1st Judicial Circuit of Illinois

09/29/2026

Today Judge Michael Fiello from Jackson County and Judge Amanda Byassee Gott from Williamson County served with Illinois judicial colleagues Judge Sonja Ligon and Judge Veronica Armouti on a Judicial Panel concerning child support issues for the Illinois Family And Support Enforcement Association (IFSEA) State conference held in Marion. The audience was very engaged and asked numerous questions to the panel. They covered topics such as the new child support laws, sovereign citizen issues, the use of AI and challenges in the courtroom.

Judge Gott was thereafter a keynote presenter on Child Support and Its Impact on Families and the Law: A Domino Effect.

09/18/2026

Brock Freeman, former Illinois JusticeCorps Fellow, shares his experience serving nine rural courthouses across Southern Illinois, helping court users understand forms, procedures, and available resources. He also reflects on how the fellowship shaped his professional journey, led to his current role with Illinois Court Help.

"This conversation offers an inspiring look at the real impact of the Illinois Justice Corps, both for the individuals it serves and for the next generation of legal and public service "

Former Illinois Justice Corps Fellow Brock Freeman joins Jason Blum...

09/16/2026

The Jackson County Courthouse is featured in the September edition of Rural Practice, the newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association's Section on Rural Practice. The article "Spotlight on a Rural Courthouse - What's New at the Jackson County Courthouse?" is found on pages 5-8 and includes:
>Courtroom and Jury Assembly Room Improvements
>Court Resource Center
>Court Therapy Dog - Charlie
>Benefits of Court Therapy Dogs
>Kids in the Courts
>Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
>Drug Court
>Signage and Information

09/09/2026

The First Circuit congratulates Judge Amanda Gott and thanks AOIC for these Court Improvement Grants which will be used for the benefit of families and participant’s in child protection court.

09/05/2026

09/04/2026

The First Judicial Circuit welcomes Illinois JusticeCorps Fellow, Ian Kelly, as he begins his year of service to all nine courthouses in the curcuit.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1H1CziZFm8/

The Illinois Bar Foundation is proud to welcome the 2026-2027 Illinois JusticeCorps cohort. We were honored by Justice Rena Marie Van Tine of the 1st District of the Illinois Appellate court and Judge Jorge L. Ortiz, Chair of the Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice for welcoming the new class of Fellows and swearing them in as AmeriCorps members.

09/03/2026

Today, we proudly celebrated the swearing-in of Judge Joshua Stratemeyer as an Associate Judge of the First Judicial Circuit of Illinois!

Surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, and members of the community, Judge Stratemeyer took the oath of office and officially began this exciting new chapter of service to the people of our Circuit.

The First Judicial Circuit is pleased to welcome Judge Stratmeyer to the bench. We look forward to the dedication, integrity, and commitment to justice he will bring to his new role.

Please join us in offering our warmest congratulations and best wishes to Judge Joshua Stratmeyer. We are excited to have you as part of the First Judicial Circuit judiciary and welcome you to the One of 21. 🧑‍⚖️ ⚖️

08/26/2026

Courthouse Companions:
Learn more about therapy dog Frankie working in the Saline County Courthouse.

For additional information about the First Judicial Circuit Court Therapy Dog Program, contact Program Coordinator Cynthia York at the Office of the Chief Judge, 618-997-1234.

https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/News/1783/Courthouse-Companions-Frankie/news-detail/

08/20/2026

08/18/2026

The 1st Circuit is proud to have Judge Amanda Gott representing our Circuit and the State of Illinois on the Board of Directors of the NCJFCJ

The NCJFCJ added new Board Directors in July. Please join us in welcoming Judge Amanda Byassee Gott from Marion, Illinois! Learn more about our Board of Directors at https://loom.ly/gdHpEWQ.