Associate judge applicants have until June 4 to apply for bench

Madison County attorneys have until 5 p.m. on June 4, to turn in their applications if they want to become an associate judge, according to a press release issued by Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis.

A vacancy was created when Lewis Mallott announced his retirement last month after serving 14 years on the bench.

The last associate judge elected was Keith Jensen, who will take his oath of office on May 14.

Jensen will fill a newly created associate judgeship position in the Third Judicial Circuit as authorized by the Illinois Supreme Court based on figures from the 2000 census.

Jensen was selected in the second round of balloting over Edwardsville attorney Tom Gibbons.

In February, Duane Bailey was elected associate judge to fill the vacancy created when Judge Barbara Crowder was elected to the circuit bench.

Applicants in the past who have applied for associate judge include, Donald M. Flack, Thomas Gibbons, Allen F. Gilliard Jr., Susan F. Grammar, John C. Haynes, Eric D. Jackstadt, Amy Maher, Martin J. Mengarelli, Dennis J. Orsey, Greg E. Roosevelt and Paul A. Welch.

In Illinois, associate judges are secretly elected by a circuit's elected judges. Every four years all of the associate judges have to be retained by the circuit judges even if they have only served for several days.

All of Madison County Associate Judges are due for a retention vote this year, including Jensen who will barely have served on the bench.

In Madison County applicants need a majority of five votes to be elected as an associate judge and six votes to be retained.