McHenry County Associate Judge Joel Berg announces run for circuit judge

WOODSTOCK – McHenry County Associate Judge Joel Berg is the latest to announce his candidacy for circuit judge.

Berg, who has been on the bench for six years and a Harvard resident for nearly all of his life, announced earlier this week on his Facebook page that he will run in the March 2018 primary for a seat in the 22nd Judicial Circuit. He faces off against lawyer and incoming Circuit Judge Tiffany Davis.

The seat was vacated when Judge Charles Weech announced his retirement. He is set to retire Sept. 1, and Davis was named to succeed him earlier this year by the Illinois Supreme Court.

She will be sworn in at 11 a.m. Sept 5 at the McHenry County Courthouse.

Davis has spent the past 22 years as a prosecutor – 10 years so far in Winnebago County and nine years before that in McHenry County. She has tried more than 45 trials by jury and recently tried her 15th murder jury trial.

She also teaches criminal law and criminal procedure at McHenry County College – she began teaching night classes at the college in 2004.

Berg’s experience on the bench includes hearing traffic and misdemeanor cases, civil and felony trials, misdemeanor jury trials, personal injury cases, domestic violence and small claims cases. Before being named associate judge Berg worked 17 years as a lawyer practicing wills, trusts and probates, family law, real estate, landlord/tenant law, and traffic/criminal law.

Berg served in the U.S. Army from 1986 until 1988.

He has been a member of the Illinois Judges Association, the McHenry County Bar Association as both a member and president, an author or legal publications and a legal seminar lecturer. He’s also served as an alderman and library board member in Harvard.

Berg said his multitude of experiences make him the right candidate for the job.

“When you’re a judge, you need to be able to sit in any courtroom in this building,” he said. “You need to know the law in every single field. … From day one.”