Circuit shorts

Patricia Piper Golden, an associate judge of the 16th Circuit since 1996, was elevated to a circuit court judgeship on Dec. 4. She will serve until December 2008, filling the remainder of the term of Kendall County Presiding Judge James Wilson, who retired Dec. 3.

A former Carroll County state's attorney and assistant Kane County state's attorney, Golden is a drug felony trial judge. She is a member of the ISBA Criminal Justice Section Council and wife of past president Loren S. Golden.

Chief Judge Donald Hudson is expected to announce the appointment of a new presiding judge in Kendall County.

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Kankakee attorney Adrienne W. Albrecht was appointed to the 21st Circuit vacancy of retired judge Gregory Householter on Dec. 1. Her term will expire in December 2008.

A former partner in Sacks, Albrecht & Gubbins, Albrecht serves on the ISBA Family Law Section Council, the Committee on Legislation and the Special Committee on Electronic Research Services for Members.

Judge Stephen C. Mathers of Knox County, a past president of the Illinois Judges Association, has been named chief judge of the 9th Circuit. He succeeds Ronald C. Tenold, who stepped down Oct. 27 and retired last month.

Former state senator Ed Petka of Plainfield is the first 12th Circuit judge to serve in Will County's 1st Subcircuit. He was elected Nov. 7 by a 62 percent majority and resigned his Senate seat that day.

Judge Petka's area includes Wheatland Township, most of Plainfield Township and sections of Joliet, Romeoville, Bolingbrook and Naperville. Four other new subcircuit judgeships have not been filled.

Lewiston attorney William C. Davis has been elected to the newly created position of resident Fulton County judge in the 9th Circuit. He defeated Steven R. Bordner, an associate judge for 12 years, in the November election.

Joliet attorney Rick A. Mason has been named an associate judge of the 12th Circuit. He succeeds William G. McMenamin, who was appointed to the circuit court in September.

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Former Kane County state's attorney Robert J. Morrow of St. Charles became an associate judge of the 16th Circuit on Dec. 4. He succeeds Richard Larson of Aurora, who was named in October to the circuit court vacancy of retired judge James Doyle.

A partner in the Elgin firm of Early, Collison, Tousy, Regan, Wlodek & Morrow and state's attorney from 1980 to 1988, Morrow was selected from a slate of 32 applicants. He has chaired the county's Court Appointed Special Advocates program.

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Judges of the 18th Circuit appointed Mary Lou Wehrli of Naperville as jury commissioner on Nov. 15. She succeeds Albert E. Radcliffe, who retired in October.

Wehrli, a self-employed business and property manager, has served leadership roles in the Naperville Park District, Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club.

Judge Stephen E. Walter of the 19th Circuit retired Oct. 31 after 21 years on the bench, during which he served two terms as chief judge. He was honored Oct. 26 at a breakfast in the Lake County Courthouse. Walter became an associate judge in 1985, was appointed to the circuit court in 1989 and was elected in 1990.

Judge Philip G. Reinhard of U.S. District Court in Rockford is scheduled to assume senior status on Jan. 12 and begin taking a reduced caseload when a successor is appointed.

Meanwhile, new cases filed in Rockford after Jan. 12 will be assigned to Judge James B. Zagel in Chicago, and Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney will handle pre-trial case management matters.

Chief Judge James F. Holderman of U.S. District Court for the Northern District has established a Settlement Assistance Program to provide attorneys for pro se litigants at settlement conferences.

Volunteers from 45 law firms affiliated with the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will be appointed to provide free legal assistance to pro se parties in settling cases in conferences conducted by judges or magistrate judges.

They will help parties prepare for the conferences, draft settlement agreements and corresponding motions to dismiss, if appropriate, but assistance will not extend to any other part of the litigation process.

The program is expected to build on the successes of a pilot program developed by the magistrate judges with the help of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.

Chief Judge Stephen White of the 12th Circuit has told members of the Will County Bar Association that it is time to begin planning construction of a new courthouse to handle rapidly increasing dockets.

In his State of the Courthouse message on Nov. 16, White noted that the 2010 census should make the circuit eligible for at least nine more judges, “but we're not going to get them if we have no place to put them.”

The present courthouse in Joliet was built 40 years ago to serve a population of one-third as many as now live in the growing circuit. An annex with four courtrooms opened across the street in October, but long lines funnel slowly through security every day.

White also said the circuit would begin testing an electronic filing system in January in hopes of implementing it by June.