Justice Lisa Holder White and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Christopher W. Pratt as an At-Large Circuit Judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Adams County.
Mr. Pratt was appointed to fill the Eighth Circuit vacancy created by the removal of Judge Robert Adrian. The appointment of Mr. Pratt is effective June 10, 2024, and will conclude on December 7, 2026, following the November 2026 general election. “Mr. Pratt has served as a valuable member of the Adams County legal community for many years,” Justice Holder White said. “His experience, integrity, intellect, and temperament make him well suited for this position.” Mr. Pratt has served in the Adams County Public Defender's Office since 2016 and was recently named Chief Public Defender for Adams County, a role in which he supervises legal and nonlegal staff, maintains the office’s budget, and represents indigent defendants. He previously practiced law at Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu & Mitchell LLP from 2009 to 2016, and has taught as an adjunct professor at Quincy University and Rutgers University School of Law and as a guest lecturer at the University of Illinois College of Law. “I am honored and humbled to be selected. I hope I can live up to the tremendous amount of faith and trust the Supreme Court is placing in me,” Pratt said. “Thank you to everyone who participated in the process, especially Justice Holder White, the committee members, and my fellow applicants.
I look forward to this new chapter in my life and another opportunity to serve my fellow citizens.” Mr. Pratt earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Springfield and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law. His professional affiliations include the Adams County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.
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