Experienced Judge since 2017
Judge Davis grew up in the Rosemoor community and is a proud product of the Chicago Public School system graduating from Bennett Elementary School and Whitney Young High School. She went on to attend Illinois State University and in 1988, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with a double major in Political Science and Speech Communications. Ms. Davis received her Jurist Doctorate Degree in 1994 from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.
In November 1994 Ms. Davis became licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. Additionally, in 1998 Judge Davis was sworn in to practice law before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
In 1995, she became an Assistant Public Defender in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender. Ms. Davis was certified as a lead attorney in what was previously known as the Illinois Capital Litigation Trial Bar. She was a dedicated Assistant Public Defender and was assigned to the Homicide Task Force for eight years. Ms. Davis tried over 35 homicide juries; multiple other felony jury trials, and remained in the Cook County Public Defenders’ Office until 2017.
Upon passing the Illinois Bar Examination, Ms. Davis began tutoring Bar Candidates enrolled in Minority Legal Education Resources (MLER). MLER is a supplemental bar preparation program in the city of Chicago. Ms. Davis served as tutor and program coordinator for many years and spent ten years on the MLER Board of Directors.
On March 17, 2017, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed the Honorable Adrienne Elaine Davis Judge in the Second Judicial Sub Circuit of Cook County. Currently Judge Davis hears a felony trial call at the George Leighton Criminal Court building located at 2600 South California, Chicago, IL. Additionally, Judge Davis is an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago, College of Law, and teaches Bar Writing to students preparing to take the bar examination.
Judge Davis is a member of Maryland Avenue Baptist Church; on the board of directors of Lawyers Lend a Hand; a member of the Cook County Bar Association; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Theta Omega Chapter; Top Ladies of Distinction – Lincoln Park Chicago Chapter; The North Shore (IL) chapter of The Links Incorporated and she is a charter member of the Chicago Metropolitan chapter of One Hundred Black Women.
Judge Davis has given various presentations to youth groups throughout the Chicago Area on internet safety and avoiding becoming a defendant in the criminal justice system. As an active mentor and advisor to young people Judge Davis continually shows her commitment to young people throughout the Chicago land Area.