Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham has begun an application process for three judicial vacancies in the subcircuits of Cook County.
The subcircuit vacancies are for the seats of Judge Thomas W. Murphy (3rd Subcircuit, vacant effective July 3, 2024), Judge Callie L. Baird (16th Subcircuit, vacant effective April 16, 2024), and Judge John A. Fairman (19th
Subcircuit, vacant effective April 29, 2024).
Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Justice Cunningham will make recommendations to the Supreme Court after applicants for the position undergo a screening and evaluation process.
The process will include a review by a judicial selection committee which Justice Cunningham previously announced. The Committee is chaired by Attorney Tim Tomasik, former General Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee.
The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at www.illinoiscourts.gov
and following the instructions in the latest news scroller announcing the Cook County vacancies.
Applications must be filed electronically and the deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23.
The persons appointed to fill the vacancies will serve until the first Monday in December following the November 2026 election.
To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer in good standing, licensed to practice law in Illinois, and a resident of the Subcircuit at the time of appointment.