Thomas R. Fitzgerald (judge) facts for kids

Thomas Robert Fitzgerald (July 10, 1941 – November 1, 2015) was an important judge in Illinois. He served as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. This is the highest court in the state. He made history by being the first Chief Justice in Illinois to lead an impeachment trial for a governor. This trial was for Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Becoming a Judge

Thomas Fitzgerald was born in Chicago on July 10, 1941. He went to Leo Catholic High School. After high school, he studied at Loyola University Chicago. Then, he joined the United States Navy and served his country.

After his time in the Navy, he went to The John Marshall Law School. He did very well there and helped start the school's law review. A law review is a journal where legal articles are published.

Early Legal Work

Thomas Fitzgerald's father was also a judge. Following in his footsteps, Thomas started his career as a prosecutor. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government. They try to prove that someone has broken the law. He worked in Cook County, Illinois.

In 1976, he became a judge himself. He was the youngest judge in Cook County at that time. He worked as a trial judge in the Criminal Court for many years. Later, he became the main judge for the Traffic Court. He also led Illinois's first statewide Grand Jury. In 2000, he was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois.

Teaching Law

Besides being a judge, Fitzgerald also taught law. He taught at John Marshall Law School and Chicago-Kent College of Law. He helped students learn how to argue cases in court. He also taught at the Einstein Institute for Science, Health and the Courts.

Thomas Fitzgerald was very involved in the legal community. He was the president of the Illinois Judges' Association. He also led important committees for the Illinois Supreme Court. These committees worked on serious legal cases.

Chief Justice Role

On May 19, 2008, Thomas Fitzgerald was chosen to be the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He officially started this important job on September 6, 2008.

As Chief Justice, he had a big responsibility. On January 26, 2009, he led the impeachment trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich. This was a very important event in Illinois history. It was the first time a Chief Justice had led such a trial for a sitting governor.

Leaving the Court

Chief Justice Fitzgerald retired in October 2010. He announced his retirement because he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. This is a condition that affects movement. He passed away on November 1, 2015, at his home. He was 74 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Thomas Fitzgerald received many awards for his work. The Chicago Crime Commission gave him an award for his excellent performance as a judge. He was also honored by the Celtic Legal Society.

He won the Herman Kogan Media Award for his work in Broadcast Journalism. The Lawyers' Assistance Program gave him the Hon. John Powers Crowley Award. He also received the John Marshall Law School Freedom Award.

In 2003, he earned the Joel Flaum Award and the Chicago-Kent College of Law Professional Achievement Award. In 2005, he was named Catholic Lawyer of the Year. In 2008, he received the John Paul Stevens Award. He is also a member of the Leo High School Hall of Fame. In 2010, Chicago Lawyer magazine named him their Person of the Year.