October 27, 2020

In 2018 the Illinois Supreme Court approved the reconstituted Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) to consider the work of the courts, to suggest improvements in the administration of justice, and to make recommendations for the improvement of the courts. 

The reconstituted IJC is comprised of 29 voting members: 15 judges and 14 non-judges, with the Chief Justice serving as Chair. The structure includes a total of 24 appointments by the Court: another Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Access to Justice Commission, a member of the Judicial College Board of Trustees, an appellate judge, judges representing each of the five appellate court districts, court clerks, trial court administrators, attorneys, members of the public and a non-judge involved in the judicial branch or administration of justice.  

Per Supreme Court Rule 41, all members serving on the Judicial Conference by nature of their position shall serve on the Judicial Conference so long as they hold that position. Of the remaining members appointed by the Supreme Court, one-third shall initially be appointed to a two-year term, one-third shall initially be appointed to a three-year term, and one-third shall initially be appointed to a four-year term. All members appointed or reappointed following these inaugural terms shall serve three-year terms. Other than the inaugural membership, no member may serve more than two consecutive three-year terms (six years), subject to the discretion of the Supreme Court.  This allows for “staggered” termination of member terms to maintain a level of continuity.

The inaugural term of the following members expired on October 1, 2020. Effective immediately, the following individuals are reappointed members of the Judicial Conference of Illinois, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 41 (b), for terms expiring October 1, 2023:

• Carla Bender, Clerk of the Appellate Court, Fourth Appellate District as a Circuit and Reviewing Court Clerks representative
• Judge Celia Gamrath, Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County as a First District Judge representative
• Justice David K. Overstreet, Appellate Court Justice, Fifth Appellate District as the Fifth District Judge representative
• Rena’ K. Parker, Court Administrator, Tenth Judicial Circuit as a Trial Court Administrator representative
• Kathryn Saltmarsh, Executive Director, Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council
• Judge Daniel B. Shanes, Circuit Judge, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit as a Public Member representative
• Adam Vaught, Attorney at Law, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as an Attorney representative