Circuit shorts
Chief judges making news
Chief Judge Ann B. Jorgensen of the 18th Circuit, a member of the ISBA Bench and Bar Section Council, will deliver her annual State of the Courthouse message to members of the DuPage Bar Association next month.
Her remarks will take place at a 12:15 p.m. luncheon during the DCBA Mega Meeting on Saturday, April 5, in the Hilton Hotel, Lisle. Seminars and a law office expo are included in the day-long event. Call (630) 653-7779.
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Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans of Cook County filed an administrative order Feb. 29 allowing court proceedings and court-related offices to continue to operate if the county board had not passed its fiscal 2008 budget by midnight.
“Notwithstanding the fiscal needs of Cook County government, the court system must continue to operate at current capacity if we are to provide due process to all persons who come before the court and preserve the integrity and efficiency of our court system,” he said.
Judge Evans noted that on Dec. 1, a total of 975,185 cases were pending in the circuit. During fiscal 2007, 1,875,449 cases were filed and 1,757,666 cases were disposed.
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Chief Judge Thomas L. Brownfield of the 8th Circuit has been re-elected to a two-year term. Also resident Mason County judge, he serves on the ISBA Committee on Judicial Advisory Polls and the Supreme Court Task Force on Probation Funding.
Court seeks comment
Proposed federal pattern patent civil jury instructions have been released for public comment by the Seventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instruction Committee. They ar e posted at www.ca7.uscourts.gov.
Written comments may be sent by Tuesday, April 1, to the committee chair, Chief Judge Robert L. Miller of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, mailto:robert_miller@innd.uscourts.gov.
Named to LAP board
Appellate Justice James M. Wexstten of the 5th District in Mount Vernon has been appointed to the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Assistance Program.
A member of the ISBA Committee on Judicial Advisory Polls and a past president of the Illinois Judges Association, Wexstten replaces retired judge James Radcliffe, who is now associate director of LAP in Belleville.
Senate confirms Filip
The anticipated U.S. Senate confirmation of Mark R. Filip of Chicago as deputy U.S. attorney general occurred March 3 in a unanimous vote after a delay for partisan wrangling.
Filip, who was a judge of U.S. District Court for the Northern District, succeeds Paul McNulty, deputy to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales until last June. Craig Morford had served in the interim.
As second in command to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Filip is chief operating officer of the Justice Department and liaison with the district offices of 93 U.S. attorneys.
Elevated to circuit
Associate Judge John Richard McClean Jr. of Rock Island has been appointed to the 14th Circuit Court, effective Feb. 1. He will serve until Dec. 6, 2010, replacing Joseph F. Beatty, who retired.
A 1975 graduate of The John Marshall Law School and a former assistant Rock Island County state’s attorney, McClean has been a judge since 1987. He has been presiding judge of Juvenile Court for 13 years.
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Chicago attorney Edward A. Arce, who was unopposed in the Democrat primary for Cook County Circuit Court and faced no candidate in November, was appointed Feb. 22 to the 14th Subcircuit seat he sought. He was a partner in Whitcup & Arce.
Associate judges named
Wheaton criminal defense attorney Robert G. Kleeman has been appointed an associate judge in the 18th Circuit. He is a 1987 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and a former assistant DuPage County state’s attorney.
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Waukegan attorney Michael Burns Betar has been appointed an associate judge of the 19th Circuit. He is a 1992 graduate of the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
Circuit judge recalled
Retired 5th Circuit judge Richard E. Scott was recalled this month to the Coles County Court. A jurist from 1972 to 2000, Scott will serve until Dec. 5, 2010.
Retirement announced
Judge Philip L. DiMarzio of the 16th Circuit, who was chief judge from 2002 to 2004, will retire at the end of March to begin a new challenge as an immigration court judge in Los Angeles. He is a former DeKalb County state’s attorney.
DiMarzio’s departure opens a 3rd Subcircuit seat that will be filled in the 2010 election. In the interim, a new 16th Circuit judge will be appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court.