Amy Maher Is Sworn In As Circuit Judge of the Third District, Follows Grandfather's Footsteps

EDWARDSVILLE - Republican Amy Maher followed some big family footsteps when she was officially sworn into her position as Circuit Judge of the Third District at 11:30 a.m. on Monday. Amy's grandfather, Michael Kinney, was a long-time Madison County Circuit Judge in the area for 20 years. He retired in 1972 from his judge role.

Amy also shared another thing in common with her grandfather, they were both born on Sept. 11.

"I was my grandfather's first grandchild," she said. "My grandfather died in 1986 when I was in law school at Notre Dame."

Amy grew up in Alton and attended St. Mary's High School and Marquette High School. She attended Cornell College in Iowa, then law school at Notre Dame.

"My mom thought the law would be a good path for me and my brother, Tim," Amy said. "Tim met his wife at Notre Dame and he still lives and practices law in South Bend. Several of their children have gone to Notre Dame and St. Mary's."

Amy said her mom, Maureen, was her strong support to get through law school.

"She was very proud of me going to law school and was the driving force in that," Amy said. "She was very happy I pursued that path."

Maher won her race for Circuit Judge of the Third District with 70,232 votes to Thomas Gibbons' 61,393 votes.

Maher released the following statement today: "It's official, I'm actually a judge! So very happy my Dad and my sister were able to be there with Roger and me today. It was a nice, small, event. Thank you to Justice Overstreet for administering the oath, Chief Judge Mudge, Circuit Clerk Tom McRae, and Coroner Steve Nonn for attending, and to Judge Threlkeld for letting me borrow his courtroom.

"Special thanks to Marla Davis, Trial Court Administrator, for getting everything organized. I'm very happy to say I'll be back in Juvenile Court and getting right to work. Thanks to everyone for the support!"

Amy said her husband, Roger Smith, was huge support for her the past 25 years and she could not have done the campaign for the judge position without him. Smith is the chief deputy coroner of Madison County.

As Amy stood during the swearing-in she thought of her family and their support and her grandfather, who once stood and did the same oath.

“I think he thought the law was a good legacy," she said. "He loved the law. I think he was proud that other people in his family pursued it.”

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