Judge James Moore appointed to fill Spomer vacancy

First Judicial Circuit Judge James R. Moore of Carterville has been assigned to the Fifth District Appellate Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Stephen L. Spomer on Nov. 30.

Moore's assignment will be effective Jan. 2, and will remain in effect until further order of the Illinois Supreme Court.

Moore's career as a jurist began in 2007 when he was appointed by the Supreme Court to fill a vacancy in the First Judicial Circuit created after judge Bruce Stewart was elected to the Appellate Court in 2006.

Before his appointment he had undergone an application, evaluation, and interview process that included a review by a six member screening committee appointed by Justice Lloyd Karmeier.

After his appointment to the First Judicial Circuit, which includes Alexander, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson counties, Moore successfully ran for election in 2008, and was retained by voters last month.

"I am fully appreciative of the high honor bestowed to me by this appointment," Moore stated in a press release issued by the Illinois Supreme Court.

"It is an important trust. I shall endeavor to exert my full energy to fulfilling these duties. I am thankful to God, my wife Cindy, my eight children, and my 10 grandchildren for their love and support."

Moore also expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court and Karmeier who recommended his appointment.

After obtaining his juris doctor degree cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 1977, Moore worked as an assistant city attorney for the City of Carbondale until he founded his own law firm two years later. As a sole practitioner, he was engaged in the general practice of law, focusing on civil litigation, municipal, corporate, bank and small business representation, personal injury, real estate, probate, and worker's compensation until his appointment to the bench in 2007.

While in law school, Moore had assisted law professor Ted Kionka with his well-known work "Torts in a Nutshell."

He was also the recipient of the Faculty Research Scholarship, and was on the Dean's List.

Moore was also a distinguished undergraduate at SIU. Majoring in economics with a minor in political science, he accrued a 4.952 grade point average on a scale of 5.00; received University Highest Honors, was on the President’s List, and was a member of the scholastic fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi.

Moore serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Judicial Retirement Systems of Illinois, appointed by the Supreme Court in 2012. He currently serves as vice-chair of the Board.

He has been active in civic and charitable affairs. He was elected to the Carterville City Council three times, was an elected member of the Williamson County Board of Regional School Trustees, and had served as a member of the Williamson County Courthouse Public Building Commission.

He also served as an elder with Grace Presbyterian Church in Carbondale, and served as a member of the Carterville Chamber of Commerce.

He was also the developer of a Carterville subdivision with over 100 residential lots on land acquired by his great-great grandfather in 1874.

A lifelong resident of Carterville, Moore has been married for 39 years to Cynthia Moore. They have eight children and 10 grandchildren.