Circuit shorts

Assistant U.S. attorney Virginia M. Kendall of Chicago was confirmed in December by the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She succeeds Judge Suzanne Conlon, who took senior status last year.

A 1992 graduate of the Loyola University School of Law, Kendall joined the U.S. attorney's office in 1995. She has been deputy chief of the major crimes section, coordinator of the Project Safe Neighborhood program and an adjunct law professor at Loyola.

In Cook County, Associate Judge Miriam E. Harrison of the Probate Division was appointed a circuit judge, effective Jan. 15, to replace John E. Morrissey, who retired.

Associate Judge Preston L. Bowie Jr. of the Criminal Division was appointed Jan. 20 to the vacancy of retired judge Michael J. Hogan in the 7th Subcircuit.

Associate Judge Wayne D. Rhine of the 1st Municipal District was appointed Jan. 20 to the vacancy of retired judge Janice L. Hogan in the 13th Subcircuit.

All three terms will end Dec. 4.

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James L. Roberts of Hillsboro was sworn in Jan. 6 as an associate judge of the 4th Circuit in December. He replaces Mark M. Joy, who retired after almost 24 years on the bench.

A 1986 graduate of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, Roberts was elected Montgomery County state's attorney in 2000 and re-elected without opposition in 2004.

Judge Richard A. Siebel of the Cook County Chancery Division retired Dec. 31 to join the litigation practice at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, Chicago.

Siebel was in private practice in commercial and corporate law from 1968 until 1998, when he became a judge. He also was a Cook County commissioner for 16 years.

Judge Stuart E. Palmer, formerly of the Criminal Division, has replaced Siebel in chancery.

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Robert M. Smierciak retired in December as a Cook County associate judge of the 5th Municipal District. He was on the bench for 20 years.

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Chief Judge George Timberlake of Mt. Vernon in the 2nd Circuit will retire in December after 20 years on the bench. He was appointed to the Edwards County Court in 1985 and as an associate judge in 1987. He was elected to the circuit court in 2000 and has been chief judge since 2003.

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Judge George Moran of the 3rd Circuit in Madison County has decided not to run for retention and will retire at the end of this year. He has served since 1977.

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Chief Judge Ronald C. Tenold of Monmouth in the 9th Circuit, resident judge of Warren County, will retire Nov. 30. Appointed an associate judge in 1987, he was elected to the circuit court in 1996 and became chief judge in 2003.

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Knox County Judge Harry C. Bulkeley of Galesburg in the 9th Circuit will retire in December after 24 years on the bench. He portrays Ulysses S. Grant in Civil War re-enactments and is a member of Second Mortgage, a local band.

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Judge Thomas J. Fahey of the 5th Circuit in Danville retired Jan. 13.

The Illinois Supreme Court on Jan. 23 named Cook County Judge John O. Steele as the new chair of the Illinois Judicial Conference through Dec. 31. He is past president of the Illinois Judges Association.

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The Supreme Court has appointed Chicago attorney James R. Carroll to the Board of Ad-missions to the Bar. He succeeds Richard J. Prendergast Jr.

Donald H. Funk of Springfield and Neil K. Quinn of Chicago were reappointed to the board.

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The Supreme Court has appointed six new members of the Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases for terms that will expire Dec. 31, 2008.

They are Stephen C. Buser of Columbia, James L. De Ano of Wheaton, Charles C. Hall of Danville, Laird M. Ozmon of Joliet, Judge Sheldon A. Harris and Robert A. Strelecky of Chicago.

Chicago attorneys Robert J. Bingle and Neil K. Quinn, Cook County Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, and Rhonda J. Ferrero-Patten of Peoria were reappointed to three-year terms.

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Six members of the Committee on Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases were reappointed: Cook County Associate Judges Michael Brown and Thomas More Donnelly, 4th Circuit Judge Patrick J. Hitpas of Carlye, Terry A. Ekl of Clarendon Hills, Allan A. Ackerman and Marc W. Martin of Chicago.