Experienced Judge since 2011
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.
Judge Marsalek was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County in 2011, elected countywide in 2012 and retained in 2018. She serves as the Presiding Judge of the First Municipal Traffic Division where she supervises 14 courtrooms and anywhere from 17-38 Judges. She trains all the new Judges in their first assignment. She served as President of the Illinois Judges Foundation which is the charitable organization of the Illinois Judges Association. IJF funds in school programs for teens and young adults and provides scholarships for law students. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Judges Association. 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 newly formed Polish American Judges Association. 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 including one for Hispanic and Polish speaking individuals held on a school on Milwaukee Avenue. She also served as a Moot Court Judge for students from grade school to college. She also serves as a mentor to new Judges and trains all the new Judges in their first assignment. She is serving as the Chair of the 2024 Retention Committee.
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, on Jan. 27. In 2023 she received the Impresa Award from the Women’s Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.
Judge Marsalek is also the President of her neighborhood community organization. She started a beautification in the neighborhood.