On Saturday, November 18, 2023, the Seventeenth Circuit Court celebrated its nineteenth annual National Adoption Day Celebration at the Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center.  At this event, Judges Francis M. Martinez, and Erin Buhl, along with Circuit Clerk Tom Klein, local social service agencies (DCFS, YSB, LSSI, Brightpoint and Camelot Care Center) and other court personnel volunteered their time to finalize 15 adoptions of children previously residing in foster care.

National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the estimated 113,000 children in foster care that are ready for adoption and waiting for a family.  On this day, members of the judiciary, attorneys and social service agency professionals from all across the United States work together to finalize adoptions and celebrate all of the families participating in adoptions. Over the last nineteen years, a total of 436 children have been adopted into permanent loving families in celebration of National Adoption Day in Winnebago County.  

Chief Judge John S. Lowry stated, “It is a great privilege to play a role in creating permanent, loving homes for the children and families involved in National Adoption Day.  Today is truly a day of celebration.”  Judge Martinez commented, "This is a very special day for all of us who work with children and families in foster care.  It gives us great joy to participate in the adoptions of these young people into their 'forever' homes with loving families to call their own."

For more information about this event, please contact Deputy Court Administrator Kimberly Ackmann at 815-319-4831 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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The 17th Judicial Circuit Court is pleased to announce the reappointment of John S. Lowry to serve as Chief Judge for an additional two-year term, effective from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. The decision was made by unanimous vote by the eleven Circuit Judges, reflecting their confidence in Chief Judge Lowry’s leadership and management of the judiciary.

Chief Judge Lowry has been instrumental in fostering a fair, efficient, and accessible legal system within the 17th Circuit Court. During his term of office and under his guidance, the court has planned and achieved significant milestones, including re-establishing a local Juvenile Justice Counsel, petitioning the Illinois Supreme Court for the allocation of two additional associate judges, continuing operations during a five-month fire remediation of Winnebago County Courthouse, and most recently, coordinating the implementation of the Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act.

The 17th Judicial Circuit is comprised of Winnebago County and Boone County, Illinois. The chief judge of a judicial circuit is a position created under the Illinois constitution.   The chief judge has “general administrative authority” over the court, including the assignment of cases.

Speaking about his reappointment, Chief Judge Lowry expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him by his colleagues, stating, “I am deeply humbled to have been chosen for a second term as Chief Judge. The 17th Circuit is known for excellence and innovation throughout Illinois. I am grateful for the opportunity to work together with justice system stakeholders to help advance that reputation.”

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Judge Jennifer Clifford, Chairperson of the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC) and co-chair of the Statewide FVCC, announces that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The community is encouraged to support the multiple community awareness activities planned throughout the month, beginning with hosting an information booth and related activities at Rockford City Market the evening of September 29th. Community awareness activities seek to provide education and honor those who have been impacted by violence in Winnebago and Boone Counties.

The FVCC has planned many awareness activities throughout the month of October including a weekly virtual community lunch and learn series, a screening of the film This Is Where I Learned Not to Sleep, and a Boone County Clothesline Project. The annual Shining the Light on Domestic Violence ceremony for Winnebago County will be held at Rockford City Hall on Thursday, October 26th at 5:30pm. An inaugural Boone County Shining the Light on Domestic Violence Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 11^th at the Boone County Historical Museum.   Additional information about planned events can be found on the attached calendar or by visiting the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council Facebook page. Honorable Jennifer Clifford commented, “We have several opportunities throughout the month of October where those in our community can learn about the various forms of domestic violence and prevention efforts against domestic violence that exist here in the 17th Circuit. We are thankful for the multiple organizations that partner with us not only in October but throughout the entire year to address our community’s response to domestic violence.”

The 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council is funded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and serves Boone and Winnebago counties. The FVCC serves as a forum to coordinate community and professional efforts to address family violence, including domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse. For more information about the work of the FVCC, contact Nicole Ticknor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Chief Judge John S. Lowry and Problem-solving Courts Division Presiding Judge Janet R. Holmgren are pleased to announce a grant award of $1,890,425 by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Funding will be distributed over a period of five years and allow the Winnebago County Drug Court to expand substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. Specifically, with this award, Drug Court will expand to offer therapy in conjunction with the continuation of the existing substance use disorder treatment to ensure that participants are able to access theses services without delay. The award will further provide for program evaluation services in partnership with Northern Illinois University.

“The 17^th Judicial Circuit has received competitive SAMHSA grant funds since 2006 due to the successful outcomes for the individual participants and the community through reductions in crime and cost-savings to the community. We look forward to expanding the services to ensure quick access to therapy services for the participants”, stated Deputy Trial Court Administrator Emily Behnke.

For more information about the Problem-Solving Courts or the Winnebago County Drug Court program, contact Emily Behnke, Deputy Court Administrator.

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Chief Judge John S. Lowry is pleased to announce that the 17^th Judicial Circuit Court of Winnebago County, IL Domestic Violence Coordinated Court has been selected by the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women to serve as a national Domestic Violence Mentor Court. The $150,000.00 award recognizes well-established specialized courts and enables them to guide novice or developing courts and court-based programs that wish to significantly improve their responses to domestic violence cases. These well-established courts serve as national models and share their expertise by hosting site visits, linking courts with peers facing similar challenges, and assisting other domestic violence courts to implement best practices to respond effectively to these difficult cases. The Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Court was one of five courts in the country given this designation.

Judge Joseph P. Bruscato, Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Coordinated Court and Family Division commented, “We are grateful to the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women for recognizing the dedication and innovative practices of our Domestic Violence Coordinated Court. We look forward to continuing to share our practices with other courts and contribute to national best practices around offender accountability, survivor safety, and procedural fairness.”

