Appellate Judge Themis N. Karnezis
First District, 1st Division
Themis N. Karnezis was born in Chicago in 1942 and received a bachelor
of science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit. He
received his law degree from the John Marshall School of Law. He was
admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1970. From 1970 to 1974, he was an
Assistant State's Attorney in Cook County. From 1974 to 1982, he was
engaged in private practice. In June 1982, he was appointed an Associate
Judge in Cook County. In 1989, he was appointed Circuit Judge by the
Supreme Court and in 1990 elected to that position. He served in the
Criminal Division for sixteen years, the Law Jury Division and was
Presiding Judge of the Fourth Municipal District in Cook County. In
March 2002, he was assigned to the Appellate Court, First District. He
is a member of the Special Supreme Court Committee on Capital Cases. He
is married to Melodie Karnezis and they have eight children.
Appellate Judge