Hon. Cynthia Y. Cobbs, Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court
Cynthia Y. Cobbs is a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court, where she has continued to serve since being elevated to the position by the Illinois Supreme Court in January 2015. In 2024, she was elected to a 10-year term on the court. Prior to her service on the appellate court, Justice Cobbs was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County in September 2011 and won election to the circuit court seat in 2014. Early in her legal career, Justice Cobbs served as senior judicial law clerk to Supreme Court Justice (formerly Chief Justice) Charles E. Freeman, the first African American judge to serve on the state’s highest court. Justice Cobbs thus became the first African American to serve as a senior judicial law clerk on the state’s Supreme Court.
As senior clerk, Justice Cobbs reviewed all aspects of litigation in cases on appeal in the Supreme Court, analyzing claims of error committed by attorneys in the trial of cases, as well as rulings by the lower courts on the sufficiency of pleadings, the admissibility of evidence and in rendering a final verdict or judgment in civil, criminal and juvenile cases. On Justice Freeman’s behalf, Justice Cobbs prepared draft written decisions (opinions) in those cases assigned to him as authoring justice, which provided the legal analysis and rationale for the Supreme Court’s final disposition. Justice Cobbs served as senior law clerk on the Supreme Court from 1990 to 1997, having also served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Freeman during his tenure as a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court, the very court on which she now serves as an appellate court justice.
Prior to becoming a judge, Justice Cobbs served as the Director of the Illinois Courts, a constitutionally mandated office in Illinois’ judicial branch. She was the first African American and first woman appointed by the Supreme Court to serve in that capacity. During her tenure as Director, Justice Cobbs worked collaboratively with the Supreme Court justices in the administration and supervision of all state court operations, implementation of Supreme Court rules, and the development and implementation of new court programs. Managing all operational divisions of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, among other things, Justice Cobbs developed and managed the Supreme Court’s nearly $300 million annual budget, developed policies for the uniform delivery of Illinois’ adult and juvenile probation services, oversaw the development of judicial education for all Illinois judges, developed strategies for the performance and accountability of judges, as well as developed the first policies for the implementation of e-filing and eaccess in the trial courts.
Before pursuing a career in law, Justice Cobbs worked as a clinical social worker, serving families with children alleged to have been abused and/or neglected. Justice Cobbs’ work as a social worker often required her attendance in the Maryland courts advocating for the protection of the children she served. Her work as a clinician and advocate for children served as the genesis for her pursuit of a law degree.
Justice Cobbs currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association, a statewide organization addressing the needs of Illinois judges, and as First District Chair of the Association’s Pro Bono Committee. She is a member of the Board of Directors of South Suburban PADS, a not-for-profit organization which delivers shelter, housing and rehabilitative services to South Suburban Cook County’s homeless population, as well as a member of the Council for Higher Education in Haiti. Previously, Justice Cobbs served as a member on the Board of Trustees of the Supreme Court’s Judicial College, the governing body which oversees educational training and professional development for all state court judges and justice partners in Illinois; as Chairperson of the Illinois Judicial Council, an organization comprised largely of African American judges; as a member on the boards of Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth, a not for profit organization which provides mentoring services to underprivileged youth in the Chicagoland area; the Center for Conflict Resolution, a not for profit organization providing alternatives to legal dispute resolution; the Conference of State Court Administrators; and, as Chairperson of the Executive Board, New Faith Baptist Church.
She has been honored to receive the following acknowledgments and awards: Alliance of Illinois Judges Honorary Chairperson Award (2025); Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award (2024); North Suburban Bar Association L. Sanford Blustin Award (2023); RTDO Party Builder Award (2023); Southland Black Chamber of Commerce Judicial Excellence Award (2023); Illinois Judges Association Civitatis Award (2022); Cook County Bar Association Trailblazer Award (2022); Illinois Supreme Court Judicial College Commendation (2022); Cook County State’s Attorney’s C.F. Stradford Award (2021); Omega Psi Phi – Justice Award (2019); Chicago-Kent Ida Platt Award (2019); National Bar Association’s Heman Sweatt Award (2018); Cook County Bar Association – Kenneth E. Wilson Award (2017); Sweet Holy Spirit – Justice of the Year Award (2016); Top Ladies of Distinction Crown Jewel Award (2016); Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Crescent Moon Award (2015); Illinois Judicial Council Chairperson’s Award (2012, 2014 & 2020); The Chicago Bar Association’s Earl Burris Dickerson Award (2011); Cook County Bar Association Judicial Award (2012); Chicago-Kent College of Law Alumni Association Recognition Award (2006); Chicago-Kent College of Law Bar and Gavel Society Inductee (1988); and The Standish Willis Award (1988).
Justice Cobbs received her B.A. degree from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland and she holds a master’s degree in clinical social work (MSW) from the University of Maryland. A graduate of IITChicago-Kent College of Law, Justice Cobbs was admitted to the Illinois and Federal bars in 1988.
Justice Cobbs and her husband Austin are longtime residents of south suburban Cook County.