The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has posted a notice that there are five vacancies in the office of associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Applications are being accepted for these vacancies, as well as additional vacancies which may occur during the nomination process, that will be filled by vote of the Circuit Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

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The Illinois Supreme Court announced Wednesday the appointment of Alexander County State's Attorney Jeffery Blaine Farris as resident Circuit Judge in the First Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen Spomer on November 30, 2014.

Mr. Farris' appointment is effective January 16, 2015 and will terminate December 5, 2016 when the position will be filled by the 2016 General Election.

The Illinois Bar Foundation will host Lawyers Rock 2015 on March 5 at the Double Door in Chicago. VIP Tickets are $100 and include food, wine, beer and soda throughout the evening. General admission tickets are $50 and include food and two beer and wine tickets. To purchase tickets, please click here

The Illinois Supreme Court has reassigned Cook County Circuit Judges Cynthia Y. Cobbs and Stuart E. Palmer to the First District Appellate Court. Both assignments are effective Jan. 7, 2015 with Palmer's term expiring Dec. 5, 2016. Cobbs' assignment is effective until further order of the court.

Effective today, January 5, 2015, requests for extended media coverage may be filed for cases in the Criminal Division courtrooms at the Georg N. Leighton Criminal Court Building located at 2600 South California Avenue in Chicago.

Interested news media organizations shall send all camera requests to the media coordinator, Bob Graves, Illinois Photo Editor for the Associate Press, at: cookcountymedia@gmail.com.

Requests will be considered on a case by case basis by the judge assigned to the case.

For complete information on how the Extended Media Coverage Pilot Program works, including guidelines and restrictions, go to www.cookcountycourt.org, select “Media” and “Extended Media Coverage.”

Asked and Answered

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Here are a few ideas to help you jump start your practice in 2015:

1. During the next week review your 2014 personal and practice performance and consider:
   • Things that you did well and could have done better
   • Things done poorly
   • Things that you should have done but did not do
   • What you should be doing now – in 2015 – to be effective in your practice

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 Circuit Court of DuPage County. This vacancy is the result of the elevation of Associate Judge Paul M. Fullerton to Circuit Judge.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday that Circuit Judge James R. Moore of the First Judicial Circuit has been assigned to the Fifth District Appellate Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Appellate Justice Stephen L. Spomer on November 30, 2014.

The assignment of Judge Moore to the Appellate Court is effective January 2, 2015 and remains in effect until further order of the Court.