File Photo – McHenry County Judge Michael Feetterer | Provided Photo

McHenry County Judge Michael Feetterer has been selected as the chief judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit after serving nearly 20 years as a judge in the court system.

The McHenry County 22nd Judicial Circuit judges selected Feetterer as chief judge for the term commencing on December 1 and ending on November 30, 2026.

Feetterer will succeed Chief Judge Michael Chmiel, who has served in the capacity since December 2022.

Feetterer received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Loyola University Chicago.

He attended DePaul University College of Law on a scholarship for undergraduate academic excellence.

Shortly after completing his Juris Doctor in 1990, he joined Diamond, LeSueur, Roth and Feetterer, P.C., as a civil and criminal litigator.

He prosecuted cases for several municipalities in northeastern Illinois, including Port Barrington and Island Lake, from 1997 to 2004.

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Feetterer practiced privately in McHenry where he served clients in matters of criminal, civil, family and real estate law.

He also served as a municipal attorney for the villages of Spring Grove, Richmond, McCullom Lake and as a local prosecutor for several other communities.

Since being appointed to the 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County as an associate judge in September 2004, Feetterer has served in the family division, special assignment and criminal division.

Feetterer became a circuit judge in December 2012 and currently serves as the presiding judge of the problem-solving division.

Feetterer currently presides over the Mental Health Court, Drug Court and DUI court programs.

“Reducing recidivism rates among nonviolent substance abuse offenders and helping increase the success of rehabilitation for this population through judicially supervised treatments and other therapeutic approaches is the focus of Judge Feetterer, and the dedicated probation and treatment professionals,” the 22nd Judicial Circuit said in a statement.

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In 2008, Feetterer helped create a local charity that raises funding and organizes outreach initiatives for ovarian cancer treatment and education.