Judge Stewart
Professional Experience:
- Current: Licensed Illinois attorney in private mediation and arbitration practice in southern Illinois.
- 2006-2016: Appellate Judge, Appellate Court of Illinois, Fifth Judicial District. The Fifth Judicial District consists of the southernmost 37 counties in the State of Illinois.
- 2010-2016: Assigned by the Illinois Supreme Court to also serve on the Workers’ Compensation Commission Division of the Appellate Court. The Workers’ Compensation Division is a state-wide court which consists of one judge from each of the five judicial districts and hears the appeals of all workers’ compensation cases in the State of Illinois.
- 1995-2006: Circuit Judge in the First Judicial Circuit of Illinois, which consists of the southernmost nine counties in the state. Served as Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Saline County, Illinois. Chaired the judges’ committee that originally designed and implemented the Court-Annexed Civil Mediation Program in the First Judicial Circuit.
- 1976-1995: Practicing attorney in southern Illinois with emphasis on litigation. Tried many cases to jury verdict, including automobile accidents, medical malpractice and product liability.
Bar Admissions:
- Illinois Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States Supreme Court
Mediation Training:
- Lane and Calkins ISBA Masters Series, 2016
Professional Associations:
- Illinois State Bar Association, 1976 - Present
- Illinois Judges’ Association, 1995 - Present
Education
- Southern Illinois University School of Law (Charter Class), J.D. 1976
- Southern Illinois University, B.S. Government 1973