Illinois Supreme Court appoints Robert F. Harris to 5th Subcircuit vacancy

Updated 9/9/17 to include link to Supreme Court's press release

The Illinois Supreme Court today appointed Robert F. Harris to the Washington vacancy in the South Side 5th Subcircuit. The appointment is effective September 21. It expires on December 3, 2018. Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis recommended the appointment to the Court (see, press release issued yesterday).

Licensed as an attorney in Illinois since 1991, Harris currently serves as Cook County Public Guardian. According to the office's website, the Public Guardian "represents abused, neglected or dependent children as their lawyers and guardians ad litem in Cook County’s juvenile court. In the Domestic Relations Division, the office acts as the child representative in hotly contested custody cases. In the Adult Guardianship Division, the office acts as guardian for mostly elderly, adult wards who are disabled due to Alzheimer’s or other cognitive functioning. As guardian of the estate, the office manages $70 million dollars of the wards’ assets and has recovered nearly $30 million of assets that were stolen from the wards prior to the office’s involvement."

Harris has worked for the Public Guardian's office for his entire legal career, according to the Public Guardian's office website. Before going to law school, Harris worked for several years as an engineer with Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Honeywell, Inc. He holds a Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, according to the Public Guardian's website. Harris earned his J.D. at the DePaul College of Law.