Rita B. Garman

Rita B. Garman (born November 19, 1943) is a former American judge who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. She represented the Fourth Judicial District on the Supreme Court. She was elected by her peers to serve a three-year term as chief justice from October 26, 2013, to October 25, 2016. On May 10, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court announced that Fourth District Appellate Justice Lisa Holder White would be appointed to succeed Garman effective July 8, 2022.

Early life and education Garman was born in Aurora, Illinois. She was valedictorian of Oswego High School in 1961. She served as the Fifth Circuit's presiding judge from 1987 until her assignment to the appellate court. Claudia Anderson was appointed to succeed Garman as a circuit judge.

Carl A. Lund retired from his position as an appellate justice and Garman was appointed to the appellate bench on July 17, 1995. She was elected to the position in November 1996. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Illinois on February 1, 2001, and elected to the court on November 5, 2002. Representative John Turner was appointed to succeed Garman on the appellate court.

She was retained by the voters in 2012 for a term that ends in 2022. While on the Supreme Court, Garman also established a special committee on child custody issues and still serves as its liaison.

She is a member of the Vermilion County Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association, and Iowa Bar Association, as well as the Illinois Judges' Association.