Kibler Appointed Resident Circuit Judge

Justice David K. Overstreet and the Supreme Court of Illinois have announced the appointment of Bryan Kibler as Resident Circuit Court Judge of Effingham County, in the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

Kibler is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kimberly G. Koester on December 30, 2020. The appointment takes effect on August 22, 2022, and will conclude on December 5, 2022. Mr. Kibler is running unopposed for the position in the November general election.

Judge Martin Siemer has been serving as Acting Resident Circuit Judge since Judge Koester's retirement.

The Effingham County Board is to consider Assistant State's Attorney Robb Scales as Interim State's Attorney at their meeting this afternoon.

“I welcome Mr. Kibler to the judiciary as he takes the next step as resident circuit judge of Effingham County,” Justice Overstreet said. “His extensive experience as state’s attorney and in private practice have prepared him well for this new role.”

Kibler has served as the Effingham County State’s Attorney since 2012, winning election three times and handling thousands of felony, misdemeanor, and traffic matters per year. He has also served as Jasper County Public Defender and spent nearly 10 years in private practice, including time as a solo practitioner as well as at Hennessy & Roach, P.C., and Hepler Broom, LLC.

Kibler earned his Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Northern Illinois University and earned his Juris Doctor from the South Illinois University School of Law. His affiliations include the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association and the Effingham County Bar Association, of which he is a past President. From 2014 to 2020 he served on the board of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

The Fourth Judicial Circuit includes Christian, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery, and Shelby Counties.