(SPRINGFIELD, IL) — Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Marion attorney John W. Sanders as the Resident Circuit Judge of Williamson County in the First Judicial Circuit. Mr. Sanders was appointed Thursday to fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of resident Circuit Judge Carolyn Smoot, effective November 30, 2016. The appointment of Mr. Sanders takes effect on December 1, 2016, and will conclude on December 3, 2018, when the vacancy will be filled by the winner of the November 2018 general election. Chief Justice Karmeier recommended the appointment to the full Court following a review of applicants by a screening committee. Mr. Sanders is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and member and past president of the Williamson County Bar Association. He served for 18 years as an elected trustee to the John A. Logan Community College Board and recently served on the Association of Community Colleges (ACCT) national board. He currently serves on the Illinois State Board of Education. Williamson County is one of nine counties in the First Judicial Circuit; the First Judicial Circuit is also comprised of the southern Illinois counties of Alexander, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline and Union.