November 24, 2025
As Justice Mary Jane Theis recently passed the gavel to new Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. after completing an exemplary term as Chief, the CBF offers our sincere thanks and congratulations to these two outstanding jurists, who are both longtime leaders in making the justice system more fair and accessible for all Illinoisans.
Justice Theis has prioritized access to justice throughout her career on the bench, and she built on that longstanding commitment in her tenure as Chief. In particular, her leadership on the Illinois Judicial Conference and her creation of the new Executive Committee on the Practice of Law already have made a big impact in building a fairer and better court system and have positioned the Court to continue to be a leader in innovation and access to justice well into the future.
Chief Justice Neville similarly brings a longstanding commitment to equality and access to justice to his new role, and he already has hit the ground running to make those core priorities in his term leading the Court and Judiciary. As he said in the Court’s official announcement of his ascension to Chief Justice:
Public trust in the courts “requires justice that is accessible, procedures that are understandable, and support services that meet the needs of litigants,” Chief Justice Neville said. “I will also work to make the Illinois courts a national model, safeguarding the constitutional promise of equal justice without regard to who a person is, where they live, or what resources they have so all litigants are seen and heard.”
We look forward to working with Chief Justice Neville to help achieve these goals. And we thank Justice Theis and all the Justices for their ongoing leadership and commitment to making our courts fair and accessible for everyone in Illinois.