Honorable Michael D. McHaney was sworn in as the At Large, Circuit Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit this morning. Chief Judge S. Gene Schwarm conducted the swearing in ceremony at the Marion County Courthouse. Judge McHaney was appointed to this position by the Illinois Supreme Court in March.
CONTACT: Chris Ruys Communications, Inc.
Chris Ruys (312) 337-7746, chris@chrisruys.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 2010
Judge Michael McHaney Completes Training to Present Teen Safety Program
Hon. Michael McHaney, an associate circuit judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit [which includes the counties of Clay, Christian, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery, and Shelby], has completed a training program offered by the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) called “7 Reasons to Leave the Party,” and is available to present the free program to schools.
The 50-minute, award-winning presentation – which originated in the 8th Judicial Circuit and was expanded and developed for statewide presentation by 8th Judicial Circuit Judge Mark A. Drummond – provides 7th through 12th grade students with information about the consequences of poor choices. The talk, which is peppered with true stories of teens who made wrong decisions, is designed to drive home this message: Encourage your friends to avoid wrong behavior, and you can prevent them from having a criminal record or losing their driver’s license. You may even save a life.
To date, 105 judges statewide have voluntarily completed the training, and the program has been presented to nearly 50,000 teens throughout the state.
“By the time a teen hits the courthouse, it is too late,” Judge Drummond has said. “This is our attempt as judges at preventative law.” “Most teens want to do the right thing and the program gives those teens 7 reasons to encourage their peers to do the same. Each teen is given a “contract” to go over with his or her parent or guardian where the teen pledges not to drink alcohol, not to drive with someone who has been drinking and, furthermore, to promise that, if they are at a place where they feel uncomfortable or unsafe, they will call the parent or guardian for a ride home – no questions asked.”
The first five percent of teens at each school who deliver to the designated school official the “contract” with their signature and that of a parent or guardian will receive a key chain flashlight, courtesy of
the IJA.
For further information or to schedule a presentation, contact the Illinois Judges Association at
321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604, or call (312) 431-1283 or email the
association at info@ija.org.
###
Thanks to all those who voted in the democrat primary on February 2, 2010. I appreciate your continued support as we move forward to the general election in November.
Sincerely,
Mike McHaney
Listed below are the results from the Illinois State Bar Association:
Meets Requirements : 94.19
Integrity : 94.32
Impartiality : 94.32
Legal Ability : 93.10
Temperment : 90.70
Court Management : 93.10
Health : 89.53
Sensitivity : 92.05
Mike McHaney is “recommended” for the office of Circuit Judge.
Source: Illinoislawyernow.com
Early voting will begin January 11th, 2010 and end January 28th, 2010. The Primary Election will be February 2nd, 2010.
Thanks to all who attended the fundraiser and those who mailed donations. Your generous support made it a successful evening.
An Envelope Fundraiser for Citizens to Elect Mike McHaney for Circuit Judge on September 18, 2009 at the Centralia House located at 111 North Oak St. Centralia, IL between 5p and 8p.
Download Flyer (PDF)
Contributions may be also mailed to:
Citizens to Elect Mike McHaney
PO Box 1244
Salem, IL 62882
Associate Judge Mike McHaney has announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Circuit Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court, to fill the upcoming vacancy of retiring Judge Kathleen Moran.
Judge McHaney graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Illinois University in 1979 and obtained his law degree from SIU School of Law in 1982. That same year, McHaney was licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois and began a twenty-four year career as a trial attorney. The last eight of those years, Judge McHaney served as the Marion County Public Defender.
In 2006 McHaney applied for the position of Associate Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court. Citing his extensive experience in civil and criminal litigation, jury trials in state and federal courts and service to community, McHaney was appointed to the Associate Judge’s position.
Since his appointment, Judge McHaney has presided over the civil, criminal and juvenile daily dockets in all nine counties in the Fourth Circuit. McHaney has also presided over felony criminal and civil jury trials throughout the circuit. Judge McHaney believes that his tenure as an associate gives the citizens of the Fourth Circuit an option to vote for a candidate with prior judicial experience. “With the retirement of Judges John Coady, Kathleen Moran and David Sauer the Fourth Circuit will be losing over sixty years of combined judicial excellence.” Therefore, McHaney says, “Now, more than ever, experience counts.”
McHaney has participated in yearly judicial training, most recently at the National Conference of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in Chicago, Illinois.
Judge McHaney is a member of the Illinois Judge’s Association, a past president of the Marion and Jefferson County Bar Associations, past president of the Jefferson County Shrine Club and Past Exalted Ruler of Elks Lodge #819. In addition, McHaney served on the Summersville Grade School Board for four years.
Judge McHaney and his wife Laura reside in Salem and have four grown children. Timothy of Chicago; Meghan, a graduate student at University of Illinois; Colin, a member of the Illinois National Guard, currently stationed in Afghanistan and Daniel, a senior at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.