Former prosecutor seeks appellate judge spot

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McHENRY – A defense attorney who until recently served as one of McHenry County’s top prosecutors is running for an appellate judge seat.

Donna Kelly, 41, of McHenry filed her nomination petition Monday to run for an opening on the Illinois Second District Appellate Court. She’ll face incumbent Mary Seminara-Schostok in the Republican primary in February. Seminara-Schostok was appointed to the seat in August 2008.

Kelly said she would bring a background in both appellate defense and in trial prosecution to the bench. One of her long-term goals has been to serve as an appellate judge.

“I wanted to give the voters in the Republican primary a choice, as well,” said Kelly, who has been an attorney for 15 years.

In Mc­Henry County, Kelly prosecuted violent gang-related cases, including an attempted-murder case stemming from a June 2008 stabbing in Woodstock. Two men were sent to prison in connection with that stabbing, one with a 16-year sentence and another with a nine-year sentence.

Kelly left the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office about two weeks ago and joined Donahue, Walsh and Hockemeyer, P.C., of McHenry.

“She’s an excellent lawyer, and she’ll be missed,” State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi said.

Kelly spent seven years as a state appellate defender in the Third Appellate Court and about three years as an assistant public defender in Kane County. She also handled some civil law matters during a year in private practice in Crystal Lake.

She is a member of the Capital Litigation Bar and can prosecute and defend death-penalty cases as lead counsel.

Kelly graduated from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1994. A longtime resident of McHenry County, she graduated from Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock.

The Second District Appellate Court serves 13 counties in northern Illinois, including McHenry, Kane, Lake and DeKalb counties.

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