Bill Text: IL SR1072 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Justice Charles E. Freeman.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-03-05 - Resolution Adopted [SR1072 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SR1072-Introduced.html

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SR1072 LRB101 21046 LAW 71294 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Justice Charles E. Freeman of Chicago,
who passed away on March 2, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman was born in Richmond, Virginia on
December 12, 1933; he was the descendent of slaves who adopted
the "Freeman" surname to reflect their freedom, which was
gained before the Civil War; he earned his bachelor's degree
from Virginia Union University in 1954 and his Juris Doctor
from the John Marshall Law School in 1962; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman had a long and distinguished
professional and public career in Illinois; he served as an
assistant attorney general, an assistant state's attorney, and
an attorney for the Board of Election Commissioners; he also
engaged in the general practice of law from 1962 to 1976; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman was appointed as an arbitrator to
the Illinois Industrial Commission in January 1965 and served
in that capacity until September 1973; he served on the
Illinois Commerce Commission from September 1973 to December
1976; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman was elected to the Cook County

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Circuit Court in 1976 and served for 10 years, winning two
elections in the process; while a circuit court judge, he
became the first African American to swear in a Chicago mayor,
his good friend Harold Washington; he was elected to the
appellate court in 1986; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman was elected to the Illinois
Supreme Court on November 6, 1990, becoming the first African
American to serve on the highest court in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman was selected as chief justice of
the Illinois Supreme Court on May 12, 1997, becoming the first
African American to serve in that role; he served until January
1, 2000; and
WHEREAS, Justice Freeman retired on June 14, 2018, bringing
to a close a legal career that spanned nearly six decades; he
was the fifth-longest serving justice in Illinois Supreme Court
history at 27 years, six months; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Justice Charles E. Freeman and extend our sincere condolences
to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
it further

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RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Justice Charles Freeman as an
expression of our deepest sympathy.