Appeals court affirms dismissal of charges against Waukegan city clerk

An appellate court has affirmed a lower court’s November 2024 dismissal of all criminal charges against Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly.

According to a news release from her legal team, the 2nd District Appellate Court found that testimony presented to a grand jury by an Illinois State Police officer denied Kilkelly of due process and that the charges were properly dismissed.

Kilkelly was indicted in March 2024 with felony official misconduct and misapplication of funds related to the administration of a COVID-era business relief program. It was alleged she illegally provided credits to Waukegan businesses applying for liquor and gambling licenses.

Attorneys from Kelleher + Holland LLC and Meza Law said the indictment was procured by false and misleading testimony, and moved to have the charges dismissed.

The trial court agreed and the decision was appealed.

“I am grateful that the appellate court has affirmed what the trial court already determined: that the charges against me should never have been brought,” Kilkelly said in the release.

Kilkelly has been clerk since 2017.