CHRISTIAN COUNTY

• Ronald D. Spears, Resident Circuit Judge
• John P. Coady, Circuit Judge
• Bradley T. Paisley, Associate Judge

CLAY COUNTY

• Wm. Robin Todd, Resident Circuit Judge
• Sherri L.E. Tungate, Circuit Judge

CLINTON COUNTY

• Patrick J. Hitpas, Resident Circuit Judge
• Kathleen P. Moran, Circuit Judge
• Dennis M. Middendorff, Associate Judge
• William J. Becker, Associate Judge

EFFINGHAM COUNTY

• Kimberly G. Koester, Resident Circuit Judge
• James R. Harvey, Associate Judge
• James J. Eder, Associate Judge

FAYETTE COUNTY

• S. Gene Schwarm, Resident Circuit Judge

JASPER COUNTY

• Daniel E. Hartigan, Resident Circuit Judge

MARION COUNTY

• David Sauer, Resident Circuit Judge
• John W. McGuire, Associate Judge
• Michael D. McHaney, Associate Judge

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

• Kelly D. Long, Resident Circuit Judge
• James L. Roberts, Associate Judge

SHELBY COUNTY

• Michael P. Kiley, Resident Circuit Judge
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JUDGES' BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
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JUDGE JOHN P. COADY

Education:

• Taylorville High School
• University of Illinois – B.A. 1974
• Ohio State University – J.D. 1977

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Admitted to the Illinois Bar – 1977
• Private practice with Taylorville law firm of Miley, Meyer, Austin, Spears & Coady 1981 – 1984

Judicial:

• Elected as circuitwide Circuit Judge – 1993
• Associate Judge 1987 – 1993

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois State Bar Association
• ISBA Committee on Law Related Education for the Public ,Chairman 2008 – 2009
• Illinois Judges Association
• Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee
• Illinois Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
• Christian County Bar Association
• Christian County Legal Society

Other:

• Public Defender for Fourth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Project 1977 – 1980
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JUDGE JAMES J. EDER

Education:

• University of Notre Dame – B.A. 1976
• University of Illinois College of Law – J.D. 1979

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Private practice with Haskell & Perrin, Chicago, IL, 1979 – 1981
• Private practice with Taylor Law Offices, P.C., Effingham, IL, 1981 – 2001

Judicial:

• Appointed Associate Circuit Judge on July 27, 2001

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Fourth Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council Steering Committee
• Illinois Judges Association
• Illinois Bar Association
• Effingham County Bar Association
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JUDGE DANIEL E. HARTIGAN

Education:

• Villanova University, - B.S. in Business Administration 1973
• DePaul University School of Law – J.D. 1977

Law Practice and Professional Information:

• Admitted to Illinois Bar 1977
• Appellate Court Law Clerk – Justice James E. Boyle, 2nd District, IL – 1977-1978
• State’s Attorney Jasper County, IL – 1980-1984
• Private Practice of Law – 1978-2006

Judicial:

• Elected Resident Circuit Judge of Jasper County – 2006

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois Judges Association
• Illinois State Bar Association, Assembly – 2000-2006
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JUDGE JAMES HARVEY

Education:

• Eastern Illinois University – B.S. in Management 1971
• John Marshall Law School – J.D. 1975

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Partner in general private law practice of Schniederjon, Weber, Harvey & Stephens 1975 – 1987

Judicial:

• Associate Judge since 1987
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JUDGE PATRICK J. HITPAS

Education:

• St. Joseph’s College – B.S. Cum Laude 1969
• St. Louis University School of Law – J.D. 1972

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Admitted to Illinois & Missouri Bars 1972
• Assistant Circuit Attorney, St. Louis, MO 1972 – 1974
• Meyer & Kauchen, Belleville, IL 1974 – 1976
• State’s Attorney Clinton County, IL 1976 – 1980
• Private Practice of Law 1974 – 1992

Judicial:

• Appointed Circuit Judge, August 1992
• Elected Circuit Judge, November 1992

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois Judges Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Illinois Education Conference 2004 (Faculty)
• Illinois New Judges School 2005 – 2007
• Topic Editor – Illinois Civil Benchbook 2008
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JUDGE MICHAEL P. KILEY

Education:

• Graduate of University of Illinois (BA) 1973
• Graduate of John Marshall Law School (JD) 1977

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Private Practice:
Dove & Dove Law Firm, Shelbyville, IL, 1977 – 1992
Shelby County State’s Attorney, 1984 – 1992
Shelby County Assistant State’s Attorney, 1977 – 1980
Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Illinois, 1982 – 1984

Judicial:

• Resident Circuit Judge, Shelby County, IL, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois
Elected, 1992 – Retained, 1998, 2004

