Daniel Naranjo appointed to fill 13th Subcircuit vacancy

In an Order entered earlier this week, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed long-time Assistant Public Defender Daniel Naranjo to the 13th Subcircuit vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Shannon P. O'Malley.

The appointment is effective June 5 and terminates on December 7, 2026.

Licensed as an attorney in Illinois since 1998, according to ARDC, Naranjo has served in the Office of the Cook County Public Defender since 2000, according to a press release issued by the Illinois Suprem Court in conjunction with the appointment.

Naranjo currently serves as a member of the Multiple Defendant Division where he represented individuals charged in multiple offender felony cases. He previously worked in the Felony Trial Division from 2008 to 2020, handling a large volume of felony matters ranging from retail theft to first degree murder cases. Before that, from 2000 to 2008, Naranjo oversaw domestic violence, traffic, and misdemeanor cases.

Naranjo has not previously run for judge in Cook County, but, according to the Supreme Court, he has served on Judicial Evaluation Committees for both the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois and the Puerto Rican Bar Association. He is a member of the Barrington Rotary Club and coaches the first ever Barrington High School Mock Trial team.

Naranjo's appointment was made pursuant to an application process announced by Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham in December 2024.