Mary Jane Theis

[caption id="attachment_15472" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Justice Mary Jane Theis"][/caption] Former ISBA Board member Mary Jane Theis will take the oath today as the newest member of the Illinois Supreme Court, the fourth woman to sit on the state’s highest tribunal. Justice Theis, an Appellate Court judge in Illinois for the past 17 years, will be sworn in by Retired Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald. Justice Fitzgerald announced his retirement last month and the Supreme Court appointed Justice Theis to fill his vacancy. Justice Thomas L. Kilbride was elected by his colleagues to become Chief Justice, an appointment which also becomes effective on Tuesday. Justice Theis’ ceremony is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. October 26 in the ceremonial courtroom on the lower level of the James R. Thompson Center. Among those who will be speaking at the ceremony will be Attorney General Lisa Madigan; Retired U.S. District Court of Appeals Judge Abner J. Mikva; Illinois Appellate Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham; and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton. Justice Theis will join Justices Rita B. Garman from the Fourth Judicial District and Anne M. Burke from the First Judicial District to mark the first time in history three women will sit on the Illinois Supreme Court at the same time.