[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-275820-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-275820-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","justice-mary-jane-theis-retirement-letter-january-12-2026","Justice Mary Jane Theis Retirement Letter - January 12, 2026","","Retirement message from Justice Mary Jane Theis of the Illinois Supreme Court to fellow Supreme Court colleagues, dated January 12, 2026. The letter reflects on restoring public trust through fair and accessible courts, emphasizing judicial accountability, ethics, and independence. It highlights Illinois judicial education, procedural fairness, public engagement efforts like cameras and livestreaming, and initiatives supporting equal access to justice for vulnerable communities. The closing affirms gratitude for service and commitment to the rule of law.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/justice-mary-jane-theis-retirement-letter-january-12-2026/275820/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/justice-mary-jane-theis-retirement-letter-january-12-2026/275820.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Mary Man","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-19","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"When will Justice Mary Jane Theis retire from the Illinois Supreme Court?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"She will retire at the end of business on January 29, 2026.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What does the letter identify as essential for public respect of judicial decisions?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"It states that people respect decisions when they believe the court was fair, and it emphasizes judicial accountability, independence, and ethics.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does the letter describe Illinois efforts to improve access to justice?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"It cites the Access to Justice Commission, initiatives like Illinois Court Help, annual reminders for pro bono responsibilities, and support concepts including non-lawyer community justice workers, as well as remote proceedings during the Covid pandemic.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},275820,1790492567,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,93,98,103,108,113,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":90,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":135,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":139,"read_time":22},7421720224475,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","Chambers of  \nJustice Mary Jane Theis  \n160 North LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60601  \n(312) 793-5460  \nJanuary 12, 2026  \nTo my Supreme Court Colleagues:  \nI will retire from my position as Supreme Court Justice at the end of business, January 29, 2026.  \nI became a judge on July 1, 1983. A few weeks later the Greylord scandal broke where 17 Illinois judges were convicted of bribery. The judiciary of Illinois was a national disgrace. Over the years, Illinois judges have committed themselves to repair this terrible breach of trust. In the current moment when confidence in the courts and ultimately the rule of law has been eroded, it may be helpful to reflect on some of the lessons learned and some actions taken.  \nPeople will respect judicial decisions if they believe the court was fair. Judges are accountable for their actions. The Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct is written in clear language with definitions and explanations so that judges and importantly the public understand what is demanded of judges. Our Constitution created an independent Courts Commission with the authority to impose discipline on judges, including removal, without interference by the Supreme Court. Today the Courts Commission is fully funded by the legislature with an easily accessible website. Additionally, the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee has been providing public advisory opinions on judicial ethics for over 30 years. Judicial independence and judicial ethics are either side of the same coin.  \nJudges must be competent and committed to the highest ethical standards. The goal of judicial education in Illinois is to provide opportunities for transformative learning experiences grounded in these ethical values. Judicial education has grown from regional seminars to the biannual Education Conference, where this year over 100 programs will be presented. The Illinois Judicial College was created 10 years ago to provide a high-quality curriculum for judges and also our justice partners. We know that being a judge is not just another job – it is an awesome responsibility.  \nCourts must not only be fair, they must also have the appearance of fairness. This concept of procedural fairness is a core principle of the Illinois Judicial College. The Supreme Court and the Appellate Court have conducted oral arguments in venues all across the state so that members of the public can experience Illinois’justice system. Cameras in the courtroom and live-streaming  \nof court events have brought the courts closer to the public. The Illinois Judges Association has been a leader, connecting judges with communities to demystify the justice system. Improvements in public-facing data allow the public to better understand the work of the courts. We are proud of what we do.  \nCourts have a responsibility to meet the needs of the community. The rise of selfrepresented litigants has dramatically changed the civil justice system. In response, the Illinois Supreme Court in 2012 created the Access to Justice Commission to promote equal access to justice, particularly for the poor and vulnerable. Throughout the years, the Commission has proposed initiatives to help members of the community identify their legal issues and gain an understanding of court processes.. For one example, court users can contact Illinois Court Help to get help navigating the court system. Supreme Court Rule 756(f) was adopted to be an annual reminder to Illinois lawyers that providing pro bono legal services is part of their professional responsibilities. Recently, the Illinois Supreme Court approved the concept of non-lawyer community justice workers. Illinois also faces a crisis in indigent criminal defense. The passage of the FAIR Act is an effort to find statewide solutions. The Covid pandemic forced the courts to adopt new ideas about access to justice. Many litigants today can have their legal issues resolved in remote proceedings. Courts are not a place, they are a service.  \nCourts must re","cbCaiukO7OAorLCS","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiukO7OAorLCS","pdf",145348,"English","# Retirement Letter\n## Justice Ethics and Judicial Independence\n## Judicial Education and Public Trust\n## Access to Justice and Community Support\n## Closing Reflections","[{\"question\":\"When will Justice Mary Jane Theis retire from the Illinois Supreme Court?\",\"answer\":\"She will retire at the end of business on January 29, 2026.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the letter identify as essential for public respect of judicial decisions?\",\"answer\":\"It states that people respect decisions when they believe the court was fair, and it emphasizes judicial accountability, independence, and ethics.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the letter describe Illinois efforts to improve access to justice?\",\"answer\":\"It cites the Access to Justice Commission, initiatives like Illinois Court Help, annual reminders for pro bono responsibilities, and support concepts including non-lawyer community justice workers, as well as remote proceedings during the Covid pandemic.\"}]","Justice Mary Jane Theis Retirement Letter - January 12, 2026 | PDF",1789489624]