James Murphy-Aguilu appointed to 10th Subcircuit vacancy

The Illinois Supreme Court today appointed James Murphy-Aguilu, currently Chief of Staff for the Circuit Court of Cook County, to a 10th Subcircuit vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gregory J. Wojkowski. The appointment, which is effective July 7 and terminates on December 2, 2024, was made by the Court on the recommendation of Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham.

The Supreme Court's press release concerning the appointment is here.

Murphy-Aguilu has been with the Clerk's Office since January 2021, when he became Inspector General. He was named Chief of Staff in December 2022.

Licensed in Illinois since 2006, according to ARDC, Murphy-Aguilu began his legal career as a Cook County Assistant State's Attorney, serving in that office for seven years before becoming an assistant professor at Ashford University from 2012 to 2014 before setting up in private practice in Chicago, first as O'Brien & Murphy-Aguilu, then as Murphy-Aguilu Law. He became a supervising investigator with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability from 2017 to 2020, becoming COPA's Deputy Chief Administrator for a time before moving to the Clerk's Office.

Murphy-Aguilu sought slating from the Democratic Pary in 2021 for a countywide vacancy. He was not slated, and did not run.