Cook County Bar Association Congratulates the Honorable P. Scott Neville, Jr. on his Election to the Illinois Supreme Court

The Cook County Bar Association congratulates Past-President P. Scott Neville, Jr., on his recent election to the Illinois Supreme Court. Justice Neville is now the second African American elected to serve on the state's highest court.

Justice Neville was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and he attended Chicago public elementary and high schools. After graduating from Washington University's School of Law in 1974, Justice Neville began his legal career as a law clerk for a justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. His distinguished career continued with roles in both public and private practice. Among Justice Neville's many contributions to the profession is that he co-founded the Alliance of Bar Associations, a group that is dedicated to promoting diversity and fairness in judicial evaluations.  

In 1999, Justice Neville was appointed to be a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County; he was elected as a judge the following year. Justice Neville was appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court in 2004. Then, eight years later, he was elected to serve as a justice on that court.

In June 2018, Justice Neville was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court. In his time on the supreme court, Justice Neville has authored groundbreaking opinions, including People v. Buffer, 2019 IL 122327, where the Court held that sentencing a juvenile offender to more than 40 years in prison constitutes a de facto life sentence that violates the Eighth Amendment.

Diversity is important at every level of the judiciary. Yet, it is critical for the highest court of the state to reflect the diversity in its population. CCBA celebrates Justice Neville's most recent accomplishment, and we are pleased that the court remains diverse.