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Justice | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

Hyman, Michael B.

  • Title: Appellate Court Justice
  • District: 1

Justice Michael B. Hyman was assigned to the First Appellate District on January 8, 2013. He was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook in 2006. The people of Cook County elected him to a countywide seat for a full-six year term in 2008. Before joining the judiciary, Justice Hyman was a principal at Much Shelist, Chicago, which he joined in 1979 after serving two years as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the Antitrust Division. He graduated from Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, with honors in 1974, and from Northwestern University School of Law in 1977.

As a judge of the Circuit Court Of Cook County, Justice Hyman sat in the General Chancery Division (Oct. 2010 – Jan. 2013); Domestic Relations Division (Mar. 2009 – Sept. 2010); Supplementary Proceedings, Courtroom 1401 (mid-Dec. 2006 – Mar. 2009); Municipal Court, non-jury, contract and tort trials (mid-Sept. 2006 – mid-Dec. 2006); and Traffic Court (July 2006 – mid-Sept. 2006).

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Justice Hyman to serve as the chairperson of the Illinois Judicial Conference Committee on Strategic planning for the Conference year 2013.

Justice Hyman has a habit of getting involved in causes he cares about and has been active in numerous professional organizations. Among them are: Chicago Bar Association (President, 2005 - 06 and Editor-in-chief of the CBA Record and columnist, 1988 - 1990, 1993 – 2004, and 2007 -present); Illinois Judges Association (First Vice-President, 2012-2013 and Board member 2007 - present); Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (Committee member, 2007 - present); Illinois Judges Foundation (Board member, 2007 - present); Chicago Bar Foundation (Secretary, 2011 - present and Board member, 2003 - present); Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program (Executive Committee, 2007 – 2010 and acting treasurer 2009 - 2010); American Bar Association (House of Delegates, Chicago Bar Association representative, 2005 – 2009; Coalition on Racial & Ethnic Justice, chair, 2012 - present and member, 2009 - present; Judicial Division, Lawyers Conference, Chair, 2008 - 2009 and executive committee member, 2002 - 2010; Section of Litigation; Editor-in-chief, Litigation News, 1990 – 1992; Founding editor-in-chief, Litigation Docket, 1995 – 2001; Chair of a number of Section committees); and the Illinois State Bar Association (elected representative, Assembly, 1986 - 1992; 1993 - 1996; 2000 - 2004; Chair of a number of ISBA Committees or Councils); and Jewish Judges Association of Illinois (president, 2011 - present).

Other leadership roles of Justice Hyman include the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois (Board member, 2009 - present); SCRIBES, The American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects (First vice-present, 2012-present and board member, 2004-present); Coalition for Equal Justice (Chair, 2009 - present); and Decalogue Society of Lawyers (president, 2004 - 2005).

Justice Hyman has written numerous articles and columns on a variety of subjects which have appeared in legal publications including CBA Record, ISBA newsletters, ABA Judges’ Journal, Chicago Lawyer, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and The Bencher (American Inns of Court publication), among others. In addition, he frequently speaks at education programs for attorneys, law students, and judges.

Among awards Justice Hyman has received are the CBA's inaugural Diversity Initiative Award (2006); the IJA Presidential Service Award (2007); and the Court of Honor Award from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (2008).