Illinois Justices Set for New Term With Historic Female Majority

The Illinois Supreme Court will begin its January term Tuesday with a first-ever female majority after the court welcomed four new justices last year.

Justices Mary O’Brien and Elizabeth Rochford were sworn in last month following narrow victories in the November elections. The court appointed Lisa Holder White in July to fill one vacancy and appointed Joy Cunningham in November to fill the seat of a second retiring justice. Cunningham was also sworn in in December.

The addition of White—the first Black woman to serve on the state’s highest court—along with the three other new justices creates the ...