QUINCY — Fourth District Appellate Court Justice Amy Lannerd has officially launched her campaign for a full term.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White and her colleagues on the Supreme Court unanimously assigned Lannerd to the Illinois Appellate Court, and she was sworn in on Dec. 5, 2022. Lannerd filled the vacancy when Justice John W. Turner decided not to seek retention.

Lannerd has been a trial court judge since 2016 when the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously appointed her to the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court. She was elected to that position in 2018. Before her Appellate Court assignment, she was presiding over a felony docket in Adams County.

Lannerd began her legal career in private practice nearly 22 years ago in Quincy. She became a partner in the law firm of Lewis, Longlett and Lannerd, LLC. She also served as a family and divorce mediator and guardian ad litem.

Lannerd has been actively involved in legal education and has been a presenter at both the 2020 and 2022 Educational Conferences for judges. She also has taught various courses for continuing legal education for attorneys.

In a press release, Lannerd said, “This assignment to the appellate court has been the honor of a lifetime. Since my first day on the bench as a circuit judge, my goal has been to serve with integrity, fairness and a strong work ethic. I want to continue those values on the Illinois Appellate Court where I have sworn to faithfully uphold the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Illinois.”

“Justice Lannerd is a bright, hardworking community-minded person who is highly respected by her colleagues and the legal community,” Holder White said. “She has extensive experience in the law and has handled a multitude of different types of cases since taking the bench in 2016. I have every confidence that she will use her experience, common-sense reasoning and knowledge to faithfully follow the rule of law as written and not legislate from the bench.”

Local counties of Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Hancock, McDonough and Pike are included in the 41-county Fourth District Appellate Court zone in Illinois.