Justice Mary K. O’Brien Announces Notice of Vacancy for a Circuit Judge in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit – Sixth Subcircuit

Justice Mary K. O’Brien of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for a Resident Circuit Judge vacancy in DuPage County – Sixth Subcircuit. Please be advised that any candidate seeking appointment to this vacancy shall reside within the subcircuit boundaries. See 705 ILCS 35/2f-18 (West 2022); 705 ILCS 40/2(d) (West 2022).

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Chief Judge Bonnie Wheaton on January 4, 2027.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to full Court approval. Notice of the vacancy has been posted at the DuPage County Courthouse. The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at: illinoiscourts.gov and following the instruction in the latest news scroller announcing the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit vacancy. Please submit application and supporting documents to Yolanda Reyes at yreyes@illinoiscourts.gov.

Deadline for submission of an application is November 23, 2026.

The applicant will undergo an evaluation and screening process. The person selected to fill the vacancy will serve until the first Monday in December following the November 2028 general election.

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer licensed to practice law in Illinois.

(FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: James Brunner, Public Information Officer of the Illinois Supreme Court at 217.208.3354 or jbrunner@illinoiscourts.gov.)