For more information about the Domestic Violence Coordinated Court or the Domestic Violence Mentor Court Technical Assistance Award, contact Nicole Ticknor, Deputy Court Administrator.

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Please see the press release from the Illinois Supreme Court.

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Judge Janet R. Holmgren, Presiding Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court Therapeutic Intervention Program (TIP) Court is pleased to announce the program celebrated its 33^rd graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 217 at the Winnebago County Courthouse. Two TIP Court participants have successfully completed all of the TIP Court Program requirements, bringing the total number of Graduates to 199 since TIP Court began in 2005.

TIP Court is a specialized problem-solving court program that provides wrap-around therapeutic services and intensive court supervision to persons in the criminal justice system who have a serious and persistent mental illness. The program is voluntary and the average length of participation is two and a half years. The goals and purpose of TIP Court is to provide participants with the treatment and case management services they require to help them achieve stability and maintain recovery and in turn, dramatically reduce the likelihood that they will commit new offenses. A multi-disciplinary team of clinical and justice professionals closely supervise each participant’s compliance with treatment and probation supervision requirements. Participants are held accountable for complying and completing their treatment plan requirements through intensive probation supervision and frequent court appearances before Judge Holmgren.

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information about TIP Court and the 33^rd graduation ceremony.

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Please see Press Release from the Illinois Supreme Court - PDF

Further, please note the following with respect to the conversion of at-large judgeships and applicable residency requirements:

Per Section 2f-6 of the Circuit Courts Act (705 ILCS 35/2f-6), on and after December 2, 2024, the 17th Judicial Circuit will be divided into 2 subcircuits (currently there are 4). This section further provides that all vacancies in at-large judgeships occurring on/after January 1, 2022 are to be converted to resident subcircuit judgeships and allotted in numerical order to the two subcircuits. As such, the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge McGraw will be converted and allotted to the First Subcircuit and filled by election in the 2024 election cycle. To this extent, candidates wishing to run for this current Circuit Judge vacancy in 2024 must reside within the boundaries of the First Subcircuit.

First Subcircuit map boundaries have not been finalized nor officially released yet by the Illinois State Board of Elections.  For reference purposes only, please refer to this unofficial First Subcircuit boundaries map.

Circuit Judge Joseph G. McGraw has announced his retirement effective July 5, 2023. Judge McGraw was appointed as a Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court in January 2002 and was elected to his position in November 2002. He served as Chief Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017.

John S. Lowry, Chief Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit, commented, “Judge McGraw served with distinction as a leader, mentor and educator in the 17^th Circuit and State of Illinois court system. His abundant wisdom, keen insights and dynamic personality will be deeply missed. I am grateful to call Judge McGraw my friend and colleague.”    

“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of the 17^th Circuit and the State of Illinois as a Circuit Judge for twenty-one and a half years,” said Judge McGraw. “My consuming passion has always been to render justice, individualized justice, one case at a time. Although this chapter is concluding, I look forward to serving in a new way in the future, as God directs.”

Judge Joseph G. McGraw is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A. - 1978) and Northern Illinois University - College of Law (J.D. - 1985). He was the Presiding Judge in Boone County from 2002 - 2003. He has served as the Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division from 2004 to present. In addition to presiding over a specialized gun offense felony caseload in Winnebago County, Judge McGraw also oversees PATH Court, a multidisciplinary court response to human trafficking.

Judge McGraw served as Chair of the Illinois Conference of Chief Judges from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2018.  He is the current Chair of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Equality, and an active member of the Illinois Supreme Court Special Committees on Judicial Ethics, the Access to Justice Committee, the Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee, and the Pretrial Practices Data Oversight Board. Judge McGraw is co-chair of the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council Steering Committee. He is a former member of the Minimum Continuing Legal Education (M.C.L.E.) Committee as well as the Supreme Court’s e-Business Policy Advisory Board.

He is a regular instructor for the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor’s Trial Advocacy Program, a current instructor on Deliberative Decision Making at the biennial statewide judicial Education Conference for judges, and a previous judicial Education Conference instructor on Post-Conviction Petitions, Extended Media Coverage, Administrative Issues for Supervising and Presiding Judges, and Human Trafficking. He is a former adjunct instructor at Rockford University and Judson University.

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A video message from Chief Judge John. S. Lowry on the importance of this year's Law Day theme selected by the American Bar Association, "Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration". 

Judge Jennifer Clifford, Chairperson of the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC), announces that April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The community is encouraged to support the multiple community awareness activities planned throughout the month, beginning with Wear Blue Day on April 7^th. Community awareness activities seek to provide education and honor those who have been impacted by child abuse in Winnebago and Boone counties.

The FVCC has planned awareness activities throughout the month of April including its annual Hands Around the Courthouse event scheduled for April 27^th at 12noon at the Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center located at 650 W. State St. This year, Boone County will host an inaugural Hands Around the Park event on April 14^th at 12noon at Big Thunder Park across from the Boone County Courthouse.

Additional information about planned events can be found on this calendar or by visiting the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council Facebook page. Honorable Jennifer Clifford commented, “We have several opportunities throughout the month of April to learn about the tremendous impact of child abuse and neglect in both the Winnebago and Boone County communities as well as the amazing organizations that help children and their families. We are thankful for the multiple organizations that partner with us not only in April but throughout the entire year to address our community’s response to child abuse and neglect.”

The 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council is funded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and serves Boone and Winnebago counties. The FVCC serves as a forum to coordinate community and professional efforts to address family violence, including domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse. For more information about the work of the FVCC, contact Nicole Ticknor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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