Justice Walker is a native Chicagoan, who currently serves on the Illinois Appellate Court. He is admitted to the practice of law in both Illinois and Iowa and engaged in a busy practice of criminal and civil law for 14 years prior to being appointed Judge in 2006. He has served in Domestic Violence, Criminal Misdemeanors, Felony Preliminary Hearings, Evictions, Juvenile, and the Law Division hearing cases on administrative review, eminent domain, confessions of judgment, post judgment, and other extraordinary remedies. He also served as the Supervising Judge of the Surety Section until the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him to the Appellate Court where he has served since June 2018.
Justice Walker is a graduate of Chicago Vocational High School, and he matriculated through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he served as a Resident Advisor, earned an academic achievement award, and pledged Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. After earning an undergraduate degree in Accounting, he became a Certified Public Accountant. Subsequently, he attended The University of Iowa College of Law, where he served on the Iowa Law Review. Justice Walker’s efforts to make the atmosphere more hospitable to students of all backgrounds made him a recipient of the law school’s prestigious Human Rights Award.
Justice Walker has been admitted into the Distinguished Service Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. because of his extraordinary service to the fraternity and the community at large. His community service includes preparing eighth-grade students to pass the Algebra Exit Exam, tutor for the Upward Bound Program, a Junior Achievement volunteer, coordinator of the Positive Force Youth Foundation mentor program, coach of AAU and biddy basketball, Local School Council member, the Rainbow Push Coalition, 16th Ward Task Force, an advisor to the First Offenders Program of the Englewood community, along with many other community activities. He is a past president of the Illinois Judicial Council and board member of the Illinois Judges Association. Justice Walker previously served as a board member and treasurer of the Cook County Bar Association.
Justice Walker has been extremely active in the judiciary by serving as a member of the Illinois Judicial Conference, Liaison to the Commission on Professionalism, Committee on Judicial Education, Chairperson of Professional Responsibility Education Track, Diversity & Inclusion Workgroup, Committee on Pattern Jury Instruction-Criminal, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Legislative Committee, Judicial Ethics Committee, Juvenile Courts Committee, Disparate Impact Workgroup, Appellate Court Rules Committee, and Commission on Elder Law. Justice Walker has also served as a faculty member of the Illinois Judicial College since 2010. He has lectured for the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association and served as a panelist for the Joint Federal/State Judicial Conference.
Justice Walker and his family are members of the Trinity United Church of Christ, and he has four talented children. He was featured in the Daily Law Bulletin as a Judge who “applies restraint in the use of his power.” Justice Walker is seeking to retain his seat on the Appellate Court.
www.justicecarlwalker.com
