Justice David K. Overstreet and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Wesley A. Gozia as an At-Large Circuit Judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Gozia was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Douglas L. Jarman on January 29, 2025. The appointment of Mr. Gozia is effective March 28, 2025, and will conclude on December 7, 2026, following the November 2026 general election. “Wes Gozia will make an outstanding addition to the judiciary in the 4th Circuit,” Justice Overstreet said. “He is already a statewide leader in our legal system through his service as the Vice-Chair of the Illinois Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law and I know he will bring that same passion for justice to the bench.” Justice Overstreet recommended the appointment to the full Court following a review of applicants by an eight-person screening committee. The committee members were: The Hon. John Coady (ret.), who served as chair of the committee, attorney Jennifer Price, attorney Tracy A. Willenborg, the Hon. Gene Schwarm (ret.), attorney Terry Bruckert, the Hon. Kim Koester (ret.), the Hon. Sherri L. E. Tungate (ret.), and the Hon. James Roberts (ret.). “I am humbled by my appointment to the bench by the Supreme Court and the nomination by Justice Overstreet,” Mr. Gozia said. “I pledge to be a jurist who serves humbly, honestly and without prejudice so the litigants know they were heard and received a fair day in court.” Mr. Gozia has worked as sole practitioner at Gozia Law Firm LLC since 2010 with a focus on family law, criminal defense, real estate and estate planning. From 2014 to 2022 he served as a conflict public defender contract attorney for Clinton County where he provided public defense services to indigent clients and brought cases to jury trial. Since 2023 Mr. Gozia has served on the Illinois Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law.
Mr. Gozia earned his Bachelor of Science from St. Louis University and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law. His professional affiliations include the Clinton County Bar Association, where he serves as President, and the Illinois State Bar Association, where he is a past Secretary and the current Treasurer.
He is a member of the ISBA’s Family Law Section Council as well as the Standing Committee on Legal Technology, where he serves as Chair.
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