New circuit judge breaks barriers in QCA
A newly-appointed judge from the Quad Cities is the first Black woman to serve in the position for the 14th Judicial Circuit of Illinois.
A new face in the courtroom, Rock Island Attorney Tionn Fambro Carter, was sworn in as an Associate Judge for the circuit. “I have a servant’s heart, and I just wanted to be able to serve the community and I feel that this is a position that you can 100 percent do that every day,” Carter said. “I’m grateful for that opportunity.”
After being sworn in, Carter took some time to reflect on how far she’s come and what she’s wanting to accomplish. “I don’t have any goals of anything that I want to be other than a great judge every single day,” Carter said. “Someone who is fair, someone who is kind, someone who is a good listener and most of all, someone who follows the law and applies it equally to everyone. That’s my goal.”
Carter will handle civil and criminal cases. She’s humbled to make history and hopes this can set a new standard for future judges. “As much as it means to me, I’m hoping that it really means a lot to the community to know that the bench is more representative of the people in the community,” Carter said.
The 14th Judicial Circuit includes Rock Island, Henry, Whiteside and Mercer counties. Carter fills the vacancy of former Associate Judge James Heuerman. He was appointed to fill another vacancy.
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