Mary Jane Theis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary Jane Theis
Justice Mary Jane Theis.jpg
Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
Assumed office
October 26, 2010
Preceded byThomas R. Fitzgerald
Judge of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District
In office
1993–2010
Personal details
Born (1949-02-27) February 27, 1949 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic[1]
Spouse(s)John T. Theis
RelationsKenneth Wendt
EducationLoyola University Chicago (B.A.)
University of San Francisco School of Law (J.D.)

Mary Jane Theis (born February 27, 1949) is an Illinois Supreme Court Justice for the First Judicial District in Cook County, Illinois.

Early life[]

She was born Mary Jane Wendt in Chicago, Illinois, to Eleanore and Kenneth Wendt, a member of the Illinois General Assembly and a longtime judge in Cook County.[2][3][4]

She received her bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago and her law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Career[]

Attorney[]

Theis was Assistant Public Defender in Cook County from 1974 to 1983.[5]

Political career[]

Theis became a judge in 1983, serving as Associate Judge (1983–1988), Circuit Court Judge (1988–1994), and Appellate Court Judge (1993–2010).[5] In 2010, she was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill a vacancy vacancy on its bench, taking office October 26, 2010.[6] She won a full term in a partisan election in 2012.[7] In the general election, Chicago Tribune endorsed her for election to a full term, citing her "universally accepted expertise on judicial ethics, family law, sentencing, fairness."[8] She previously served as Chair for the Illinois Judicial Conference's Committees on Education and Judicial Conduct, as well as on the Illinois Supreme Court's Rules Committee.[9]

Educator[]

Theis has taught at law schools in Chicago (Loyola University School of Law, Northwestern University School of Law, and the John Marshall Law School) and at Illinois and Chicago bar association conferences and seminars.[10]

Honors and awards[]

Awards which Theis has received include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illinois Judges Association, the Mary Heftel Hooten Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois, and the Access to Justice Award from the Illinois State Bar Association.[10]

Personal life[]

Theis is married to John T. Theis, and they have two children and four grandchildren.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ "Election Vote Totals Results". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. ^ "The 7 justices of the Illinois Supreme Court". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  3. ^ "Eleanore Wendt". Chicago Tribune. February 26, 1992. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  4. ^ Merrion, Paul (January 24, 2015). "How will Illinois' high court rule on pension reform?". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Mary Jane Theis, Supreme Court Justice First District". Illinois Courts. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  6. ^ "JUSTICE MARY JANE THEIS TO BECOME NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT" (PDF). Illinois Courts. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Illinois judicial elections, 2012". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Bring some order to the court: Endorsements for Cook County judges". Chicago Tribune. October 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "Mary Jane Theis". VoteSmart.org.
  10. ^ a b "Justice Mary Jane Theis". Loyola University Chicago. Retrieved May 8, 2016.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""