Edwardsville attorney, SIUE graduate to fill Circuit Judge David Hylla’s vacancy for now
An Edwardsville attorney and graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was picked to fill a circuit judge vacancy in Madison County until the 2020 election, the Illinois Supreme Court announced Friday.
Christopher P. Threlkeld, a registered Republican from Edwardsville, will take over for Circuit Judge David Hylla when he retires Jan. 1.
Threlkeld is a partner with the law firm Lucco, Brown, Threlkeld & Dawson LLP, where he works in criminal defense, business and civil litigation and appeals.
Earlier this year, Threlkeld represented Christopher K. Coleman, the former director of the Lessie Bates Neighborhood House in East St. Louis who pleaded guilty to embezzling more than a quarter million dollars from the nonprofit. The Neighborhood House uses federal money to help East St. Louis residents out of poverty.
Coleman will be sentenced in federal court in February, according to the latest court docket. The maximum prison sentence he could receive is 10 years. In his plea agreement, Coleman is asking the judge to consider a prison sentence of 18-24 months and more than $270,000 in restitution, plus fines.
Threlkeld earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in 1990; a master’s degree in business administration from SIUE in 1993; and a doctorate degree in jurisprudence from the Saint Louis University School of Law in 2000, according to the experience and education listed on his law firm’s website.
The Illinois Supreme Court’s announcement stated that Threlkeld is not a candidate for Hylla’s seat in the 2020 election. His appointment ends Dec. 7.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons, a Democrat, is running for the position, along with Republican Amy Maher, a former assistant state’s attorney in Madison County.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 2:22 PM.
