Givens Running for Circuit Judge

Clay County State's Attorney Phillip Givens has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for 4th District Circuit Judge in the 2026 election.

Givens is a Gallatin County High School and U of I graduate and earned his law degree from SIU School of Law. Givens and his wife have been married since 2018 and have three children. He has experience as a public defender, private civil attorney, assistant state's attorney, and assistant attorney general, as well as state's attorney.

Givens said, "A judge must possess the highest qualities of fairness, firmness, and impartiality to uphold justice in all areas of the law. Judges serve as neutral authorities in the courtroom, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to be heard and that the law is applied with integrity and consistency. These principles are not just professional standards to me--they are values I hold deeply and practice every day."