Honorable Zina Cruse, Circuit Judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit
YES ON RETENTION
Judge Zina Cruse was appointed to the 20th Judicial Circuit in St. Clair County, Illinois in 2009 as an Associate Judge and was elected as a Circuit Judge in 2012. She is a graduate of Florida State University College of Law.
Currently, Judge Cruse presides over Criminal Felonies and, in addition to a full felony docket, she presides over 2 Problem-Solving Courts: Veterans Court and Mental Health Court. She oversees a status docket for the Adult ReDeploy Program.
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Cruse owned a law firm and a title insurance company. Her practice emphases were: Family/Domestic, Criminal, Real Estate, Not-for-Profit organizations and Bankruptcy. She was certified as a Guardian ad Litem and as an Arbitrator in the Mandatory Arbitration program. Judge Cruse has been appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to advisory committees and is a certified Judicial Mentor and Judicial Performance Evaluator. She serves in community service organizations and dedicates her time to making presentations at local schools and churches.
Currently, Judge Cruse presides over Criminal Felonies and, in addition to a full felony docket, she presides over 2 Problem-Solving Courts: Veterans Court and Mental Health Court. She oversees a status docket for the Adult ReDeploy Program.
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Cruse owned a law firm and a title insurance company. Her practice emphases were: Family/Domestic, Criminal, Real Estate, Not-for-Profit organizations and Bankruptcy. She was certified as a Guardian ad Litem and as an Arbitrator in the Mandatory Arbitration program. Judge Cruse has been appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to advisory committees and is a certified Judicial Mentor and Judicial Performance Evaluator. She serves in community service organizations and dedicates her time to making presentations at local schools and churches.