New Will County judges sworn in

JOLIET – No abacus was required to count the number of men being sworn in Tuesday as Will County Circuit Court judges.

Though Daniel Kennedy was given one anyway.

“Dan and I were friends [who bonded] more over sports than law. We’re both very competitive,” retired Judge Marzell Richardson told an audience that filled the Joliet City Council chambers. “While I was on the bench there was an eviction case where we disagreed over the number of days left to vacate.”

Richardson prevailed, but a short time later, he arrived at his bench to find an abacus waiting for him. On Tuesday Richardson presented another to Will County’s newest judge.

“You’re no longer a player, you’re a referee,” Richardson told Kennedy.

Kennedy, Dave Carlson and Daniel Rippy were sworn in before the rest of the circuit and associate judges. Rippy was elected to replace a retired judge while Carlson and Kennedy took seats created as a result of Will County’s growing population.

“We all know how much this county needs these judges and tomorrow they hit the ground running,” Chief Judge Richard Schoenstedt said.

Selecting a chief judge was the first duty the newcomers had along with the other circuit judges. Schoenstedt was selected again for a second two-year term as chief judge.

He said he appreciated having the confidence of his fellow judges and will continue to promote construction of a new courthouse.

Schoenstedt has assigned Kennedy to preside over misdemeanor cases, Rippy to foreclosures and Carlson to felony cases.

Schoenstedt also administered the oath of office to Kennedy and Carlson while Rippy was sworn in by Appellate Court Justice William Holdridge.

Carlson and Rippy started together as assistant prosecutors with the Will County State’s Attorney’s office. Rippy told Carlson they’d come a long way from riding to work together from Chicago in Carlson’s “terrible, terrible car.”

“One of the skills as judge has to have is to listen,” Carlson noted later. “We took my car because it was better than his.”

Carlson was named an associate judge last year. Rippy was a private attorney and Kennedy was a public defender. Rippy also was an elected village trustee in Plainfield but resigned that position in November after being elected judge.

“Besides being a father, being a judge is the greatest job in the world,” Carlson said. “There is no greater honor than being called ‘honorable’ and that’s the standard we have to uphold.”