GENEVA, Ill. (AP) — Kane County’s first black judge is retiring after nearly 23 years on the bench.
The Daily Herald in Arlington Heights reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1z5JkZB ) that F. Keith Brown — chief judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit — conducted his final court call last week.
The 57-year-old Elgin native plans to work for a Chicago mediation firm, engage in philanthropy and travel for pleasure and missionary work.
Brown says he loves his job and could work another 20 years at it. But he always told himself he didn’t want to define himself “just being a judge.”
Brown was 34 with his own law firm when he was encouraged to apply for a vacant associate judge post. He planned an eventual political career and pushed for increased diversity among judges.
