Bertina E. Lampkin

Professional career

• Circuit Court Judge (1992–2009), supervising Domestic Violence Courts, Night Narcotics Court, and the Criminal Division
• Associate Judge, Cook County Circuit Court (1987–1992), including Assistant Supervisor of the Traffic Division

Education

Additional information

• Justice of the Illinois 1st District Appellate Court, appointed in 2009, currently serving as Presiding Justice in the Fourth Division, and running for retention in the November 3, 2026 judicial election
• Nonpartisan candidate for retention in the November 3, 2026 judicial election
• 1985–1987: Assistant Corporation Counsel.
• 1974–1985: Assistant State’s Attorney.
• Born December 20, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, Lampkin graduated valedictorian from DuSable High School, earned her B.A. from Roosevelt University, and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law
• Date of birth: 1948-12-20
• She is active in professional organizations including the Illinois Judges’ Association, Illinois Judicial Council, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, and the Black Women Lawyers’ Association
• Lampkin has served on multiple Illinois Supreme Court committees, chairing the Criminal Law and Probation Administration Committee, the Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases Committee, and currently chairs the Illinois Appellate Court Administrative Committee.
• For over 20 years, she has taught judges on topics such as death penalty litigation, guilty plea handling, jury selection, and appellate practice.
• She has also contributed to the Illinois Judicial Benchbook on criminal law and procedure
• Her honors include the Cook County Bar Association Judicial Award, National Black Prosecutors Award, DePaul University Distinguished Service to the Profession Award, and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Mary Heftel Hooten Award
• Birth place: Chicago, IL