Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Beach as Circuit Judge in the Sixth Subcircuit of Cook County
Charles S. Beach was appointed as a Cook County Circuit Judge in the 6th Subcircuit by Justice Mary Jane Theis and the Illinois Supreme Court.
Mr. Beach was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Hon. Richard C. Cooke. The appointment takes effect Sept. 15, 2017 and will conclude on Dec. 3, 2018, when the position is filled by the November 2018 General Election.
"I am both humbled and honored to be appointed by the Supreme Court and Justice Theis to the Cook County Circuit Court and look forward to serving the citizens of Cook County," Beach said. "I look forward to continuing my past pro bono efforts with Judges Diann Marsalek and Kenneth Wright, Jr. for the Chicago Bar Association's Pro Bono Statutory Summary Suspension Program, which helps indigent people get their driving privileges reinstated."
Mr. Beach has worked as a trial attorney for 17 years, including the last 13 as the principal of Charles S. Beach, P.C. Prior to moving to private practice, Beach served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender and as a law clerk to Justice Judith Koehler of the 3rd District Appellate Court.
Justice Theis recommended Mr. Beach's appointment after candidates were reviewed by bar associations and a special judicial screening committee. Mr. Beach received qualified or recommended ratings from a dozen bar groups. The special judicial screening committee was established by Justice Theis in 2013 and is co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Michael J. Gallagher.
"We came up with this pro bono program to fill a need and Charlie has been the linchpin. He's trained thousands of lawyers to help guide them on how to do this – without him we wouldn't have had the program," said Cook County Associate Judge Thomas More Donnelly, who co-founded the CBA's Pro Bono program with Beach. "He has worked tirelessly over the past 15 years with his pro bono work and I'm sure he will be an outstanding jurist due to his selflessness and interest in the public good."
Mr. Beach earned his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and his Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law.
His professional associations include the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Women's Criminal Defense Bar, the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and LAGBAC. Mr. Beach is also the co-founder of the Chicago Bar Association Pro Bono Statutory Summary Suspension Program and has served as chair of the Chicago Bar Association Traffic Law Committee.