CLAY CO., Ill. - Clay County's duly-elected state's attorney has been appointed resident judge in that county.
Joel Powless, who was elected to the office of state's attorney in 2016, has ascended to the seat vacated by long-time just Robin Todd, who recently retired.
As is the usual course of things, Illinois judges, once they're in office for long enough to retire (16 years), will retire in the middle of a term so that the lawyer of their choosing can be seated on the bench. That way, the new judge has several years under his or her belt before having to run for retention (in Illinois, judges must be retained every six years, and do not rely generally on party support when they run for retention. That's because most people aren't educated on how a judge can actually be booted from the bench, something that our "Vote NO to Retain" posts can actually enlighten you in regards to how it can be done.) Todd was retained in 2010 and then again in 2016, so he stuck right with the program.
Ordinarily, an attorney with a little more experience ascends to the bench, but oftentimes, in instances that are planned (and believe it when we say that these judicial appointments are planned, despite the fact that there's an application and "selection" process - by vote of the other circuit judges - to choose the successor), someone with minimal trial experience will attain the bench. That, of course, isn't what we're saying about Powless...but it's how it happens.
This means Powless will be the one who'll be up for retention in 2022, so just be aware of that...and we wish Judge Powless all the best. At least, perhaps, he won't be like Todd when it comes to reporters in the courtroom when juvenile proceedings are going on (Todd is the judge who, way back in 2006 or so, tried to throw me out of his courtroom when I was there to cover a juvenile proceeding, and actually put it in writing that I wasn't allowed...which lasted only about as long as it took me to get my attorney on it to clarify that yes, reporters are allowed in courtrooms when juvenile proceedings are going on.)