Justice Lisa Holder White and the Supreme Court of Illinois have announced the appointment of Jeffrey Scot McKinley as a Resident Circuit Judge in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Mercer County.

Mr. McKinley is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James G. Conway, Jr. on August 10, 2023. Mr. McKinley’s appointment takes effect on October 16, 2023, and will conclude on December 2, 2024, following the November 2024 general election.

Justice Holder White recommended the appointment to the full Court following a review of applicants by a seven-person screening committee. The committee consisted of non-lawyer members Grace Diaz Shirk, Michael Bell, Dr. Edward Connolly, and Kristin Relander. The lawyer members of the committee were Judge Mark A. VandeWiele (ret.), Attorney Jonathon Fox, and Attorney Tionn Fambro Carter, who served as chairperson.

“I am excited for Mr. McKinley to begin this next phase of his life in the law,” Justice Holder White said. “His experience and his recognition of what a privilege it is to serve in this capacity will ensure that the citizens of Mercer County are afforded access to justice.”

Mr. McKinley has worked in the Rock Island County State’s Attorney Office since 2011 as an Assistant State’s Attorney where he primarily served in the Juvenile Division. Prior to this, he worked from 1995 to 2011 in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General as an Assistant Attorney General. He is a current member and past president and board member of the Illinois Family Support Enforcement Association (IFSEA).

“I am truly grateful to have been selected by Justice Holder White and the Illinois Supreme Court to serve as the next Resident Circuit Judge for Mercer County in the 14th Judicial Circuit,” McKinley said. “I am honored by the trust the justices have placed in me and hope to serve the citizens of Mercer County and the 14th Circuit to the best of my ability for many years to come.”

Mr. McKinley earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law.

The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit includes Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, and Whiteside Counties.