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Associate Judge Thomas Harris Jr. to run for Circuit Judge 
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[September
15, 2007]
LINCOLN – Associate Circuit
Judge Thomas Harris Jr., a Lincoln native, has announced that he
will be a candidate for Circuit Judge in the February 5, 2008
primary election.
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 Judge Harris will be running for the Circuit
Judge vacancy created as a result of the recent announcement by
Circuit Judge David L. Coogan that he will retire effective November
30, 2008. Coogan has held the Circuit Judge position for the last
nine years and served as Associate Circuit Judge prior to being
elected as Circuit Judge. “Logan County will deeply miss having
Judge Coogan on the bench,” said Harris. “We have been extremely
fortunate to have had a judge of his caliber in this courthouse.
Judge Coogan treats people fairly and with respect, and he works
hard. His will be large shoes to fill.” Harris was
appointed by the Judges of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit to fill the
vacancy left by the resignation of Donald Behle. Prior to his
appointment, Harris worked as an attorney in the Bloomington office
of Jerome Mirza and Associates, Ltd. His extensive legal experience
includes litigation in more than 50 counties in Illinois, Missouri,
Iowa and Indiana. “My appointment to the bench served as an
endorsement by all of the judges of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit
and I hope to receive similar support from the voters in Logan
County. I would consider it a great honor to serve the citizens of
Logan County as their Circuit Judge,” Harris said.
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Harris began his legal career in the Lincoln law firm started by his
great grandfather - Judge Thomas M. Harris - in 1921, and practiced
with his father, Thomas M. Harris, Sr., and uncle, Homer B. Harris,
Jr. He also worked as an assistant state’s attorney in Logan County
under the State’s Attorney at the time, John W. Turner.
Judge Harris was selected earlier this year to serve as Associate
Judge from a field of 14 attorneys who applied for the position. The
selection process included a poll conducted by the Illinois State
Bar Association asking attorneys from the five counties that make up
the Eleventh Judicial Circuit to rate the judicial candidates.
Harris was given a 100% rating for integrity and overall was deemed
to meet or exceed acceptable standards for the office of judge by
95% of those polled.
After graduating from Lincoln Community High School, Harris
graduated from the University of Illinois and the University of
Colorado School of Law. He served as a board member of the
Chester-East Lincoln School Board from 2004 until the time of his
judicial appointment. He was a member of the Board of Directors of
the Illinois Bar Foundation and he has been a frequent lecturer at
Illinois State Bar Association seminars. Harris, a life-long
resident of Lincoln, and his wife, Regina, have three children.
[Text copied from file received from
a press release]
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