Investiture of newly appointed at-large circuit judge to be held Monday in Adams County Courthouse

QUINCY — The investiture of Christopher W. Pratt as an at-large circuit judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit will be at 1 p.m. June 10 at the Adams County Courthouse. Pratt will assume his duties that day.

Pratt was born and raised in Adams County. He attended St. Peter School, Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy University. He graduated from John Wood Community College in 2004 and the University of Illinois Springfield in 2006. He received his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2009. He was admitted to practice law in Illinois on Nov. 5, 2009.

Pratt lives in Quincy with his wife Crystal. They have two daughters. Vanessa Pratt-Meuth lives in Quincy with her husband Jordan Meuth and their son Theodore. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and currently works as a law clerk for Appellate Justice Amy C. Lannerd. Jillian Pratt lives in Peoria with her fiancée, Ashley Brooks. She attended Illinois College and works for EP!C, enriching the lives of multiple adults with intellectual disabilities as a qualified intellectual disabilities professional.

After law school, Pratt worked for seven years at Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu and Mitchell in Quincy, primarily in business transactions and healthcare compliance. He joined the Adams County Public Defender’s Office in 2016 and served as an assistant public defender until being named deputy chief public defender in 2020. Pratt was named chief public defender earlier this year. He has taught at Quincy University since 2010, including coaching the mock trial competition team.

He previously served in various capacities on the Quincy Public Library Board of Trustees and the Quincy Museum Board, including a term as president of each board.