John C. Milhiser
{{short description|American attorney}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = John C. Milhiser
| image = John_C_Milhiser.jpg
| office1 = State's Attorney of Sangamon County
| term_start1 = November 14, 2023
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Dan Wright
| successor1 =
| term_start2 = September 28, 2010
| term_end2 = October 30, 2018
| predecessor2 = John Schmidt
| successor2 = Dan Wright
| office3 = United States Attorney for the
Central District of Illinois
| president3 = Donald Trump
Joe Biden
| term_start3 = October 31, 2018
| term_end3 = February 28, 2021
(Acting: October 31, 2018 – January 2, 2019)
| predecessor3 = James A. Lewis
| successor3 = Gregory K. Harris
| birth_name =
| birth_place = United States
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |40|2010|9|15}}
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| spouse =
| relations =
| children =
| education = {{nowrap|James Madison University {{small|(B.A.)}}
University of Illinois {{small|(J.D.)}}}}
| awards =
}}
John C. Milhiser is an American attorney who serves as the Sangamon State's Attorney. He served as the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois from 2018 to 2021.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-seventeenth-wave-united-states-attorney-nominees-twelfth-wave-united-states-marshal-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Seventeenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees and Twelfth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees", The White House, August 16, 2018]{{PD-notice}} Prior to becoming a U.S. Attorney, Milhiser was previously the Sangamon County State's Attorney from 2010 to 2018. In January 2022, Milhiser announced he would seek the Republican nomination for Illinois Secretary of State in the 2022 election.{{cite news|last=Krol|first=Eric|title=Illinois' secretary of state campaign is wide open for the first time in 24 years|date=February 13, 2022|newspaper=Center for Illinois Politics|access-date=February 22, 2022|url=https://www.centerforilpolitics.org/articles/illinois-secretary-of-state-campaign-is-wide-open-for-the-first-time-in-24-years-heres-a-look-at-the-candidates-and-key-questions-2}} He was reappointed Sangamon State's Attorney November 14, 2023.{{Cite web |title=The State Journal-Register Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts |url=https://subscribe.sj-r.com/restricted |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=subscribe.sj-r.com}}
Education
Milhiser received his undergraduate degree from James Madison University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Legal career
He started his legal career in the Sangamon County State's Attorney's office in 1997 and spent time in the juvenile, civil, and felony divisions before entering private practice in 2003. He returned to the State's Attorney's Office in 2008 as the First Assistant State's Attorney. Milhiser served as adjunct professor at Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University from 2004 to 2009. He taught courses in public speaking, state and local government, and federal government.{{Cite web |url=http://www.milhiserstatesattorney.com/about-john |title=John Milhiser - Springfield, Illinois |website=www.milhiserstatesattorney.com |access-date=2018-08-28}} He served as the president of the Illinois State's Attorneys Association.
