Judge Diann K. Marsalek

Diann K. Marsalek obtained a BA in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Sociology from DePaul University. She received her Juris Doctorate from Northern Illinois University College of Law.  She practiced as a trial attorney for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Illinois Department of Corrections and Illinois Secretary of State for over 21 years before becoming a Judge in 2011.

Judge Marsalek was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County in 2011 by the Illinois Supreme Court, elected countywide in 2012 and retained in 2018 and 2024. She was the Class Chair for the 2024 Retention Judges of Cook County which consisted of 77 Judges. She serves as the Presiding Judge of the First Municipal Traffic Division-Daley Center where she supervises 14 courtrooms and Marriage Court. She supervises 15-38 Judges daily.   She has trained over 300 new Judges in their first assignment as a Judge and serves as a mentor to new Judges.

She served as President and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Foundation (IJF) which is the charitable organization of the Illinois Judges Association (IJA).  IJF funds in school programs for teens and young adults and provides scholarships for law students. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Judges Association and is the Membership Co-Chair. She is a member in many bar associations including the Advocates Society of Polish Lawyers, Justinian Society of Lawyers, Chicago Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association, Catholic Lawyer’s Guild and Decalogue Society.   She is the President of the Polish American Judges Association.  She is the Secretary of the Italian American Judges of Illinois. She is the Chair of the Judicial Performance Evaluation, an Illinois Supreme Court Committee, which is used to assist Judges in the performance of their duties.  She also serves on an Illinois Supreme Court Language Access Committee addressing access to the court by individuals in which English is not their first language.  She participates in forums to help individuals obtain driving privileges and has participated in expungement forums. She also served as a Moot Court Judge for students from grade school to law school.      

Judge Marsalek in a member of the Copernicus Foundation and the Polish Museum. She received the Civilian of the Year Award from the Polish Police and she received the Award of Distinction from the Catholic League for Religious Assistance to Poland and Polonia. She was the Polish Parade Marshall in 2017 and supports the Alliance of Polish Clubs.  She received the member of the year award from the Chicago Society, a Polish group of business individuals. She received the Impresa Award from the Women’s Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Italian American Police. She received the Distinguished Civil Service Award from the Polish American Congress in 2024. She received the Public Service Awards in 2024 from NIU-College of Law.  She received the award for Judge of the Year from the North Suburban Bar Association in 2024. She received the Harold Sullivan Award in 2024 from the Illinois Judges Association which is given to a Judge who promote the Judiciary in a positive light. She received the Bridge of Friendship Award from the Illinois Jewish Judges in 2025.  She received the Mary Heftel Hooten Award from the Women’s Bar Association in 2025. 

  

Judge Marsalek is also the President of her neighborhood community organization where she started a beautification program in the neighborhood.