The Chief Judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit and the Effingham County Resident Circuit Judge has announced that she is retiring at the end of the year. Kimberly Koester was first elected to the bench in 2006 and retained by a large margin in 2012 and again in 2018. She has served as chief judge of the circuit that includes Marion, Clay, Fayette, and Clinton County and five other counties since 2017.
Koester says serving on the bench for the past 14 years is the best part of her career. But she has decided it is time to step aside in order to spend more time with my family.
Koester is most proud of being on the original founding Board of the Effingham CASA program and was able to recently swear in the first group of new advocates for the Marion County CASA program. She says it is staggering the number of children that CASA has advocated for and given a voice for the Illinois Courts. Koester also looks back fondly on being on the original Board of the Effingham County Crisis Nursery and her work on drug courts in Effingham and other counties around the circuit.
Koester notes a large number of changes during her tenure as chief judge including a shift from paper to computer records, e-filing, bond reform, and remote hearings brought on by COVID-19. She says 2020 has thrown everyone for a loop, but the Fourth Judicial Circuit is in a great position to handle the changes.
Koester wants to thank all the citizens of Effingham County and the Fourth Judicial Circuit for their support over the years.
Koester’s position will remain open until the new Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit deems it appropriate to fill it or until the next scheduled election.
