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James Cowlin named chief judge for 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County

On June 20, the Circuit Judges selected James S. Cowlin as Chief Judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, McHenry County, Illinois for a term commencing on Dec. 1, 2018 and terminating on Nov. 30, 2021.

Judge Cowlin will succeed Chief Judge Michael J. Sullivan, who has served in that capacity since December 2006.

Cowlin is a lifelong resident of McHenry County and has a distinguished family history in the legal community. His grandfather, Henry L. Cowlin, served as a McHenry County judge from 1936-1958, and his father, also Henry L. Cowlin, served as a Circuit Judge in the former 19th Circuit of McHenry and Lake Counties from 1978-1996.

Judge Cowlin graduated from Crystal Lake Community High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1979. Judge Cowlin then received his Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1982.

Prior to being appointed Associate Judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit, Judge Cowlin practiced law in McHenry County with the Law Office of Donald W. Truckenbrod, Truckenbrod & Cowlin, and Cowlin & Cowlin law firms.

Judge Cowlin was appointed to the position of Associate Judge in 2007 and was reappointed by the Circuit Judges of the 22nd Judicial Circuit in 2011 and 2015. During his tenure as Associate Judge, Judge Cowlin presided over Misdemeanor Jury cases, Family Law cases, Mortgage Foreclosures and other Civil matters, as well as Traffic and Misdemeanor cases.

Judge Cowling was appointed as a Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court and was sworn in on September 10, 2015, then was elected to the position in 2016. Presently, Judge Cowlin serves as the Presiding Judge of the Family Division and hears felony cases.

Judge Cowlin is a member of the Illinois Judges Association, Illinois State Bar Association and the McHenry County Bar Association.

He currently lives in Nunda Township near Crystal Lake with his wife Lynn, and has three children, Patrick, Kathryn and Joseph Cowlin.

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