Rita B. Garman

Rita B. Garman (born November 19, 1943) is a former American judge who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. She represented the Fourth Judicial District on the Supreme Court. She was elected by her peers to serve a three-year term as chief justice from October 26, 2013, to October 25, 2016. Garman announced on May 9, 2022, that she would retire from the Supreme Court on July 7, 2022. On May 10, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court announced that Fourth District Appellate Justice Lisa Holder White would be appointed to succeed Garman effective July 8, 2022. Early life and education Garman was born in Aurora, Illinois. She was valedictorian of Oswego High School in 1961. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in economics with highest honors from the University of Illinois in 1965, Bronze Tablet. She earned her Juris Doctor degree with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1968. Career After law school, Garman was briefly employed by the Vermilion County Legal Aid Society. Garman was an assistant state's sttorney in Vermilion County, Illinois from 1969 to 1973. She later briefly worked in private practice with Sebat, Swanson, Banks, Lessen & Garman in 1973.