Judge Sarah Jones

Candidate for Subcircuit 3

12th Judicial Circuit Court

On January 5, 2007, the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously appointed Sarah Jones to the Subcircuit seat that she currently seeks in 2008. In appointing Judge Jones, the Illinois Supreme Court described her as “an attorney with broad legal and trial experience.” Retired Appellate Justice Tobias Barry, the co-chairman of the Supreme Court’s advisory committee for judicial applicants, found Judge Jones to have “a good reputation and vast knowledge of criminal law.” Judge Jones is assigned to the bond court call, setting bonds for defendants charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanor driving under the influence charges to first degree murder. In 2007, she presided over 16 jury trials and dozens of hearings and bench trials.

Judge Jones came to the bench from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she had been a 13 year career prosecutor. Most recently, she was a felony courtroom supervisor. Jones routinely handled serious criminal cases involving such offenses as murder, reckless homicide, armed robbery, criminal sexual assault and child pornography. Jones was also a member of the Capital Litigation Trial Bar, an elite group of attorneys certified to try death penalty cases. In the course of her career, Jones also handled juvenile, misdemeanor and aggravated traffic cases. In addition, Jones worked in the narcotics division, and she is a former chief of the auto theft unit. While an assistant state’s attorney, Jones was a member of AFSCME Local 1028.

Judge Jones is a member of the Zonta Club of the Joliet Area, an international service organization comprised of women in business and the professions. Jones is a member of the Will County Bar Association, and sits on its board of directors, and is also a member of the Will County Women’s Bar Association.

A lifelong resident of Elwood, Judge Jones is the daughter of Francis “Bud” Jones and Nancy Jones. Mr. Jones, a retired member of Teamsters Local 179, currently serves as a trustee of the village of Elwood. Mrs. Jones is a former member of the Laraway School board.

Judge Jones states, “I am proud to carry on my family’s tradition of public service. I am honored to have been appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court. I take pleasure each day in coming to work and serving the citizens of Will County as a circuit judge, and I look forward to being selected in the February primary as the Democratic candidate for Circuit Court Judge in Subcircuit Number 3, and to winning the November election.”

Will County Judge Sarah Jones announced her candidacy for Circuit Court Judge in Subcircuit Number 3 of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.  The general election is November 4, 2008. Subcircuit Number 3 was created by the Illinois legislature to allow the voters in the southern portion of Will County to select their own judicial representative. The Subcircuit includes communities stretching from Minooka to Crete.

The Chairman of the Committee to Elect Circuit Judge Sarah Jones is Pat McGuire, Will County Treasurer. McGuire enthusiastically supports Jones’s candidacy.