A familiar face will be the next chief judge of the five-county circuit that includes McLean County.
Circuit Judge Mark Fellheimer has been chosen to succeed Casey Costigan as chief judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, overseeing judges from McLean, Livingston, Logan, Woodford and Ford counties. The chief judge makes judicial appointments and holds general administrative duties throughout the circuit.
Fellheimer was the chief judge from 2018 until 2023, when Costigan got the role. His new term begins in October, continuing through 2028.
Costigan is retiring in Oct. 16 after 20 years on the bench in McLean County.
In a statement, Costigan said the circuit "will be in very good hands" under Fellheimer's watch, adding he provided "competent, thoughtful and quality leadership to the position" in his previous tenure as chief judge.
"His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated his ability to navigate difficult circumstances while keeping the work of the courts moving forward," Costigan said.
Fellheimer similarly complimented his colleague's career, saying Costigan "presided over some of the most complex, challenging, heart-wrenching and serious cases that a judge can handle and did so with grace, dignity and patience."
A native of Pontiac, Fellheimer was appointed as an associate judge in 2008 and became a circuit judge in 2016 to fill the remainder of Judge Charles Reynard's term upon Reynard's retirement. Fellheimer ran unopposed as the Republican candidate for a full term in the 2016 election.
