Illinois Supreme Court Selects P. Scott Neville Jr. as Next Chief Justice

Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. has been elected by his Illinois Supreme Court colleagues as the state's 123rd chief justice, beginning a three-year term on October 26, succeeding Mary Jane Theis. Neville, who has served on the court since 2018 and was elected to a 10-year term in 2020, will be the second Black chief justice in Illinois history, following Justice Charles Freeman. His legal career began as the first Black law clerk for a Cook County appellate justice, and he practiced civil rights and appellate law, including prosecuting the 1992 Chicago ward redistricting case alongside Barack Obama. As chief justice, Neville will oversee the administration of Illinois courts and more than 900 judges, supervise Supreme Court committee appointments, lead the Illinois Judicial Conference, and present the court's annual budget to the General Assembly. He emphasized his commitment to ensuring accessible justice and safeguarding equal justice regardless of a person's identity, location, or resources. An installation ceremony is scheduled for October 24 in Chicago.