Madison County Circuit Judge Amy Maher and Associate Judge Veronica Armouti were selected to present at the 2024 Judicial Education Conference in Lombard, Ill.
The judges presented during both weeklong sessions of the conference from Feb. 5-9 and April 8-12.
Maher addressed sentencing in juvenile delinquency cases. She also served as a course supervisor for a course on best practices for termination of parental rights hearings and during a tour of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice.
Armouti covered disability rights in the courthouse, focusing specifically on how the ADA impacts the legal system.
The 2024 bi-annual conference featured more than 90 different courses, including multi-disciplinary courses attended by justice partners.
Illinois trial court judges are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including topics on professional responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and procedural fairness. Judges attending the Judicial Education Conference may attend either the February or April session.
Maher was elected a circuit judge in 2020, and she currently serves as the presiding judge of the juvenile delinquency and juvenile abuse and neglect dockets for the Third Judicial Circuit.
Prior to her time on the bench, Maher served as Director of Operations from 2016 to 2020 and Director of Legal Services from 2013 to 2016 with Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
She began her public service as a Madison County Assistant State’s Attorney from 1989 to 2012. She is also a member of the Illinois Coroner Training Board, Illinois Judges Association and Illinois Bar Association.
Armouti was appointed an associate judge in 2019. She was assigned to the family division and is currently assigned to the traffic and misdemeanor dockets for the Third Judicial Circuit.
Armouti served on the Illinois Judges Association Board of Directors from 2020-2021, and currently serves on its educational programming and retention committees.
Armouti is also a member of the Illinois, Missouri, Madison COunty, and Mound City Bar Associations. Additionally, she is a member of the United Way Southwest Illinois Division Auxiliary Board, Executive Committee, Charmaine Chapman Society, and Chair of the Carol Martin Trust Committee.