Boles to be next Kane County chief judge

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – The Kane County 16th Judicial Circuit elected Judge Susan Clancy Boles as its new chief judge, effective Dec. 7, when the current term of Chief Judge Judith Brawka ends.

Boles said she still is adjusting to the news.

“I have to say I’m absolutely thrilled and totally honored, both to be taking on responsibilities and by the vote of confidence from my colleagues and people I work with every day and respect,” Boles said. “It’s great. It will be fun, looking forward to it.”

Boles will be the second female chief judge in the history of Kane County. Brawka was the first. Boles said of the 14 circuit court judges in Kane County, she and Brawka are the only two women.

“Each of us will be serving back-to-back terms,” Boles said.

Boles was appointed as an associate judge in March 2007. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed her to the position of circuit judge in January 2009, filling the vacancy of R. Peter Grometer, who had retired.

She was elected as a circuit judge from the Fourth Sub Circuit in November 2010 and currently presides over a criminal felony court at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles Township.

Boles is a graduate of St. Charles High School, Vanderbilt University, and Valparaiso University School of Law. An attorney since 1990, Boles initially was associated with the Chicago Law Firm of Rooks, Pitts, and Poust.

In 1993, she joined the litigation firm of Clancy Law Offices in St. Charles, where she was a partner until her appointment as an associate judge.