At a recent
ceremony at the David S. Palmer Arena, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Garman was
honored by having the county courthouse named in her honor—it will now be known
as the Rita B. Garman Vermilion County Courthouse.
The
Commercial-News reports the story.
At the
ceremony, Justice Garman noted that early in her career opportunities “for a
young woman lawyer were limited[.]” But she gained experience in both
government and private practice. And eventually she became an associate judge,
then an a circuit judge, then the presiding judge for Vermilion County. She was
appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 and served as the chief judge from 2013
to 2016. The
Commercial-News reports that Justice Garman was the first chief justice to
serve in every capacity in the state judiciary, and the first woman to hold
each of those positions.
The article
also reports that over 200 people, including local and state officials,
attended the ceremony. Keynote speaker and former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar
stated that 40 years ago, he never thought that the Vermilion County courthouse
would be named for a judge who was a woman, but that, “How times have
changed—and I must say, for the better.” Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeier—Justice
Garman’s successor as chief justice—commended the Vermilion County Board and
community for having the foresight to honor Justice Garman.DISCLAIMER: The Appellate Lawyers Association does not provide legal services or legal advice. Discussions of legal principles and authority, including, but not limited to, constitutional provisions, statutes, legislative enactments, court rules, case law, and common-law doctrines are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.
