[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 706]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO JUDGE CHARLES ROMANI, JR.

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I would like to acknowledge recently 
retired Illinois Judge Charles Romani, Jr., who served on the bench for 
30 years in Illinois' third circuit. Among many achievements over those 
years of service, Judge Romani's work setting up a veterans' court 
stands out.
  Veterans' issues have always been close to Judge Romani's heart. 
Having served in the U.S. Army himself, as a sergeant during the 
Vietnam War, Judge Romani knows firsthand the difficulties that 
veterans face when returning home from war.
  Judge Romani was born and raised in Greenville, IL. He attended 
Western Illinois University, before continuing on to law school at St. 
Louis University. Upon graduation, Romani accepted a position as 
Assistant State's Attorney for Madison County. Two years later, in 
1974, he ran for State's Attorney in Bond County. He was elected and 
served with great distinction for 7 years.
  Romani first became an associate judge of the Third Judicial Circuit 
in 1983. Five years later, he became a circuit court judge. And, in 
1989, Judge Romani became Chief Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit in 
Illinois.
  In 2009, a growing number of veterans of the wars in Iraq and 
Afghanistan began appearing on court dockets around the country. Many 
of these veterans have special needs, including mental health needs, 
and many of them greatly benefit from specialized services. It was then 
that Judge Romani began modeling an innovative, new veteran's court 
based on a successful model in Buffalo.
  Since 2009, the court that Judge Romani created has helped 
innumerable veterans turn their lives around. The Court consistently 
sees between 30 and 40 veterans go through its program at a time. There 
are now approximately 104 veteran's courts, like Judge Romani's, around 
the country helping those who served the United States in its time of 
need.
  Judge Romani identifies this court as his ``most rewarding 
achievement as a judge.''
  Judge Romani's last day on the court was November 5, when he 
completed an impressive career that spanned 39 years. He has been 
married to his lovely wife Karen for 38 years. They have three 
children, two of whom were recently married.
  I add my voice to many others when I say thank you, Judge Romani, for 
your years of distinguished public service and the indelible mark you 
have left on Madison County.

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