Anne M Burke

Early life, education and family

Born Anne Marie McGlone, she was raised on Chicago's South Side. She has two brothers and one sister. She graduated from Maria High School.

While raising her own children, she returned to school. She received a bachelor's degree from DePaul University in 1976 and a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1983.

Career

Burke was admitted to the Illinois bar and federal Northern District of Illinois in 1983, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in 1985. She was certified for the Northern District's trial bar in 1987.In 1987 Illinois Governor James R. Thompson appointed her a judge of the Illinois Court of Claims, and she was reappointed by Governor Jim Edgar in 1991. Burke was the first woman to serve on the Illinois Court of Claims. In April 1994, she was appointed special counsel to the Governor for Child Welfare Services. In August 1995, she was appointed to the Appellate Court, First District, and was subsequently elected to that office in 1996. Upon the retirement of Justice Mary Ann McMorrow in 2006, Burke was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court. She was elected to a full ten-year term in November 2008.

Burke served on the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People (NRB), appointed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church. She was interim chair from 2002 to 2004, and was instrumental in conducting the surveys and studies that supported the John Jay Report.

Controversies

One of Burke's husband's political action committees, Friends of Edward M. Burke, loaned $200,000 and contributed $52,000 to Pat Quinn's campaign to replace impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. In January 2009, Anne Burke administered the oath of office to Quinn. Anne Burke again swore in Quinn on Monday, January 10, 2011, after he was elected to a full term.

Personal life

Along with others including Eunice Kennedy, Burke is a founder of the Special Olympics.

Burke chaired the lay National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops which investigates accusations of clerical sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church. She is a Dame of Malta, a Roman Catholic lay religious order.

Anne Burke is married to Alderman Edward M. Burke from the 14th Ward of the Chicago City Council and Chairman of the Committee on Finance. Anne and Edward and his brother Daniel, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, were named one of Illinois' most influential families by Crain's Chicago Business in 2005.

Initially, the Burkes had four children: Jennifer, Edward Jr., Sarah, and Emmett (1973–2004); They have nine grandchildren.

Travis, a child known in public by his court name "Baby T," born to a woman suffering drug addiction. The child's natural mother, Tina Olison, an addict in recovery, sued to regain custody of her child several times in a protracted, highly publicized, and racially charged court battle. The suits ultimately reached the Illinois State Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of custody for the Burkes in 2001.