Judge Katherine Legge has served as an Associate Judge on the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois since 2023. Prior to that, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois (2016-2023). Before that, Legge served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office (2016) and the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office (2011-2016). Legge received her B.S. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2007) with highest honors and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law (2011).
Judge Legge currently presides in Tazewell County juvenile court, handling exclusively child abuse and neglect cases as well as juvenile delinquency cases. Despite the gravity of the cases before her, Judge Legge tries to foster a collaborative, treatment-court centric model, to the extent possible, and is known to keep her fruit snack basket full for any child (or those young-at-heart) who visits the courtroom. On occasion, she fires up the bubble bazooka to celebrate extraordinarily momentous occasions in JA cases. In collaboration with a local attorney, Judge Legge has facilitated a therapy dog, Jasmine, to join children in the courthouse hallways before hearings to help ease their nerves – everyone loves Jasmine!
Professionally, this year is the first year Judge Legge will serve on the editorial team for the Criminal Benchbook. She also serves on the Foundation Board for the Peoria County Bar Association after serving as the chair for the communications and technology committee for a couple of years.
Outside of work, Judge Legge enjoys spending time with her family and the great outdoors. She serves as a member of Grace United Methodist Church’s Leadership Team and is also a member of the GW Chapter of P.E.O. Additionally, Judge Legge serves as den leader in her child’s Cub Scouts pack, from which she derives great delight.