The Illinois Fourth Circuit has announced the election of Kimberly G. Koester, Effingham County Resident Circuit Judge, as its new Chief Judge for the circuit.

Judge Koester, whose two-year term will commence on June 1, 2017, was selected on April 7, 2017, by a unanimous vote of the other eleven circuit judges elected throughout the circuit.

The Illinois Fourth Circuit, one of 23 Illinois judicial circuits, is comprised of nine counties, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery and Shelby, is populated by nearly 250,000 citizens and is one of the largest geographic circuits in the state.

Although the Fourth Judicial Circuit is a unified circuit, all nine counties of the circuit have separate courthouses and court is held in each county.

Koester is a fourth generation Effingham attorney following her great-grandfather Harry Parker, grandfather Howard S. Parker and late father James S. Parker.  Koester’s brother, Kevin S. Parker also serves as an Associate Judge in the Fourth Circuit.

Koester will replace current Chief Judge Michael McHaney, of Salem, who has served since April 1, 2014.