Justice Joy V. Cunningham and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Sara McGann as a Circuit Judge in the 19th Subcircuit of Cook County.
Ms. McGann is being appointed to fill the resident judgeship in the 19th Subcircuit of the Circuit Court of Cook County formerly held by the Hon. John A. Fairman, who was elected as a Circuit Judge in the 15th
Subcircuit. Ms. McGann’s appointment is effective July 18, 2025, and will conclude on December 7, 2026.
Ms. McGann has served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office since 2009. As a Briefing Supervisor in the Criminal Appeals Division she represented the State of Illinois in over 100 cases, including 13 oral arguments, before the Illinois Appellate Court. From 2013 to 2015 she managed Drug and Mental Health Treatment Courts in the Fifth and Sixth Municipal Districts.
Ms. McGann earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Her professional affiliations include the Appellate Lawyers Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Women's Bar Association of Illinois, and the Southwest Bar Association, where she serves as Treasurer.