Recent retirements prompt shifts for Kane judges
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David Akemann |
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Thomas Mueller |
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John Barsanti |
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Susan Clancy Boles |
The retirements of Kane County Judges Timothy Sheldon and Robert Janes has triggered a domino effect of new assignments in the 16th Judicial Circuit, effective Dec. 1.
Associate Judge John Barsanti will take over in Sheldon's felony courtroom at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.
Circuit Judge David Akemann will be moved to the civil courthouse on Third Street in Geneva.
Circuit Judge Thomas Mueller will go from his post on Third Street to handle juvenile cases.
And Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles, former head of the juvenile division, will take Akemann's place hearing the most serious felony cases on the judicial center's third floor.
Robert Spence, chief judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit, said that in general, three or four years can be plenty of time on a particular assignment and that he tried to pair each assignment with each judges' expertise.
Akemann served for 10 years as head of the Kane County State's Attorney's Civil Division before being elected to two terms as state's attorney.
"Judge Akemann has a strong, strong background in a various aspects of civil litigation," Spence said.
Spence said Mueller is the founder of the count's juvenile drug court program.
"He was certainly wanting to take (the juvenile division) assignment again. He was very positive about that," Spence said.
Spence said criminal law is not necessarily Boles' area of expertise, but she's a bright, hard working quick study.
"Wherever she's gone, she's done a great job," Spence said.
Barsanti served six years as Kane County State's Attorney before being appointed to the bench.
Circuit judges are elected by voters and circuit judges vote on who is appointed as an associate judge.
Kane County is losing some 54 years of experience on the bench with the retirements of: Janes, a judge since 1996 who retired at the beginning of the month, and Sheldon, a judge since 1986, who will step down on Dec. 1; and Allen Anderson, an associate judge since 2000, who will retire Dec. 31.
