Judge Thomas J. Carroll appointed to Felton vacancy

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Judge Thomas J. Carroll to the countywide vacancy created by the recent death of Judge Donna Phelps Felton.

Judge Carroll's appointment became effective last Friday and will expire on December 1, 2014. At the time of this appointment, Judge Carroll was serving on the bench by appointment to the McSweeney Moore vacancy in Cook County's 3rd Subcircuit.

Judge Carroll was one of several candidates to file for the McSweeney Moore vacancy in the March primary, but Carroll and all the other hopefuls in that race withdrew in favor of Daniel R. Degnan, Executive Director of the Cook County Employee Pension Fund and the son of former state senator and one-time director of the mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Timothy F. Degnan. Daniel R. Degnan was unopposed in March; he face no opposition in November.

Prior to his initial elevation to the bench, Judge Carroll was a criminal defense attorney. He has also worked as an Assistant Public Defender.