Lisa Holder White

Lisa Holder White
Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 8, 2022
Preceded byRita Garman
Personal details
Born1968 (age 55–56)
Decatur, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationLewis University (BA)
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (JD)

Lisa Holder White (born 1968) is an American lawyer who has served as a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court since July 2022. She previously served as a judge of the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court from 2013 to 2022, and as a trial judge in the Illinois Sixth Judicial Circuit Court from 2001 to 2013. She is the first Black woman to be elevated to the Illinois Supreme Court.[1]

Early life and education

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Holder White was born in 1968 in Decatur, Illinois.[2] She graduated magna cum laude from Lewis University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1993.[3]

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Upon graduation from law school, Holder White served as an assistant state's attorney for Macon County. While there, she handled various matters ranging from traffic to criminal felony cases. Subsequently, Holder White served as an assistant public defender litigating on behalf of those charged with criminal offenses and representing abused and neglected juveniles. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Holder White was in private practice at the Decatur law firm formerly known as Brinkoetter & White.[3]

Judicial career

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In 2001, Holder White was appointed to the office of associate judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. In 2008, she was appointed by the Supreme Court as a circuit judge of the same court and was elected to that position in November 2010.[3]

On December 20, 2012, Holder White was assigned to the Fourth District Appellate Court to fill the vacancy left by the death of Judge John McCullough.[4] On January 14, 2013, Holder White was sworn into office, becoming the first African American to be seated on the court.[5][6] Holder White was subsequently appointed to the same seat in July 2014 and ultimately elected to that office in November 2014.[7]

Appointment to supreme court

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On May 10, 2022, Holder White was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Rita Garman. Holder White was sworn in by Justice Mary Jane Theis on July 7, 2022.[8] Her appointment was effective July 8, 2022, and she became the first African American woman to serve on the court.[9][10][11] The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Eugene Doherty, a Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, to the position vacated by Holder White for a period effective July 14, 2022, and terminating December 2, 2024.[12]

Memberships and associations

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Holder White is a member of the following associations and boards:[13]

  • Decatur Bar Association
  • Illinois Judges Association
  • Community Foundation of Macon County Board
  • Millikin University Board

Personal life

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Holder White is married to her husband James and they have two children.[13] She is a Republican.[14]

Electoral history

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See also: 2014 Illinois judicial elections

Illinois Appellate Court

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4th district (McCullough vacancy)

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Holder White was assigned to the Fourth District Appellate Court effective January 2013 to fill the vacancy left by the death of John T. McCullough.[15] She ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election.[16] This was a regular election, as McCullough's term ended in 2014.[15]

Republican primary

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Illinois Appellate Court 4th district (McCullough vacancy) Republican primary[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lisa Holder White 115,841 100
Total votes 115,841 100

General election

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Illinois Appellate Court 4th district (McCullough vacancy) election[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lisa Holder White 335,693 100
Total votes 335,693 100

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lisa Holder White sworn in as first Black woman on state Supreme Court: 'We need not limit our dreams or settle for less'". Chicago Sun-Times. 2022-07-07. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  2. ^ "Appellate Court Judges" (PDF). Office of the Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Blue Book. p. 12. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Judge Lisa Holder White to become newest member and first African American to sit on the Fourth District Illinois Appellate Court" (PDF) (Press release). Chicago, Illinois: Supreme Court of Illinois. January 10, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ "Supreme Court assigns Circuit Judges Lisa Holder White and Thomas Harris, Jr to Fourth District Appellate Court" (PDF) (Press release). Supreme Court of Illinois. December 12, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "Justice Rita B. Garman to swear in Judge Lisa Holder White as the newest member of the Illinois Appellate Court" (PDF) (Press release). Chicago, Illinois: Supreme Court of Illinois. January 11, 2013. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Nyamekye, Daniel (May 14, 2022). "'Historic Appointment': First Black Woman to Serve on Illinois Supreme Court". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  7. ^ Bonjean, Chris. "Judge Lisa Holder White Appointed to 4th District Appellate Court". Illinois State Bar Association. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  8. ^ Antoinette Niemann, Celeste (June 27, 2022). "Justice Lisa Holder White to Become Newest Member of Supreme Court of Illinois". Illinois State Bar Association. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  9. ^ "Justice Rita B. Garman announces retirement from Illinois Supreme Court; Justice Lisa Holder White to fill vacancy" (PDF). May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "Fourth District Appellate Justice Lisa Holder White to fill Illinois Supreme Court vacancy". WSIL-TV. May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  11. ^ "Millikin Trustee Emeritus Lisa Holder White becomes first Black woman to serve on Illinois Supreme Court". Millikin University. May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Grant, Cynthia (July 11, 2022), In re: Judicial Assignment - Judge Doherty (PDF), Illinois Supreme Court, retrieved July 12, 2022
  13. ^ a b "Holder White, Lisa". Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  14. ^ Spaulding, Clare (May 10, 2022). "Downstate Republican judge Lisa Holder White will become first Black woman on Illinois Supreme Court". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Lisa Holder White". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  16. ^ a b c "Downloadable Vote Totals". Illinois Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
2022–present 		Incumbent
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