Joe Birkett was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in December 2010, and was elected to a full term in November 2012.
12 Facts About Joe Birkett
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Joe Birkett is one of 10 children on Chicago's West side.
3.
Joe Birkett attended St Phillip High School, and Aurora Central Catholic High School where he was football team captain and Most Valuable Player.
4.
Joe Birkett received his Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School in 1981, where he placed first in the Intramural Moot Court Competition.
5.
Joe Birkett was the Assistant State's Attorney of Dupage County from 1981 to 1985, Chief of Major Crimes Unit from 1986 to 1988, Deputy Chief of Criminal Division from 1986 to 1991, Chief of Criminal Division from 1991 to 1996, and has served as DuPage County State's Attorney since then.
6.
Joe Birkett was first elected in November 1996, then re-elected in 2000 and 2004.
7.
Joe Birkett gained national attention when he prosecuted Marilyn Lemak in 1999 for the murders of her three children.
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Joe Birkett has been married to Patricia Hill since July 9,1977, and has two children, Nick and Jackie.
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Joe Birkett is a resident of Wheaton and attends St Daniel The Prophet Catholic Church in Wheaton.
10.
Joe Birkett's brother-in-law is George Wendt, who is married to Birkett's sister Bernadette.
11.
In 2002, Joe Birkett ran for Illinois Attorney General against Democrat Lisa Madigan.
12.
On November 2,2010, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Joe Birkett to serve as Appellate Court Judge on the Second District Appellate Court, replacing Justice Jack O'Malley, who retired.