This May, we’re recognizing diverse voices in the judiciary to uplift and inspire others in the community. The following features Illinois Appellate Court Justice Rena Van Tine and her thoughts on diversity, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and more.

The Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Act demonstration established a federal definition and criteria for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). CCBHCs are designed to provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals.

As 2023 concluded, so did the multi-year Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators (CCJ/COSCA) National Judicial Task Force to Examine the State Courts Response to Mental Illness.

The Illinois Judges Association and President Justice David Overstreet will host Judicial Independence The Bulwark of Our Democracy, Celebrate our Past, Defend it Today on Thursday, May 9 in Springfield. This event is intended for all sitting judges, retired judges and their guests.

Illinois judges are increasingly being recognized for their dedicated work in courtrooms throughout the state. Here are some of the recent honors received by Illinois judges:

Beyond the Bench is a monthly feature to get to know more about judges and justices in the Illinois Courts, beyond their legal duties.

Justice Lisa Holder White of the Supreme Court of Illinois has announced the formation of a judicial screening committee for the Eighth Judicial Circuit.

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 45 governing remote appearances in circuit courts was amended effective January 1, 2023, and required circuits to adopt local remote appearance rules within 90 days. (All of the local rules are available on the Illinois Courts website here.) In most circuits, this means that the local rules have just celebrated their first birthday, creating a natural opportunity for courts to reflect on their remote appearance rules and practices.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the appointment of 12 judges in the Circuit Court of Cook County. These appointments were made out of public necessity in order to ensure an adequate level of judicial staffing.

Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced that the Twelfth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Gabriel G. Orenic as an associate judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.