Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Joel Powless as Resident Judge in Fourth Judicial Circuit

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Joel J.C. Powless as a resident circuit judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

Powless is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Wm. Robin Todd on Jan. 18. The appointment takes effect on March 1 and will conclude on Dec. 7, 2020, when the vacancy will be filled by the winner of the November 2020 general election.

Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmier recommended the appointment to the full court following a review of applicants by a six-person screening committee consisting of lawyers who reside in the Fourth Judicial Circuit. The members of the committee were Paul Bishop, Barry D. Bright, Christopher Daniels, Wayne County State's Attorney Kevin Kakac, Aaron Leonard, and Sherri Tungate.

Powless has served as Clay County State's Attorney since 2016. Prior to election to that post, he worked in private practice for four years and served as a municipal hearing officer for the City of Flora. Powless has also been admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, where he served as a part-time assistant commonwealth attorney and briefly practiced with a law firm in Benton, Kentucky.

He graduated magna cum laude from Florida Gulf Coast University and earned his Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law. He also holds an L.L.M. in taxation from the University of Miami School of Law.

The Fourth Judicial Circuit encompasses nine counties: Christian, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery, and Shelby.