Distinguished former judge named Criminal Division Chief for Will County State’s Attorney’s Office
September 14
JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that he has named retired Will County Judge Robert Lorz as the Chief of his Criminal Division.
Lorz, who retired in December 2008, has presided over every criminal and civil call with the sole exception of the probate call during his 22 years on the bench. The distinguished former judge brings to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office a wealth of experience accumulated over his 33-year legal career.
As the Criminal Division Chief, Lorz will supervise 40 assistant state’s attorneys who are responsible for the charging and prosecution of every felony and misdemeanor case handled by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. In 2008, the state’s attorney’s office charged 3,043 felony cases and 5,216 misdemeanor cases.
Lorz tentatively is scheduled to start work with the state’s attorney’s office on Oct. 1.
“I have known Bob for over 30 years, and he is an outstanding addition to this office,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “He has an extraordinary sense of fairness and justice, along with a keen intellect. He makes an already formidable staff even stronger in my mission to make Will County safe for all of our families to live and prosper.”
Lorz was appointed to the bench as an associate judge in March 1987 and served four chief judges over those two decades. In July 2007, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed him as a circuit judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit’s newly created Second Sub Circuit, a position he held until his retirement in December 2008.
Lorz spent half of his career on the bench presiding over the 12th Judicial Circuit’s various civil calls and the other half presiding over the circuit’s criminal calls, including both felony and misdemeanor calls. As a judge, he was certified by the Illinois Supreme Court to preside over felony cases.
Lorz also presided over juvenile cases. As a juvenile court judge, he instituted the truancy call, which involved the local court in the process of getting truant children off Will County’s streets and back into the classrooms.
“I was honored that Jim Glasgow asked me to head his criminal division,” Lorz said. “It was a privilege to serve the citizens of Will County as a judge, and I welcome this opportunity to serve them in a new capacity. I am looking forward to this challenge.”
Before becoming a judge, Lorz worked for the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office for several years in the middle and late 1970s as a prosecutor in the criminal division. He later served in the office’s civil division, where he provided critical legal advice to Will County Board members and their top administrators.
Lorz also served for six years as an assistant corporation counsel for the City of Joliet in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was a trial attorney for Joliet, representing the city and its citizens skillfully in local court as well as at the federal level.
Lorz also worked as an attorney in the private sector for several years in both Will and Cook Counties.
He is a 1975 graduate of Northwestern University Law School and received his undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University. A Will County resident for more than 30 years, he currently lives in Shorewood with his wife, Judy. He has one son, Michael, who is attending New York University.