Appellate Judge John O. Steele
First District, 3rd Division
The Honorable JOHN O. STEELE was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court and commenced his term on December 1, 2008. Justice Steele received his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in 1978. In December 1997, he was appointed as an Associate Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, during which time he was assigned to the First Municipal District, the Child Protection Division, and the Domestic Relations Division. He was elected a full Circuit Court Judge in 2000 and served solely in the Domestic Relations Division as a trial judge until his elevation to the Appellate Court. Prior to his judicial appointment in 1997, Justice Steele devoted most of his legal career to a solo practice, focusing on domestic relations matters. From 1989 to 1997, he served in the Chicago City Council as Sixth Ward Alderman. In addition to his legal career accomplishments, Justice Steele also has a distinguished record of community service. Justice Steele is a member of the prestigious Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Justice Steele was raised on the South Side of Chicago and is a product of the Chicago Public Schools. He is married and the proud father of six adult children.
Appellate Judge