The McWard Family
Mighty Oaks from Small Acorns Grow
Judge Susan Clancy Boles declares candidacy for Illinois Appellate Court
August 3, 2021
St. Charles, Kane County – Susan Clancy Boles issued a news release this afternoon declaring her candidacy for the Second District Appellate Court of Illinois. This newly redrawn district encompasses DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.
Boles has served as a judge in Kane County since 2007. She was appointed as an Associate Judge in 2007 and appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to Circuit Court Judge in 2008. She was elected as Circuit Court Judge by the voters of Kane County in 2010.
Prior to becoming an attorney and judge, Boles was born and raised in the Tri-Cities and graduated from St. Charles High School. After high school, Judge Boles earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. She obtained her law degree, with high distinction, from Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana. Judge Boles’ experiences and education are steeped in Midwestern American values; hard work, integrity, and impartiality – values consistent with her local upbringing in Kane County.
Those strong values led Judge Boles back to the tri-cities after completing her education, where she and her husband raised their three children, each of whom graduated from St. Charles East High School.
Judge Boles is a fourth-generation attorney whose family has practiced law in Kane County for over seven decades, helping to provide legal services to friends, neighbors, and the community at large.
In 2015, the Kane County Chronicle honored Judge Boles with one of its “Everyday Heroes” awards for her contributions to her community. She was also honored with a “Key to the City” for her charitable and volunteer work in her hometown. St. Charles High School named Judge Boles a distinguished alumnus in 2016.
In Boles’ 14 years on the bench, she has presided over almost every type of case within the judicial system. She has held leadership positions, both by appointment and election, throughout her judicial career. She was elected by the Kane County circuit judges as Chief Judge in 2015 and served in that role for two terms through 2019. Judge Boles was elected by the State of Illinois chief judges to serve as Vice Chair of the Circuit Court of Chief Judges Conference from 2017- 2019. Judge Boles was one of only 15 judges across the state who served as an original member of the re-constituted Illinois Judicial Conference. She currently sits as the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division for the 16th judicial circuit.
Since 2017, Judge Boles has served by appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court as a member of the Illinois Judicial College standing committee on Judicial Education. Since 2010, she has served as a presenter/instructor for EdCon, the continuing education conference held for judges across the state. Judge Boles served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) from 2010 - 2016. She currently serves as IJA Chair of the Worries of the World Wide Web In-School Programs Committee, a state-wide program she co-created which addresses the increasing problems of cyber bullying, electronic harassment, and sexting/pornography amongst middle school aged students. Judge Boles speaks to both middle and high school age students on a variety of topics youth are faced with today.
Judge Boles serves by appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court on the Executive Board of the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) and the Judicial Mentor Committee. She is also a trained facilitator for the Illinois Judicial Performance Evaluation Program (JEP).
“My record of service, hard work and integrity coupled with my continuous role as a leader in the judicial system have fully prepared me to serve as a conscientious and committed appellate jurist,” Boles stated. “I hope to serve in this capacity for all citizens in the Second District.”
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Prepared by Coattail Digital Media
Contact Dan Szczesny at 773-554-6052 for more information.
Paid for by Susan Clancy Boles for Appellate Court.
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NOTE:
Sue is the first McWard descendant to run for the Appellate Court. Gail McWard was a Judge in the Circuit Court of Illinois. Gail McWard was one of R. J. McWard's grandsons (son of Elmer McWard) and R.J. was R.D. McWard's brother. Richard McWard knew Gail and his brother, Bob also attorney. They lived in Taylorville and in our early days of the reunion they sometimes came when the reunions were held on the family farm. Gail and Bob helped the McWard family with R.D. McWard and Rose estate and also helped us with some our legal issues related to the farms at least into the 1970’s.
Gail played football or attempted to for a short period time with the Chicago Bears before his Father Elmer made him come back to Christian county. Gail McWard was one of the last county judges before they switched over to circuit judges.
