Appointed in December 1999 at age 35 after death of 3rd Circuit Judge J. Lawrence Keshner
Previously served as an associate judge (1994-99)
Callis was 27 years old and had only practiced three years when "she was selected (as an associate judge) from a field of about 20 other candidates, of whom at least 10 had more than 12 years of experience," according to Edwardsville attorney Gary Peel as quoted in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Peel called her appointment 'a slap on the face to the lawyers who paid their dues'
One judge who was on the bench that appointed Callis, George Flicoff, retired and went to work for her father's Granite City Law firm
In a 1995 Illinois State Bar Association poll, Callis received the lowest rating for legal ability among 152 judges outside Chicago
Graduated St. Louis University (SLU) School of Law (1990)
Former clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Horace Calvo
Formerly assistant state's attorney in Madison & St. Clair Counties
Practiced privately with attorney Bruce Cook (Belleville) and for her father, Lance Callis, in Granite City. Mr. Callis is prominent personal injury attorney influential in Madison County Democratic Politics
Judge Callis once described herself as "a lifelong Democrat"; divorced (two children); formerly Ann Callis Rongey;