. Justice Charles E. Freeman administered the oath to Burke during a Chicago ceremony that was convened by Chief Justice Robert R. Thomas. Speakers included James R. Thompson, Jim Edgar, Lisa M. Madigan, Michael J. Madigan and Emil Jones Jr. Presiding judge named Cook County Judge Thomas F. Carmody Jr. has been named presiding judge of the 5th Municipal District in Bridgeview. He succeeds Anthony S. Montelione, who retired July 31 after 35 years as a judge. Appointed an associate judge in 1971, Montelione was elected to the circuit court and was named presiding judge in 1982. Judge Carmody was elected to the court in 1992 and assigned to the Bridgeview courthouse. He heard felony criminal cases until 2000, when he began hearing Law Division civil cases. He has been acting presiding judge, when needed, since 2001. Recent appointments Chicago attorney Joseph D. Panarese has been appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court. He joins his brother, Associate Judge Donald D. Panarese Jr., on the bench. Chief of staff to the Chicago city clerk until his Aug. 1 appointment, Joseph Panarese was in practice with another brother, Nicholas D. Panarese II. Their father, Donald J. Panarese Sr., was an associate judge before his death. • • • Associate Judge Richard J. Larson of the 16th Circuit in Sycamore has been appointed a judge of the new 1st Subcircuit for a term that will end Dec. 1, 2008. He has been on the bench since 1991. Past bar president is DuPage associate judge Westmont attorney Linda E. Davenport (see photo), a past president of the DuPaqe County Bar Association, has selected by judges of the 18th Circuit to become an associate judge. The new judgeship was authorized recently by the Supreme Court. A partner in Fortunato, Farrell, Davenport & Arnold, Davenport is a former member of the ISBA Assembly. Her husband and law partner, Joseph R. Fortunato, is past chair of the Real Estate Law Section Council. • • • Walden Morris of Harrisburg has been installed as an associate judge of the 1st Circuit in Saline County. He fills the vacancy of Brocton Lockwood, who retired last month. • • • Mark R. Stanley of Carmi is a new associate judge in the 2nd Circuit. • • • Mount Morris attorney Robert T. Hanson, a partner in Smith, Hanson, Hahn, Morrow & Floski, has been named an associate judge in the 15th Circuit. • • • Marmarie J. Kostelny of Elgin and Edward C. Schreiber of West Chicago have been named associate judges in the 16th Circuit. Associate 16th Circuit Judge Leonard J. Wojtecki last month was assigned part-time to Kendall County, where a new courtroom has been completed to accommodate growing civil and criminal dockets. Wojtecki had been assigned to Aurora Branch Court, where new Associate Judge Schreiber has begun hearing traffic cases. • • • Assistant Lake County state's attorney George D. Strickland is a new associate judge in the 19th Circuit. Robert A. Wilbrandt Jr. of Crystal Lake also has been named a 19th Circuit associate judge. He has been assigned to McHenry County, which will become the 22nd Circuit in December. Retirements announced Magistrate Judge Ian H. Levin of U.S. District Court for the Northern District retired last month after nine years on the federal bench. A former law clerk for Supreme Court justice Daviel P. Ward and assistant Cook County public defender, Levin was appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court in 1989. In 1997, he replaced Magistrate Judge Joan P. Gottschall, who was elevated to a district judgeship. • • • Cook County Judge James T. Ryan of the 3rd Municipal District in Rolling Meadows retired July 7. A former mayor of Arlington Heights, his vacancy has been filled by Margarita T. Kulys. Other Cook County judges who retired last month are Preston L. Bowie Jr., Stuart A. Nudelman, Fred G. Suria Jr., Mary Maxwell Thomas, Karen S. Thompson Tobin and Anthony L. Young. • • • Associate Judge Kenneth W. Torluemke of the 18th Circuit retired July 28. A former DuPage County public defender, he was appointed to the bench in 1995. Sculpture is dedicated A statue of Themis, the mythological Greek goddess of justice and law, was dedicated July 21 in the 18th Circuit Judicial Center by Chief Judge Ann B. Jorgensen. The sculpture is visible behind the portrait of ISBA President Irene F. Bahr on the front cover of the July issue of the Illinois Bar Journal. Themis was given to the circuit court by Judge Bonnie M. Wheaton in memory of her husband, Ralph L. Wheaton III. The dedication commemorated the 15th anniversary of the opening of the judicial center in Wheaton. Election ballot bifurcated Cook County Clerk David Orr has announced that names of about 70 candidates for judicial retention in November will be listed on a ballot separate from names of candidates for federal, state and local elections in Chicago suburbs. Orr said there would be too many names for a single ballot in an election system that consists of both optically scanned and electronic touch-screen voting in 2,386 suburban precincts. Election officials in Chicago have not decided whether to implement a dual-ballot system in the city's 2,604 precincts. 19th Circuit goes digital The 2005 annual report of the 19th Circuit has been disseminated on a compact disc, rather than in printed format, and also may be accessed at http://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us. The CD, which is viewable on Windows and Mac platforms, may be obtained by writing to the 19th Circuit Administrative Office, 18 N. County St., Waukegan 60085, or calling (847) 377-3600.
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