6.01 Judicial Appointments
6.02 Role of Division Presiding Judges
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 Donald P. Shriver 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 Brendan A. Maher 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 Debra D. Schafer 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 Janet R. Holmgren 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. Martinez is appointed to be the Supervising Judge of the Juvenile Division.

Last Updated: 1/7/2026

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6.02 Role of Division Presiding Judges

A. Authority and Appointment

As implemented by General Order 6.01, the Chief Judge may appoint presiding judges for the principal divisions of the Court. See General Order 6.01(B). Presiding judges serve at the direction of, and report to, the Chief Judge.

B. Scope of Role

Presiding judges serve both as judicial officers who hear and decide cases and as administrative leaders responsible for the effective judicial administration of their assigned division. In this capacity, presiding judges shall exercise delegated authority to ensure the fair, efficient, and orderly operation of court business, consistent with applicable statutes, Supreme Court Rules, local rules, and general orders.

C. Responsibilities

Presiding judges shall supervise court operations within their respective divisions and work collaboratively with fellow judges and Trial Court Administration to promote timely, fair, and efficient case processing.  In furtherance of these responsibilities, presiding judges shall:

1. Represent their respective divisions in court leadership discussions and communicate divisional needs, operational challenges, and recommendations to the Chief Judge and the Trial Court Administrator.

2. Participate in the development and implementation of local rules, general orders, and processes affecting division operations, inter-division matters, and court administration.

3. Provide guidance within the division regarding procedures, best practices, and ethical standards, and in doing so, foster a culture of collegiality and professional respect among judges and staff.

4. Chair meetings of judges within their respective divisions to address administrative, procedural, and operational matters, including the review and analysis of statistical data for their division.

5. In coordination with the Chief Judge and Trial Court Administration, implement court calendar and case distribution changes as necessary to respond to case volume fluctuations, balance caseloads, and meet operational demands; make recommendations to the Chief Judge concerning judicial assignments.

6. Address recusal and substitution of judge matters pursuant to General Order 6.04, including the reassignment of subject cases.

7. Foster professional development, mentoring, and training opportunities for judges and court personnel, promoting collaboration and constructive conflict resolution within the division.

8. Promote access to justice by ensuring court operations, policies, and procedures facilitate timely and equitable access for all court users, including self-represented litigants and underserved populations.

9. Serve as a liaison between the division and community stakeholders, bar associations, or other governmental entities as appropriate, promoting transparency and public trust in the judicial system.

10. Act as a spokesperson for their division, publicly and on external committees, on matters within their administrative responsibility.

11. Support strategic planning and long-term operational improvements, including succession planning, workload forecasting, and initiatives to enhance efficiency and fairness.

D. Limitations

Nothing in this order shall be construed to diminish the authority of the Chief Judge or to confer independent authority upon presiding judges beyond herein delegated.

Enacted 8/10/2026

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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: 
        

                                        Brendan A. Maher        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:

                                     Brendan A. Maher         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 1/7/2026

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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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