A sitting appellate court judge has announced her intention to remain on the bench. Justice Amy Sholar says she’s officially running to continue serving on the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court.

Sholar, who was appointed to the position by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2024, says her goal is to bring fairness and experience to the role. She previously served as a Circuit Judge in Madison County, where she was named Chief of the Family Law Division and served on the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board.

Sholar is running for the seat left vacant by the late Justice Thomas Welch, the longest-serving appellate justice in Illinois history. The seat is currently being filled on an interim basis by retired Madison County Judge James Hackett.

Sholar, who has more than 20 years of legal experience, says appellate court decisions impact all Illinois residents, from property disputes to criminal cases, and it’s important to have someone experienced in that role. Before her time on the bench, Sholar ran her own law firm, served as a planning coordinator in Alton, and began her legal career as an intern with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office.

She lives in Madison County with her husband and is a mother and grandmother. The Fifth District Appellate Court covers 48 counties across Central and Southern Illinois.