Judge accepts seat on federal bench

Judge Philip DiMarzio, who presided for roughly 19 years over some of the most high-profile court cases in Kane and DeKalb counties, has announced his retirement, effective March 29.

DiMarzio, who also served a stint as chief judge during his tenure in the 16th Judicial Circuit, has accepted a judicial seat as a federal immigration judge in Los Angeles.

A Sycamore native, DiMarzio earned a reputation as a judge who did much of the heavy lifting in the circuit, which covers Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties, said Chief Judge Don Hudson.

"I'm certainly going to be saddened to see him leave," Hudson said. "He's been a model judge and he's served with honesty and integrity for many years."

DiMarzio earned his circuit court seat in 1988 and won three elections. He served as chief judge from 2002 to 2004.

While chief judge, he refused to block a decisive vote to determine if former Kane County State's Attorney Meg Gorecki could return to office after she served a four-month suspension of her law license.

In 1999, DiMarzio was appointed by the state Supreme Court to its special committee on capital litigation and helped draft changes to improve procedural safeguards in death penalty cases.

Since 2003, DiMarzio has served on the faculty of the state Supreme Court's death penalty committee, which all judges in Illinois who preside over a capital case are required to attend.

He served for 10 years as the presiding judge in Kane County's felony division and a term as the presiding judge in DeKalb County, where he was assigned for six years.

From 1984 to 1988, DiMarzio also was DeKalb County's state's attorney. He also was an assistant professor in the College of Business at Northern Illinois University and practiced law in Sycamore.

DiMarzio received two law degrees from the University of Illinois College of Law and began his legal career as a prosecutor in Cook County.