Published on April 9, 2026 3:38 pm
Last Updated on April 9, 2026 3:40 pm
Circuit Judge Tracy W. Resch of Marshall has announced that he will not seek retention following the end of his current term expiring December 7, 2026.
First elected as Clark County Resident Circuit Judge in 1990, he has been retained for five successive six-year terms, bringing his tenure in office to 36 years. He has presided over cases throughout the Fifth Judicial Circuit, which encompasses five counties: Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar and Vermilion.
Judge Resch is a 1967 Casey High School graduate (now Casey-Westfield). He earned his law degree from the University of Illinois in 1973. He began his career practicing law as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Division of the Attorney General’s Office in Springfield. He served as States Attorney in Clark County between 1976 and 1981 after which he was in private law practice for a decade before his election as Circuit Judge.
“I will greatly miss this job and miss the many people who have made my time in public service worthwhile”, Judge Resch said. “It has been an honor to serve alongside fellow judges and with our dependable, hardworking clerks, court reporters, bailiffs, probation officers and staff. I am grateful to the citizens of Clark County for entrusting me with the responsibility of doing this job fairly and impartially.”
During his tenure, Judge Resch was elected twice as Chief Circuit Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit , serving from 2007 to 2011. As a member of the Committee on Education of the Illinois Judicial Conference on appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court, he has been active in statewide programs for judicial education having taught courses and served on planning committees for educational conferences. He was Chair of the Benchbook Editorial Board, which oversees annual publication of eight judicial benchbooks that are used by Illinois
judges.
