McHenry County, Illinois shocked by death of Judge Michael Coppedge
WOODSTOCK, Ill. (CBS) -- There was shock and sadness in McHenry County Monday night after the death of a well-known judge.
The Office of McHenry County Chief Judge Michael Chmiel announced Monday night that Associate Judge Michael Coppedge had been found unresponsive in his chambers at the Judicial Center in Woodstock that morning.
Court security and emergency services rushed to the scene and Coppedge was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died. He was 61 years old.
"We are struck with shock and sadness at the Judicial Center today with the passing of Judge Coppedge," Chief Judge Chmiel said in a news release. "He was one of the most thoughtful and professional persons many of us have ever met and was relied upon throughout the courthouse by all of us. He is and will be missed. Our good thoughts and prayers extend to him and his family."
Judge Coppedge graduated cum laude from the College of St. Francis in Joliet in 1984, and then graduated cum laude from law school at Northern Illinois University.
He began his legal career clerking with Cowlin, Ungvarsky, Kukla and Curran, and after he passed the bar exam in 1987, he was hired as an associate and later a partner there.
Judge Coppedge had an extensive background in civil litigation, and real estate and local government law, the chief judge's office said.
He was sworn in as an associate judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit on Nov. 10, 2015 – eight years ago last week – and presided over family, traffic, misdemeanor, and most recently felony cases, the chief judge's office said.
