Judge Bonita Coleman

Judge Bonita Coleman was elected judge in the First Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County in December 2010. Since 2011 Judge Coleman has been assigned to the domestic relations division and presides over family law cases.

Judge Coleman has taught at the Illinois Supreme Court’s bi-annual Judicial Education Conference. She serves as a mentor to law students and young lawyers. Judge Coleman is Past President of the Illinois Judicial Council and serves on the board of directors of the National Bar Association’s Judicial Council. She served two terms as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association board of directors and served as co-chair of the Sixth District Mock Trial Committee from 2013 to 2020.

Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Coleman dedicated her legal practice to representing people in the areas of family, criminal, probate, and real estate law.

Judge Coleman previously served as a hearing officer panelist for the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and an arbitrator in the first and sixth district of the Cook County Court’s Mandatory Arbitration program.

Judge Coleman received a Juris Doctorate. from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science from Western Illinois University.

Judge Coleman was appointed and has served on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism since 2022.