Chief Judge Kathryn E. Creswell announced that the Court is accepting applications to fill a vacancy for the Office of Associate Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, DuPage County.  This vacancy is the result of the retirement of Associate Judge Bruce R. Kelsey effective July 7, 2017. Applications are now being accepted for this vacancy which will be filled by vote of the circuit judges of the 18th Judicial Circuit. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39, any attorney, who is a U.S. citizen, is licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois, and is a resident of the 18th Judicial Circuit may apply by electronically filing a signed application with the Director of the Administrative Office of Illiinois Courts on the form prescribed and furnished by the Director.  The instructions for submitting an application electronically are available on the supreme court's website. If unable to submit an application electronically, an applicant must submit two (2) signed originals of the prescribed application with the Director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts at the address listed below: Michael J. Tardy, Director Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts 3101 Old Jacksonville Rd. Springfield, IL  62704-6488

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis has begun an application process for a judicial vacancy in the Fifth Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County. The vacancy is created by the retirement of the Hon. Edward Washington, II. Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by supreme court appointment. Justice Theis will make recommendations to the supreme court after applicants undergo a screening and evaluation process. That process will include an evaluation by the Alliance of Bar Associations, which is made up of 11 bar groups in the Cook County area, and the Chicago Bar Association. Further review will be conducted by a special judicial screening committee that Justice Theis established in 2013 and is co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Michael J. Gallagher. To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer in good standing licensed to practice law in Illinois and a resident of the Fifth Subcircuit. The deadline for submission of applications is 4 p.m. on Monday, July 17, 2017. Notice of the vacancy and details of the application process are posted on the Illinois Supreme Court's website. From there, follow the instructions on the "Latest News" scroller announcing the Fifth Subcircuit vacancy.

The 203-member ISBA Assembly met on Saturday, June 17, during the Annual Meeting at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wisconsin. Several awards were presented during the meeting.