The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that a new appointment has been made to the Fifth District Appellate Court.
Retired judge James Hackett has been recalled and was named to fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Thomas Welch in early July. Hackett was a circuit judge in the Third Judicial Circuit in Madison County before retiring from the bench to return to private practice in 2014. His appointment will begin effective on Friday, August 8th and will expire on December 7th of 2026.
The Fifth District Appellate Court hears cases from across 48 counties in southern Illinois and includes Lawrence, Clay, Richland, and Wayne counties in southeastern Illinois.
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