The trial date for for Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Adrian before the Illinois Courts Commission is going to be set next month.
Muddy Rivers News reports that on Thursday last week, attorneys on both sides of Adrian’s case pushed for a November trial date because of ongoing conflicts of scheduling. The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint on June 17th last year against Adrian after he vacated the conviction of then-18 year old Drew Clinton in a felony criminal sexual assault case in October 2021. Chief Judge of the 8th Circuit, Pike County Judge J. Frank McCartney later removed Adrian from presiding over criminal cases on January 13th last year in the fallout of that decision.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Lewis Nixon who coordinated the hearing for the Illinois Courts Commission on Thursday was concerned about waiting almost a full year to hear Adrian’s case. Nixon set a March 9th pretrial hearing date so that the parties in the case can come to an agreement for the trial’s start.
Adrian testified under oath before the Judicial Inquiry Board in April last year about the Clinton case. The JIB’s complaint said Adrian explained his decision to reverse his finding of guilt in the sexual assault case was based upon the evidence and his conclusion that the prosecution had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the victim could not give consent. Adrian also allegedly testified that his reversal was not an effort to “thwart the law.” The JIB alleged in its complaint that Adrian’s testimony was false, and Adrian knew it was false when he made the statements violating several rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
If found guilty by the Illinois Courts Commission of violating the code, Adrian could be reprimanded, censured, suspended, or permanently removed from the bench.
Adrian won retention to the bench at the November General Election. Adrian claimed during his retention campaign that public protests and national criticism he’s drawn for his decision in the Clinton case was a national smear campaign meant to get him to leave the judiciary.
McCartney recently reinstated Adrian to his former duties with the felony criminal court in the 8th Judicial Circuit on January 1st.