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Circuit Court Vacancies | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

Current Circuit Court Vacancies

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Judicial Vacancies for the 2026 Election

Primary Election will be held March 17, 2026 – General Election will be held November 3, 2026 – Terms of Office begin December 7, 2026.
 These are for certified vacancies that occurred in the First Filing Period and updated with vacancies through December 1, 2025. Additional vacancies will be added once certified.

  For Supreme and Appellate Court vacancies, please visit the State Board of Elections website.

Cook County Vacancies

Circuit Type of
Judgeship 		 Subcircuit Judicial Officer Status
Cook At Large N/A Paul A. Karkula Retired 01/29/24
Cook At Large N/A Mary Ellen Coghlan Retired 08/31/24
Cook At Large N/A William H. Hooks Retired 07/04/24
Cook At Large N/A Cynthia Y. Cobbs Elected to the Appellate Court on 12/02/24
Cook At Large N/A Kathleen M. Burke Retired 08/31/25
CookAt LargeN/AMichael B. McHaleRetiring 11/04/26
Cook Resident 1st Carl A. Walker Elected to the Appellate Court on 12/02/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 1st Robert Balanoff Retired 1/30/25 *See note below
Cook Resident 3rd Thomas W. Murphy Retired 07/02/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 3rd Patrick J. Sherlock Retired 08/17/25 *See note below
Cook Resident 5th Dominique C. Ross Retired 02/27/26 *See note below
Cook Resident 8th Celia Gamrath Appointed to the Appellate Court on 09/06/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 8th Mary L. Mikva Elected to the Appellate Court on 12/02/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 11th Mary Colleen Roberts Retired 12/31/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 11th Pamela McLean Meyerson Retired 01/31/25 *See note below
Cook Resident 13th Martin C. Kelley Deceased 11/28/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 13th Shannon P. O'Malley Resigned 11/30/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 13th John. J. Curry, Jr.  Retired 05/09/25 *See note below
Cook Resident 13th Thomas J. Kelley Retired 09/15/25 *See note below
Cook Resident 16th Callie L. Baird Retired 04/15/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 16th  Patricia Mendoza Retired 07/31/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 17th Lloyd J. Brooks Appointed Circuit Judge 04/29/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 17th James R. Carroll Retired 10/15/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 18th Jeffrey G. Chrones Appointed Circuit Judge 04/29/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 18th Frank J. Andreou Elected Circuit Judge 12/02/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 19th John A. Fairman Appointed Circuit Judge 04/29/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 19th Michael J. Kane Retired 02/23/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 20th David E. Haracz Retired 03/31/24 *See note below
Cook Resident 20th Stephanie K. Miller Appointed Circuit Judge 06/11/24 *See note below

 1st Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 3rd Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 5th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 8th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 11th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 13th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 16th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 17th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 18th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 19th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 20th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

Downstate Vacancies

Circuit Type of
Judgeship 		County or Subcircuit Judicial Officer Status
1st Resident Jackson Christy Solverson Retired 01/30/26
2nd Resident Richland Ray W. Vaughn Retired 07/04/25
2nd Resident Wayne Michael J. Molt Retired 11/30/24
2nd Resident Edwards Michael J. Valentine Deceased 11/05/24
3rd Resident 2nd Steven A. Stobbs Retired 12/31/24 *See note below
4th At Large N/A Douglas L. Jarman Retired 01/29/25
8th At Large N/A Robert Adrian Removed by Courts Commission  *See note below
8th At Large N/A Amy Lannerd Appointed to the Appellate Court on 09/18/24
9th Resident Warren James R. Standard Retiring 12/06/26
9th At Large N/A Raymond A. Cavanaugh Retiring 12/06/26
10th Resident Peoria John P. Vespa Retired 07/31/24  *See note below
11th Resident Woodford Charles M. Feeney Retired 07/31/24
11th At Large N/A John Casey Costigan Retiring 10/16/26
11th Resident Livingston Jennifer H. Bauknecht Retired 03/17/26
12th Resident 1st David M. Carlson Retired 04/30/24   *See note below
12th Resident 3rd John C. Anderson Elected to the Appellate Court 12/02/24 *See note below
12th Resident 5th Barbara N. Petrungaro Retiring 12/04/26 *See note below
13th At Large N/A Cynthia Raccuglia Retired 02/28/25
14th Resident Rock Island Linnea E. Thompson Retired 06/30/25
15th Resident Jo Daviess Kevin J. Ward Retired 08/22/25
15th Resident Stephenson James M. Hauser Retiring 12/06/26
17th Resident 2nd Eugene Doherty Appointed to the Appellate Court on 08/08/24 *See note below
17th Resident 1st John S. Lowry Retired 12/31/25 *See note below
18th Resident 4th K Wilson Retired 08/28/24 *See note below
18th Resident 5th Paul M. Fullerton Retired 10/15/25 *See note below

 3rd Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-13 - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 8th Circuit: This vacancy will be certified by the Courts Commission.

 10th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-16(a) The at-large judgeship of John P. Vespa is converted and elected as a Peoria resident judgeship.

 12th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-4 -The resident judgeship of David M. Carlson is re-allotted to Subcircuit 1.

 12th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-4 -The resident judgeship of John C. Anderson is re-allotted to Subcircuit 3.

 12th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-4 -The resident judgeship of Barbara N. Petrungaro is re-allotted to Subcircuit 5.

 17th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-6 - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 17th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-6 - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 18th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-18 - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

 18th Circuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f-18 - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

Judicial Vacancies for the 2028 Election

Cook County Vacancies

Circuit Type of
Judgeship 		County or Subcircuit Judicial Officer Status
CookResident4thJohn J. MahoneyNot Seeking Retention 12/06/26
Cook Resident 5th Sophia H. Hall Retired 01/23/26
Cook Resident 12th Pamela E. Loza Retiring 09/17/2026
Cook Resident 19th Sybil C. Thomas Retired 01/30/26
Cook Resident 1st Donna L. Cooper Not Seeking Retention 12/06/26
Cook Resident 3rd Kenneth J. Wadas Not Seeking Retention 12/06/26
Cook  Resident 9th Sanjay T. Tailor Appointed to the Supreme Court 01/30/26
Cook Resident 20th Scott Norris Deceased 02/05/2026 *See note below
Cook At Large N/A Daniel Kubasiak Retired 04/30/26
Cook At Large N/A Diana Rosario Retired 05/31/26
Cook At Large N/A Kelly M. McCarthy Not Seeking Retention 12/06/26
Cook At Large N/A Shelley Sutker-Dermer Not Seeking Retention 12/06/26
CookAt LargeN/ABrendan A. O'BrienRetired 10/13/26
CookResident1stLeroy Martin, Jr.Retired 10/16/26

 20th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.

Downstate Vacancies

Circuit Type of
Judgeship 		County or Subcircuit Judicial Officer Status
5th Resident Clark Tracy W. Resch Retiring/Not Seeking Retention 12/06/26
6th Resident Champaign Jeffrey S. Geisler Retired 01/02/26
9th Resident Fulton Thomas B. Ewing Retired 01/02/26
10th Resident Peoria Stephen Kouri Retiring 07/31/26
16th At Large N/A Kevin T. Busch Retired 01/29/26
16th Resident 4th Susan Clancy Boles Retiring 07/31/26
18thResident6thBonnie M. WheatonRetiring 01/04/27 *See note below
23rdResidentKendallRobert P. PlimerRetiring 11/30/26

 6th Subcircuit: Pursuant to 705 ILCS 35/2f - created by Judicial Circuits Districting Act of 2022.