Illinois Supreme Court Justice David K. Overstreet has announced the assignment of Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judge Heinz M. Rudolf to the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court.
Rudolf will fill the vacancy created by the election of Judge Amy Sholar to the Fifth District Appellate Court. Sholar was elected to fill the seat previously held by the late Justice Thomas Welch.
Rudolf brings 20 years of judicial experience to the appellate court. He was first appointed as an associate judge in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit in 2006 and was reappointed in 2011 and 2015.
In 2018, Rudolf was elected as an at-large circuit judge, where he has presided over major civil cases.
Before joining the judiciary, Rudolf worked as an associate attorney with Becker, Paulson, Hoerner and Thompson, P.C., concentrating on civil defense litigation. He also served as an assistant public defender and assistant state’s attorney in St. Clair County.
Rudolf previously held elected office as a member of the St. Clair County Board from 2002 through 2006.
Throughout his judicial career, Rudolf has served on the Illinois Judicial Conference Committee on Education and was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the Illinois Judicial College Strategic Planning Committee.
His professional honors include the Illinois Judges Association’s Presidential Service Award in 2023, the Richard A. Hudlin Award in 2025 and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Justice Award in 2026.
Rudolf earned his bachelor’s degree and doctorate in Public Policy Analysis and Administration from Saint Louis University. He also earned a law degree and master’s degree in Public Administration through a joint program at the university.
The Fifth District Appellate Court hears appeals from 48 counties across Southern Illinois, including Wayne, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Jefferson, Marion and Richland counties.
The assignment will take effect December 7th and continue until further order of the Illinois Supreme Court.