The Illinois Supreme Court appointed then-Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt to a judgeship in Illinois's 7th Circuit Court. On September 28, 2010, Milhiser was chosen by the Sangamon County Board to serve as the new State's Attorney until the 2012 general election.{{cite news|last=Dettro|first=Chris|title=Milhiser nominated for state's attorney|date=September 2, 2010|newspaper=The State Journal-Register|page=1|via=NewsBank}}{{cite web|editor-last=Aiello|editor-first=Joe|title=Minutes, Sangamon County Board, September 28, 2010|publisher=Sangamon County Clerk|access-date=February 24, 2022|url=https://www.sangamoncountyclerk.com/County-Board/documents/September282010_000.pdf}} Milhiser, endorsed by the Sangamon County Republican Party, defeated Ron Tupy, longtime chief legal counsel for the Illinois Prisoner Review Board by a three-to-one margin in the 2012 Republican primary and defeated Democratic candidate and labor attorney Ron Stradt in the general election.{{cite news|last=Dettro|first=Chris|title=Milhiser defeats Tupy, to take on Stradt for state's attorney|date=March 21, 2012|newspaper=The State Journal-Register|access-date=February 24, 2022|url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/county/2012/03/21/milhiser-defeats-tupy-to-take/41768649007/}} As the State's Attorney, he tried serious felony cases, including first degree murder, armed violence, attempted murder of a police officer, and sexual assault cases. Dan Wright was appointed his successor as State's Attorney and sworn into office on October 30, 2018.{{cite news|last=Moore|first=Brenden|title=Dan Wright takes over as Sangamon County state's attorney|date=October 31, 2018|newspaper=State Journal Register|access-date=May 10, 2019|url=https://www.sj-r.com/news/20181031/dan-wright-takes-over-as-sangamon-county-states-attorney}}{{cite web|editor-last=Gray|editor-first=Don|title=Minutes of Sangamon County Board Special Meeting October 30, 2018|publisher=Sangamon County Clerk|date=October 30, 2018|access-date=February 24, 2022|url=https://www.sangamoncountyclerk.com/County-Board/documents/October302018_000.pdf}}
On November 14, 2023, John Milhiser was sworn in as Sangamon County State's Attorney for a second time after receiving unanimous approval from the Sangamon County Board. Milhiser, who previously served in the role from 2010 to 2018, returned to the position following the appointment of his successor, Dan Wright, to a judgeship in Illinois's 7th Circuit Court. In his initial remarks after being sworn in, Milhiser emphasized that his priorities include enhancing public safety and reducing violent crime throughout the county, and he underscored the importance of a collaborative, problem-solving approach to prosecution.{{Cite news |last=Olsen |first=Dean |date=October 19, 2023 |title=Call him Judge Wright |url=https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/states-attorney-dan-wright-a-candidate-for-judge-17493203 |work=Illinois Times}}{{Cite news |last=Spearie |first=Steven |date=November 14, 2023 |title=Milhiser: 'Prioritizing public safety' and 'reducing violent crime' is job one |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/courts/2023/11/14/john-milhiser-was-expected-to-be-sworn-in-as-states-attorney-tuesday/71570331007/ }}
In the November 2024 election, Milhiser was re-elected, defeating trial attorney Kimberly Talken.{{Cite news |last=Spearie |first=Steven |date=November 6, 2024 |title=All incumbents on Sangamon County Board returned by voters; Milhiser, Roesch other winners |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/elections/county/2024/11/06/election-day-results-all-incumbents-for-sangamon-county-offices-win/76064018007/ }}
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois
On August 16, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Milhiser to be the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. On August 21, 2018, his nomination was sent to the United States Senate.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/eight-nominations-sent-senate-today-6/ "Eight Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", White House, August 21, 2018] On January 2, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by voice vote.{{Cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/2437 |title=PN2437 - Nomination of John C. Milhiser for Department of Justice, 115th Congress (2017-2018) |date=2018-08-21 |website=www.congress.gov |access-date=2019-01-03}}
On February 8, 2021, he along with 55 other Trump-era attorneys were asked to resign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/justice-dept-seeks-resignations-of-trump-era-us-attorneys/2021/02/08/f5b71648-6a88-11eb-a66e-e27046e9e898_story.html|title=Justice Dept. seeks resignations of Trump-era US attorneys|first=Michael|last=Balsamo |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=February 11, 2021 }} On February 11, 2021, Milhiser submitted his resignation, effective February 28, 2021.{{Cite press release |title=U.S. Attorney John C. Milhiser Announces Departure |date=February 11, 2021 |publisher=United States Attorney's Office |location=Springfield, Illinois |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/pr/us-attorney-john-c-milhiser-announces-departure |access-date=February 26, 2021}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/meet-us-attorney Biography at Justice.gov]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Milhiser, John C.}}
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:Benedictine University faculty
Category:James Madison University alumni
Category:University of Illinois College of Law alumni
Category:United States attorneys for the Central District of Illinois