The reappointment of some 5th Judicial Circuit Associate Circuit Judges is now official. The Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has announced the reappointment of Associate Circuit Judges Mark S. Goodwin, Karen E. Wall, and Derek J. Girton to four-year terms, beginning July 1st, 2019.
Associate judges are subject to reappointment (by receiving support from at least three-fifths of the circuit judges) every four years.
All three of the judges are assigned to Vermilion County and handle high-volume court calls in Danville. They routinely preside over traffic, misdemeanor, civil small claims, eviction, divorce and order of protection cases. They are also occasionally appointed to hear felony and law division cases.
Judge Goodwin has served since 2009 and is the presiding judge of the Vermilion County Mental Health Court.
Judge Wall has served as an associate judge for eight years and is the presiding judge of the County’s Veterans Court.
Judge Girton has also served as an associate judge for eight years and is the presiding judge of the County’s Drug Court.
‘’The circuit judges of Vermilion County are pleased with the reappointment of these dedicated judges, and extend them a sincere and whole-hearted congratulations,’’ said Vermilion County Presiding Circuit Judge Thomas O’Shaughnessy. ‘’They each earned reappointment through hard work, adhering to high standards of integrity and ethical conduct, having proper experience, knowledge, and abilities, exercising appropriate judicial temperament, fairness, patience and dignity, and attending to the management of their cases in prompt and skillful manners,’’ added Judge O’Shaughnessy.
