Judge Melissa Morgan elected chief judge of second circuit
Circuit Judge Melissa A. Morgan has been elected Chief Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois for a two-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2022.
Judge Morgan succeeds the Honorable Thomas J. Tedeschi, Franklin County Resident Circuit Judge, who concluded his term as Chief Judge on Dec. 31. The Second Judicial Circuit encompasses the 12 southern Illinois counties of Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White.
The circuit is served by 15 circuit judges, 12 of whom are elected by within their resident counties and three who are elected circuit-wide. The circuit is also served by an additional six appointed Associate Judges.
Judge Morgan has served as circuit judge since 2006 when she was elected circuit-wide to succeed the Honorable George W. Timberlake upon his retirement.
At that time, Judge Morgan became the first woman elected as a circuit-wide judge for the Second Judicial Circuit. Now, having been elected to this position by her colleagues, she is the first female ever elected Chief Judge for the circuit.
Judge Morgan received her Bachelor of Arts Degree and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Southern Illinois University and the SIU-C School of Law. She began her legal career as an attorney with Land of Lincoln Legal Services, one of the largest providers of free civil legal services in the state, serving low-income individuals and senior citizens in 65 counties in southern and central Illinois.
She also worked as a partner in private practice, before joining the bench. As a Judge, she has served on the Illinois Judicial Conference Civil Justice Committee under appointment by former Illinois Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, the Honorable Lloyd A. Karmeier.
Judge Morgan has presided over cases in every county in the circuit and will continue to do so in addition to her new administrative responsibilities.
The Chief Judge's Office is at the Jefferson County Justice Center in Mt. Vernon. Write to 911 Casey Ave., Mt. Vernon, or call (618) 244-8036.