Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts, and Brendan A. Maher, Chief Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court, are pleased to announce that the 17th Circuit Judges have selected attorney Kathryn J. Cross as an associate judge. Ms. Cross will succeed Associate Judge Steven L. Nordquist, who retired from the bench effective July 31, 2026. She will take her oath of office on September 2, 2026.
“We are pleased to welcome Kathryn Cross to the bench as an Associate Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court,” said Chief Judge Brendan A. Maher. “She brings a strong record of legal experience, professionalism, and commitment to public service that will be an asset to our court and community. I am confident she will approach her judicial responsibilities with integrity and sound judgment.”
Ms. Cross attended Monmouth College, graduating in 2008 with a B.A. in Political Science. In 2011, she received her Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law. Her legal career has been primarily dedicated to service with the Boone County Public Defender’s Office, where she has been employed since 2012. Attorney Cross has served as the appointed Boone County Public Defender since February 2022.
Commenting on her selection, Attorney Cross stated, “I am deeply honored and humbled with this opportunity to serve as an Associate Judge in the 17th Circuit. I look forward to taking on this new role with integrity, fairness, and a genuine commitment to serving our community.”
Kathryn Cross is a current member of the Boone County Bar Association and the Winnebago County Bar Association, serving as the President of the Boone County Bar Association from 2018 through 2023, and currently serving on the Winnebago County Bar Foundation Board. Her involvement with community and civic organizations includes judging, mentoring, and sponsoring the Monmouth College Moot Court Program; volunteering with the Second Chances Summit, a clinic that provides assistance for sealing and expunging criminal records; and membership with the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford.
