Taxation & Estate Planning

Cook County Probate Judges (Deceased Estates)

By Joel A. Schoenmeyer

I have previously provided information about the Cook County probate judges who handle deceased estates -- most recently here (1/26/2010, after Judge Kennedy retired). At that time, the judges were Budzinski, Malak, Coleman, and Coghlan. However, Judges Budzinski and Malak have now retired, creating a bit of upheaval. Both judges had been on the bench since I began going to probate court, back in 1996. What's next for the deceased estates department?

Well, Judge Coghlan has taken over from Judge Budzinski as presiding judge of the probate division (and has also taken over his calendar), and Judge Coleman has moved over to Judge Malak's courtroom (but kept her old calendar). Judge Riley has also moved -- over to deceased estates from guardianships, taking over Judge Coghlan's calendar. That still leaves us one judge short (my clerk just set up a date to open a new estate on calendar #11, and was told that the judge is "TBD.")

Here's the new lineup:

Calendar #2: Judge Mary Ellen Coghlan (Presiding Judge of the Probate Division), Room 1803
Calendar #8: Judge Susan M. Coleman, Room 1801
Calendar #7: Judge James G. Riley, Room 1802
Calendar #11: ? (as of today -- 1/14/11 -- this calendar is being heard by the other probate judges on a week-to-week basis)

Full post as published by Death and Taxes Blog on January 13, 2011 (boomark / email).