Thomas L. Kilbride, Chief Justice
Thomas L. Kilbride, Chief Justice
3rd District
Born in LaSalle
Graduated from Antioch School of Law, Washington D.C., 1981
Justice Kilbride practiced law for 20 years in Rock Island. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 2000 and Chief Justice in October 2010. He succeeded former Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald.
Charles E. Freeman
Charles E. Freeman
1st District
A Chicago resident
Graduated from the John Marshall Law School in 1962
Justice Freeman served 10 years on the Cook County Circuit Court. In 1986, Freeman was elected to the Appellate Court. Four years later, he became the first African-American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court. He was Chief Justice from 1997 to 2000.
Robert R. Thomas
Robert R. Thomas
2nd District
Born in Rochester, NY
Graduated from Loyola University School of Law in 1981
Justice Thomas was elected Circuit Court Judge in DuPage County in 1988. Six years later, he was elected to the Appellate Court. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 2000 and served as Chief Justice from 2005 to 2008. He’s in the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.
Rita B. Garman
Rita B. Garman
4th District
Born in Aurora
Graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1968
Justice Garman was an Associate Circuit Judge for12 years. In 1995, she was assigned to the Appellate Court, and in 2001 was appointed to the Supreme Court.
Lloyd A. Karmeier
Lloyd A. Karmeier
5th District
Born in Washington County
Graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1964
Justice Karmeier was resident circuit judge of Washington County from 1986 to 2004, when he became a member of the state Supreme Court. Fun fact: He attended class in a one-room school as a kid.
Anne M. Burke
Anne M. Burke
1st District
Born in Chicago
Graduated from the Kent College of Law in 1983
Justice Burke was elected to the Appellate Court in 1996. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2006. Her husband is Alderman Edward Burke.
Mary Jane Theis
Mary Jane Theis
1st District
Born in Chicago
Graduated from the San Francisco School of Law in 1974
Justice Theis was a public defender for 10 years before being appointed as Associate Judge in the Circuit Court. In 1994, she was elected to the Appellate Court, where she served as a presiding judge. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in October 2010.
