Chief Judge Ann Callis
Attorneys in Madison and Bond County have until 5 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2009 to submit their applications for the associate judge vacancy created when Richard Tognarelli was sworn in as circuit judge Dec. 1.
Ann Callis, chief judge of the Third Judicial Circuit, announced the vacancy pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 39 earlier this morning.
"In accordance with Rule 39, any United States citizen, who is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, and a resident of the Third Judicial Circuit may seek appointment to the Office of Associate Judge," Callis wrote in a press release.
All applicants for the Office of Associate Judge may secure the necessary forms in the Office of the Chief Judge, Madison County Courthouse, 155 North Main Street, Suite 405, Edwardsville, Illinois, from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts or from the Supreme Court's website: www.state.il.us/court.
Applications may not be submitted electronically or via facsimile.
Since associate judges are selected by the nine circuit judges in the Third Judicial Circuit, Tognarelli will get to vote on his replacement.
The hopeful must get at least five votes. The circuit judges use secret ballots.
Every four years, circuit judges then vote whether or not to retain associate judges. Associate judges will not face another retention vote until June 2011.
The newest associate judge in Madison County is Kyle Napp. She was tapped to replace Lewis Mallott in August 2007.
In the past four years, Madison County has had five new associate judges: Janet Heflin, Steve Stobbs, Duane Bailey, Keith Jensen and Napp.