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois State Bar Association Member
• Member & Past Chair of Bench & Bar Section Council
• Past Member Judicial Advisory Poll Committee
• Past Member Civil Practice & Procedure Section
• Shelby County Bar Association Member & Past President

Other:

• Member of Special Supreme Court Committee to Study Courtroom &
Judicial Security
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JUDGE KIMBERLY G. KOESTER

Education:

• Effingham High School, Graduated 1981
• Miami University – B.A. 1985
• Washington University – J.D. 1988

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Assistant State’s Attorney – Vermillion County
• Private practice with law firm of Sebat, Swanson, Banks, Garmon & Townsley
• Jasper County Public Defender
• Jasper County State’s Attorney
• Private practice in Effingham, IL

Judicial:

• Elected Resident Circuit Judge of Effingham County – 2006
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JUDGE KELLY D. LONG

Education:

• University of Illinois – B.S. in Accounting 1966
• Washington University – J.D. 1969

Law Practice & Professional Information:
• Admitted to the Illinois Bar – 1969
• Private Practice 1969, 1981 – 2002

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois State Bar Association
• Illinois Judges Association
• Montgomery County Bar Association
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JUDGE JAMES L. ROBERTS

Education:

• Eastern Illinois University, B.A. History 1983
• Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D. 1986

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Assistant State’s Attorney 1986 – 1988 (Tazewell & Montgomery Counties)
• Private Practice – Adams & Roberts, P.C. 1989 – 2000
• Montgomery County State’s Attorney 2000 – 2006

Judicial:

• Appointed Associate Judge 2006
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CHIEF JUDGE S. GENE SCHWARM

Education:

• Brownstown High School
• University of Illinois, B.S., 1978
• Washington University, St. Louis, MO, J.D., 1981

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Admitted to Illinois Bar – 1981
• Private practice of law in Vandalia, IL, 1981 – 1994

Judicial:

• Appointed Resident Circuit Judge, Fayette County, May 1, 1994
• Elected Circuit Judge, 1996
• Chief Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit, 2001 – Present

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Chairman, Conference of Chief Circuit Judges, Sept. 2006 – Present
• Chairman, Court Reporting Services, Executive Committee, 2005 – Present
• Co-Chairman, Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council
• Chairman, Illinois Supreme Court New Judge Mentoring Committee
• Chairman, Fourth Circuit Juvenile Justice Council
• Chairman, Fourth Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council
• Illinois Supreme Court Legislative Committee
• Illinois Supreme Court Court Improvement Program Core Team
• Education Conference Faculty
• Illinois Judges Association
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JUDGE RONALD D. SPEARS

Education:

• Taylorville High School
• University of Illinois, B.A. with High Honors, 1974
• Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D. Summa Cum Laude, 1977

Law Practice & Professional Experience:

• Law Clerk for United States District Court Judge J. Waldo Ackerman, 1977-79
• Officer in the law firm of Miley, Meyer, Austin, Spears & Romano, P.C, 1979-93
• Appointed Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court, August 1, 1993; elected to the position in 1994 and retained by election in 2000 and 2006.

Military Experience:

• Retired as a Colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard in May, 2006, with more than 34 years of service.
• Served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corp and was assigned as Staff Judge Advocate of the Illinois Army National Guard and was certified as a Military Judge.

Professional Organizations and Community Activities:

• Illinois Judicial Conference Committee on Education.
• Mentor Judge for Newly Appointed Judges.
• Faculty member for CLE for judges and attorneys.
• Illinois Judges Association, 1st Vice President.
• Illinois Judges Association Foundation, Board member.
• Illinois State Bar Association, Former Board and Assembly Member, Member of various committees and author of quarterly articles for Bar Journal.
• Illinois Bar Foundation member.
• American Bar Association Judicial Section member.
• American Bar Foundation member.
• Taylorville Optimist Club, Former President and Lieutenant Governor, project chairperson.
• Guest speaker for many patriotic and civic events and organizations.
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JUDGE SHERRI L.E. TUNGATE

Education:

• Stetson University, B.A. 1975
• Attended Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida) 1975-1976 for a Masters Degree in Public Policy
• Attended University of Tulsa-College of Law, 1976-1977
• Attended Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D. in 1979 with honors

Law Practice & Professional Information:

• Admitted to Illinois Bar, 1979
• Admitted to Florida Bar, 1981
• Private Practice – Law Offices of Hubert W. Woodruff II, 1979-1983
• Private Practice – Bowen, Miller & Tungate, 1983-1984
• Elected Clay County State’s Attorney, 1984-1994

Judicial:

• Appointed Associate Circuit Judge, 1994-2000
• Elected Circuit Judge in nine counties of Fourth Judicial Circuit, 2000

Professional Organizations & Activities:

• Illinois State Bar Association
• Florida Bar
• Illinois Judges Association
• Fourth Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council
• Fourth Circuit Juvenile Justice Council
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