HR0701 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0701 LRB103 40239 ECR 72188 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Charles D. Johnson for his 33 years of distinguished service to the State of Illinois, Lake County, and the Village of Buffalo Grove, contributing significantly in each capacity to the welfare of the communities he served; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1986; he served the State of Illinois for four years as an assistant state's attorney in Lake County, where he worked in every division of the state's attorney's office, including traffic and misdemeanor, felony review, and lastly in the felony division, where he successfully prosecuted a decades old murder case; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson practiced municipal law for 10 years in Lake County and, in that role, engaged with, advised, and mentored many young attorneys, seeking to facilitate their professional growth and success and helping them to establish relationships in the legal community; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson was appointed an associate judge in the 19th Judicial Circuit on January 19, 2005, and he was reappointed in 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2023, serving on the bench with impeccable professionalism, character, integrity, and compassion for 19 years; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson has presided in both criminal and civil courtrooms in the 19th Judicial Circuit, adhering to principles of equity, fairness, and common sense; he has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the impartial administration of justice, fostered public trust, and upheld the honor and dignity of the judicial system; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson has also served the judiciary and the legal profession through his work on various judicial committees, including the Court Rules and Forms Committee, the Court Technology Committee, the Electronic Benchbook Committee, and the Judicial Education Committee; he worked on many special assignments, including the establishment of remote court practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and the creation and launch of the Integrated Case Management System for all four justice partners; he was awarded the Criminal Division Award in 2016 and 2021; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson has contributed his time and energy and demonstrated unwavering commitment to the betterment of the legal community over the course of his distinguished career in countless other ways, including by serving as co-editor of the Docket Editorial Board, the official monthly publication of the Lake County Bar Association, supporting and performing in countless events and fundraisers for the Lake County Bar Foundation and other non-profits, and working to enhance equal access to legal services and justice for all; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson has sought to serve as an inspiration and role model for Lake County's youth and to make his communities stronger and more vibrant by mentoring hundreds of students, frequently speaking to classes of high school students, allowing students to shadow him in the courthouse, and reading to primary school students on his lunch break; and

WHEREAS, Charles Johnson served the Village of Buffalo Grove in a myriad of capacities over his long career in public service, including as an elected village trustee, as a member of the Plan Commission, as a member of the Appearance Commission, and in several other volunteer capacities, including as a parade announcer for the Buffalo Grove Days Parade; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and express our gratitude to Charles Johnson for his many years of outstanding service and dedication to the State of Illinois, Lake County, the Village of Buffalo Grove, and all of the residents therein, and we extend our best wishes for his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Charles Johnson as an expression of our esteem and respect.