12th Judicial Circuit Court
A general-jurisdiction trial court in Illinois.
The 12th Judicial Circuit Court is a general-jurisdiction trial court in Illinois, where most civil and criminal cases are first heard. Its judges are chosen by partisan election. Associate judges, listed here with that title, hear the same kinds of cases but are appointed by the circuit judges of the circuit to four-year terms rather than elected. This page lists the court's sitting judges, from Illinois's official judicial directory.
12th Judicial Circuit Court is a general-jurisdiction trial court in Illinois with 38 judges on its current roster, selected by partisan election to 6-year terms.
Current judges
- Brian Barrett
- Amy Bertani-Tomczak
- Bennett J. Braun
- Victoria R. Breslan
- Amy B. Christiansen
- Jessica Colon-Sayre
- John Connor
- Vincent F. Cornelius
- Donald W. DeWilkins
- Derek W. Ewanic
- David Garcia
- Chrystel L. Gavlin
- Carmen J. Goodman
- Antoinette L. Granholm
- Sherri Hale
- Frederick V. Harvey
- James Harvey
- Theodore J. Jarz
- Sarah-Marie F. Jones
- Daniel L. Kennedy
- Victoria M. Kennison
- Jennifer M. Lynch
- Raymond P. McSteen
- Joan M. Meyers
- Rolonda V. Mitchell
- Raymond A. Nash
- Gabriel G. Orenic
- John Pavich
- Barbara N. Petrungaro
- Zachary Pollack
- Daniel D. Rippy
- Colette Safford
- Thomas Slazyk
- Arkadiusz Z. Smigielski
- Shenonda Tisdale
- Jeffrey Tuminello
- Sonni C. Williams
- Kenneth L. Zelazo
In the news this week
Judges named in national news coverage in the last seven days. The list is the names only; JudicialFinder links to its own record of each judge, never to the coverage.
Former judges
No former judges on record.
How a judge reaches this court. Judges of the 12th Judicial Circuit Court are chosen in partisan elections to 6-year terms and then face yes-or-no retention elections. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any judge to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: Illinois Courts, Judicial Directory; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-10-26 (official state directory). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).