Eileen O'Neill Burke
Eileen O'Neill Burke | |
|---|---|
| Cook County State's Attorney | |
| Assumed office December 2, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Foxx |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illinois Institute of Technology |
Eileen O'Neill Burke is an American lawyer, politician, and former judge serving Cook County State's Attorney since 2024. She was previously a justice on the Illinois First District Appellate Court and a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County. Before that, she worked for a decade as a prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer.
Early life and education
O'Neill Burke was born and raised in Northwest Side, Chicago. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.[1]
Career
O'Neill Burke began her legal career as an assistant state’s attorney for Cook County, Illinois, a position she held for ten years, where she prosecuted criminal cases.[1] Following her time as a prosecutor, she worked as a criminal defense lawyer, representing juveniles and adults in the legal system.[1]
In 2008, O'Neill Burke was elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County, where she presided over both criminal and civil cases for eight years.[1] She also taught civil procedure to new judges in Illinois, beginning in 2012.[1] During the 2016 Illinois judicial elections, she was elected to the Illinois First District Appellate Court, where she reviewed more than 1,800 trial court decisions and issued over 800 written opinions.[1][2] During her tenure, she served as faculty for judicial education programs, training both trial and appellate judges.[1]
From 2022 to mid-2023, O'Neill Burke served as 51st president of the Illinois Judges Association, leading educational and community outreach initiatives.[1][3]
During the 2024 Cook County, Illinois, elections, O'Neill Burke was elected Cook County State's Attorney. She narrowly defeated Clayton Harris III in the Democratic primary by fewer than 1,600 votes and won the general election with approximately 61 percent of the vote against Republican candidate Bob Fioretti.[4][5] On December 2, 2024, she succeeded Kim Foxx, who chose not to run for reelection.[5]
As State’s Attorney, O'Neill Burke stated her intention to implement stricter policies for prosecuting gun crimes and offenses involving specific firearm enhancements. She also emphasized support for restorative justice programs for non-violent offenders while addressing challenges such as wrongful convictions and strained relations between law enforcement and her office.[4]
Personal life
O'Neill Burke is married to lawyer John "JD" Burke.[2] They have four adult children.[1]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Eileen O'Neill Burke (incumbent) | 1,038,128 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,038,128 | 100 | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Eileen O'Neill Burke". Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ a b "Justice Eileen O'Neill Burke Bio". Illinois Judges Association. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Justice Eileen O'Neill Burke Was Installed As President Of The Illinois Judges Association". River Bender. June 17, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Armentrout, Mitchell (December 2, 2024). "New Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke vows to lower 'war zone numbers' of Chicago violence". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Buckley, Madeline (December 2, 2024). "As she is sworn in, State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke decries violence and pledges new detention policy". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Election Results 2016 GENERAL ELECTION". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 2, 2020.[permanent dead link]
- Living people
- Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County
- State attorneys
- Women prosecutors
- Politicians from Chicago
- Lawyers from Chicago
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
- Chicago-Kent College of Law alumni
- 21st-century American women judges
- 21st-century Illinois politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Women in Illinois politics
- District attorneys in Illinois
- Illinois Democrats