Judges: General Order No. 6

6.01 Judicial Appointments
6.02 Duplicate Original Orders
6.03 Petitions for Expungement
6.04 Case Reassignment
6.05 Marriage and Civil Union Fund Trustees
6.06 Judges - Other Duties or Emergency Assignments
6.07 Reserved
6.08 Standing Orders


6.01 Judicial Appointments

  1. Administrative Judges
    1. Judge John T. Gibbons is appointed to be the Administrative Associate Judge for Boone and Winnebago Counties.
    2. Judge C. Robert Tobin is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of Boone County.
    3. Chief Judge John S. Lowry is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of Winnebago County.
  2. Presiding Judges of Each Division
    1. Judge Lisa R. Fabiano is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division.
    2. Judge Brendan A. Maher is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division.
    3. Judge Joseph P. Bruscato is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of the Family Division.
    4. Judge Janet R. Holmgren is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of the Problem-Solving Courts Division.
    5. Judge John S. Lowry is appointed to the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court Division.
  3. Other Judicial Appointments
    1. Judge Gwyn Gulley is appointed to be the Supervising Judge of Arbitration.
    2. Judge Joseph P. Brusacto is appointed to be the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Coordinated Courts. Additionally, Judge Bruscato is appointed to review and rule upon U-Visa applications.
    3. Judge Ronald A. Barch is appointed to be the Supervising Judge of Foreclosure Mediation.
    4. Judge Francis M. Martiez is appointed to be the Supervising Judge of the Juvenile Division.

Last Updated: 06/23/2023

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6.02 Duplicate Original Orders

Judges of the seventeenth judicial circuit shall not sign any duplicate original documents. Parties must order certified copies form the circuit clerk.

Last Updated: 9/92

Page: 6-B

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6.03 Petitions for Expungement

  1. Associate Judge Tamika R. Walker is designated to consider and enter appropriate orders in the matter of petitions for expungement of official court records or arrests made in Winnebago County, Illinois.
  2. The Presiding Judge of Boone County, Circuit Judge C. Robert Tobin is designated to consider and to enter appropriate orders in the matter of petitions filed for the expungem­ent of official records of arrests made in Boone County, Illinois.

Amended: 06/23/2023

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6.04 Case Reassignment

6.04 Case Reassignment following Judge Substitution, Recusal or Request for Change of Place of Trial or Change of Venue

  1. Written Recusal Orders. A judge who deems it necessary to recuse himself or herself from a case shall enter a written order specifying the reason for the recusal.
  2. Motions for Substitution for Cause. Any motion for substitution of judge for cause that meets threshold statutory requirements and is not granted by the named judge shall be referred to the presiding judge of the division or the chief judge for purposes of assigning the motion for hearing by a judge other than the judge named in the motion.
  3. Case Reassignment. Case reassignment based on recusal or an order granting a motion for substitution of judge as of right or for cause shall be conducted as set forth below:


    Winnebago County misdemeanor (CM), traffic (TR), ordinance violation (OV) or conservation (CV) cases, that are not associated with any felony case, shall be shall be transferred to the administrative associate judge or the chief judge for reassignment.

    Except for those cases noted above, all other Winnebago County cases shall be transferred to the presiding judge of the division or the chief judge for reassignment.

    All Boone County cases shall be transferred to the presiding judge of Boone County for reassignment.

Last Updated: 05/28/2019

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6.05 Marriage and Civil Union Fund Trustees

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 40, the Marriage and Civil Union Fund Trustees for the 17th Judicial Circuit are as follows:

Boone County

It is hereby determined that the trustees of the "Marriage and Civil Union Fund of the Circuit Court of Boone County are: 
        

                                        John S. Lowry             Chief Judge

                                        C. Robert Tobin III       Resident Circuit Judge

                                        Kathleen L. Fink           Administrative Assistant

Expenditures from said fund shall be upon order from the Chief Judge, by and with the consent of the trustees.

Winnebago County

It is hereby determined that the trustees of the "Marriage and Civil Union Fund of the Circuit Court of Winnebago County are:

                                      John S. Lowry              Chief Judge

                                      Janet R. Holmgren       Resident Circuit Judge

                                      Kathleen L. Fink           Administrative Assistant

Expenditures from said fund shall be upon order from the Chief Judge, by and with the consent of the trustees.

Last Updated 1/3/2022

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6.06 Judges - Other Duties or Emergency Assignments

  1. As need arises, any available judge may be called upon to hear or preside over any of the following matters:
    1. Orders of Protection
    2. Emergency Motions
    3. Marriages
    4. Requests for Warrants
    5. Detention or Shelter Care Hearings
  2. In addition to the above assignment, the Chief Judge may assign any Judge to any individual case or call as they deem appropriate.

    IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT THE ABOVE GENERAL ORDER SUPERCEDES GENERAL ORDER 7.04, WHICH NUMBER IS RESERVED.

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6.07 Reserved

[Nothing on page]

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6.08 Standing Orders

All judges of the 17th Judicial Circuit are authorized to draft and post "standing orders" which set forth their expectations with respect to particular practices, procedures and conduct within their courtrooms and in connection with the various types of cases assigned to them.

An individual judge's standing order(s) shall not be inconsistent with any statute, Illinois Supreme Court Rule or Local Rule of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. In the event of a conflict between an individual judge's standing order and any Illinois statute, Illinois Supreme Court Rule or Local Rule, the latter shall control.

All proposed standing orders shall be submitted to the Chief Judge for review prior to posting within a judge's courtroom and on the judge's individual page on the 17th Judicial Circuit's web site.

Entered: 3/20/14

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ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF
THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT

Coming to Court

Virtual Court

Self Rep

Records Search and Payments

Local Rules

Accessibility

400 W State St
Rockford, IL 61101

EARLY CLOSURE OF CERTAIN COURT FACILITIES

Due to water main break in downtown Rockford, the 17th Judicial Circuit Court announces the following:

The Winnebago County Courthouse, Winnebago County Juvenile Justice Center, Adult Probation Department, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Center will be CLOSED at 1:30 pm on Thursday, April 18. All court appearances, including Zoom virtual appearances, located in these facilities are cancelled and will be rescheduled. For questions related to the rescheduling of court matters, please contact the Circuit Clerk's office at 815-319-4500.

The Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center and Boone County Courts REMAIN OPEN and all matters scheduled in these facilities will continue to be heard this afternoon. 

Per Administrative Order 2019-2, all orders of protection due to expire on the date of closure will instead expire the following day, or next court business day in the event of a multi-day closure. As applicable, a petitioner wishing  to pursue their order of protection, must come to the Circuit Clerk’s Office or contact the Clerk’s Office by phone the next day the courthouse is open and request to see a judge to have their order of protection extended. 

All Court Facilities are expected to be open tomorrow, April 19, 2024.