Associate Judge Richard Klaus Fired By Peers On The Bench
Champaign County courthouse in Urbana where the Hon. Richard Klaus was fired by his peers on the bench. It's the first time in 37 years that an associate judge has been terminated. (Wikimedia Commons)
For the first time since 1979, a Champaign County Associate Judge has been fired from his position on the bench.
Mary Schenk of the News-Gazette reports that Richard Klaus has been relieved of his duties after ten years as Associate Judge.
Chief Judge Dan Flannell says Klaus committed no wrongdoing, but that the public had lost confidence in him.
To be retained, nine of the 14 judges in the six-county circuit would have had to vote for Klaus.
Results of that vote have not been made public.
In April, an Illinois State Bar Association poll of 120 lawyers did not recommend Klaus for retention.
The judicial circuit voted to retain the other three Champaign County associate judges and the other six associates in the circuit.