Illinois Supreme Court Justice David K. Overstreet has been installed as President of the Illinois Judges Association during the annual meeting held in Chicago earlier this month. Justice Overstreet was thrilled to have the Honorable Lloyd A. Karmeier, retired Supreme Court of Illinois, perform his swearing-in.
The Illinois Judges Association represents 1,250 active and retired Illinois state court judges. It was founded in 1972 to provide services, support, and education to its member judges and raise public understanding of the Illinois judicial system.
Justice Overstreet announced the theme this year for the IJA is “Judicial Independence – the bulwark of our democracy. Celebrate our past, Defend it today.”
Justice Overstreet served in the judiciary for sixteen years and was a practicing attorney for sixteen years prior to becoming a judge.
He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Jefferson County Bar Association. Justice Overstreet is a youth camp counselor at the Little Egypt Christian Youth Camp, is a deacon at the Mt. Vernon Church of Christ, and is a member of the Mt. Vernon Rotary Club. Justice Overstreet serves on the Illinois Judicial Conference and is Vice-Chair of the Public Education and Engagement Task Force. Justice Overstreet is the supreme court liaison to the Supreme Court Board of Admissions to the Bar, the Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness, the Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), and the Capital Development Board.
Justice Overstreet credited Appellate Justice Jim Wexstten, former President of IJA and Overstreet’s church league basketball coach, as his inspiration for becoming involved in the IJA when Justice Overstreet first became a Circuit Judge in 2007. Justice Overstreet said it was Judge Wexstten that inspired him to want one day to serve as President of the IJA.
The Illinois Judges Association installed other new officers for 2023-24 at the annual meeting. They are: 1st Vice President, Judge Mary Colleen Roberts, Cook County; 2nd Vice President, Justice Elizabeth Rochford, Il Supreme Court; Third Vice President, Judge Patrice Ball Reed, Cook County, Secretary, Judge Julie Katz, St. Clair County, and Treasurer, Judge Patricia O’Brien Sheahan, Cook County.
For more information about the Illinois Judges Association, see www.ija.org.
