(Editor's Note: This story has been updated.)
Madison County Associate Judge Barry Julian is set to retire Dec. 7, leaving two associate judge seats vacant heading into 2021.
Madison County Chief Judge Bill Mudge said Julian notified him of his retirement after “he had talked it over with his wife” and decided that it was the right time.
“He just thought it was time after some reflection with his wife,” Mudge said.
Julian could not be reached for comment.
After Julian retires, there will be two vacant associate judge positions to be filled. Associate Judge Stephen Stobbs, a Republican, will be sworn in as a circuit judge after winning the Nov. 3 election to fill the vacancy left when former judge Andreas Matoesian retired.
Mudge said he anticipates the seats being filled sometime in March. He explained that the associate judge positions must remain vacant for 30 days before he can seek to have them filled. After the vacancy period, “that kicks off the posting process, the application process, and the interviewing process.”
Associate judges are selected by a vote among the circuit’s nine elected judges. To be appointed, an applicant must receive at least five votes to get seated.
The Third Judicial Circuit includes Madison and Bond counties.
Mudge said that Julian enjoyed his time serving as an associate judge and answered the call of duty by working closely with the outside population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Julian, a Democrat, served as one of five judges in the family division, which includes cases involving child support and divorce, among other topics.
Julian had been sworn in as an associate judge in February 2019 to fill the vacancy left when Sarah Smith was elected circuit judge.
Julian is one of the founding partners of Gori Julian & Associates PC, which is presently known as The Gori Law Firm and is one of the top filers of asbestos lawsuits in the country.
Julian retired from the firm in 2015 and moved to Florida. He later moved back to Madison County before being appointed associate judge.
He graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1972 with a biology degree. He went on to earn a D.M.D. from Washington University School of Dental Medicine in 1976.
After a successful career as a dentist, Julian received his J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law in 1995.
Prior to forming Gori Julian & Associates in 2008, Julian was a partner at Wise & Julian in Alton.