Four judges reappointed
Jun. 9—The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has announced the reappointment of Vermilion County's associate circuit judges, Mark S. Goodwin, Karen E. Wall, Derek J Girton and Charles D. Mockbee IV to four-year terms beginning July 1.
Associate judges are subject to reappointment (by receiving at least 3/5 vote of the circuit judges) every four years.
These four associate judges are assigned to Vermilion County and handle high-volume court calls. The diverse nature of the associate divisions requires the judges to be knowledgeable, resourceful and versatile. They routinely preside over civil small claims, eviction, traffic, misdemeanor, divorce and order of protection cases. They also are appointed to hear felony and law division cases.
Judge Goodwin has served as an associate judge since 2009 and is currently the presiding judge of the Vermilion County Drug Court. He served the Illinois Judicial Conference, concluding five years of service as Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinating Committee. He serves by appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court as a Peer Judge Mentor and a Cohort Leader in the New Judge Orientation Program. He is a member of the Illinois Judges Association as well as the Vermilion County Bar Association, serving the latter as President during 2019-2020. Prior to becoming a judge, he practiced law in Vermilion County for 22 years, with a general practice. Judge Goodwin graduated from Illinois State University and John Marshall Law School. He lives in Danville with his wife.
Judge Wall has served as an associate judge for 12 years and is the presiding judge of the County's Mental Health Court. She currently serves as a board member, planning chair and faculty member for the Supreme Court's Committee for Judicial Education. Judge Wall also is a board member for the Judicial Retirement System. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and Vice President of the Vermilion County Bar Association. Prior to becoming a judge, she practiced law with Manion, Devens & McFetridge in Danville as an associate attorney, and later became the first female partner of that firm. Thereafter, she was a founding partner of the firm, Spiros & Wall, practicing primarily personal injury litigation. Judge Wall graduated from Illinois State University and John Marshall Law School. She lives in rural Danville with her husband and two sons.
Judge Girton also has served as an associate judge for 12 years and recently stepped aside as the presiding judge of the county's Drug Court after 12 years, a Vermilion County record for continuous service to the program. He is a member of the Illinois Judges Association, ISBA and Vermilion County Bar Association. Prior to becoming a judge, he practiced law as a partner in the Danville firm of Acton & Snyder with a general practice, but primarily handled family law and criminal defense cases. Judge Girton graduated from The Pennsylvania State University and Ohio Northern Law School. He lives in Oakwood and has two adult children.
Judge Mockbee has served as an associate judge since 2020 and is the presiding judge of the Vermilion County Veteran's Court. He is a member and past President of the Vermilion County Bar Association, member and past committee member of the Illinois Judges Association, and member of the Illinois State Bar Association, currently appointed to the Standing Committee on Professional Conduct. Prior to becoming a Judge, he served as an assistant state's attorney in Vermilion County and practiced law with his father at Kesler, Nelson, Garman, Brougher & Townsley, P.C. in Danville. Most recently, he served as corporation counsel for the City of Danville. Judge Mockbee graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Southern Illinois University School of Law. He lives in Danville with his wife and son.
Vermilion County Presiding Circuit Judge Thomas M. O'Shaughnessy responded to the re-appointments, "The circuit judges of Vermilion County are pleased with the reappointment of these dedicated judges and extend them a sincere and whole-hearted congratulations. They each earned reappointment through hard work. They adhere to high standards of integrity and ethical conduct, have exceptional experience, knowledge, and abilities, exercise appropriate judicial temperament, fairness, patience, and dignity, and attend to the management of their cases in prompt and skillful manners."
