Lloyd A. Karmeier

Lloyd A. Karmeier (born January 12, 1940) is an American judge. He was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court from the Fifth District in 2004 and became its chief justice in 2016.

Karmeier was born on January 12, 1940 in Washington County, Illinois. After graduating as valedictorian from Okawville Community High School in 1958, Karmeier received bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Illinois in 1962 and 1964 respectively.

Karmeier clerked for former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Byron O. House from 1964 to 1968, served as state’s attorney of Washington County from 1968 to 1972, and clerked for former US District Court Judge James L. Foreman from 1972 to 1973.

He was engaged in the general practice of law with the firm of Hohlt, House, DeMoss & Johnson from 1964 to 1986. He was resident Circuit Judge of Washington County from 1986 to 2004, when he was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court.

He became the justice for the Fifth District on the Illinois Supreme Court. A Republican, he was elected to his current position in a highly contested election against Democrat Gordon Maag in 2004.

Karmeier is a member of the Illinois Judges' Association; the Washington County, St. Clair County, East St. Louis and Illinois State Bar Associations; and past member of the American Bar Association and the American Judicature Society. He served as a member of the Assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association from 1996 to 2002, and as chair of the Bench and Bar Section Council. He also served on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, chairing the committee from 2003 to 2004. He is a member of the Southern Illinois American Inn of Court and served as President of the Executive Committee from 2003 to 2007.

An article about this appointment as Chief Justice in Illinois Lawyer Now wrote, “Throughout his tenure on the Supreme Court, Justice Karmeier has made frequent appearances before school, civic, and professional organizations to speak about the court’s work. He regularly lectures at continuing legal education programs and contributes articles to the ISBA Bench and Bar Section Council Newsletter.”

Karmeier became 120th chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court on October 31, 2016, and was sworn in by Rita Garman, who herself had served as chief justice. According to Herald and Review, "In his position, which he’ll fill for three years after being elected by his fellow justices on the seven-member court, Karmeier will serve as the top administrator for Illinois’ judicial system, which includes more than 900 judges." According to Illinois Lawyer Now, "Among other duties, the Chief Justice controls and schedules the Supreme Court's agenda for consideration in conference by the Court during its five formal terms each year, supervises all appointments to Supreme Court committees, serves as chairperson of the Executive Committee of the constitutionally-mandated Illinois Judicial Conference and presents the Court’s annual budget request to the General Assembly." His term as chief justice will end October 25, 2019.

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