Meet
Judge Mark Gerhardt

Judge Mark Gerhardt is a seasoned judge and prosecutor with more than 24 years of legal experience. He has served McHenry County as a judge for the past 9 years, presiding over civil and criminal cases.

https://www.judgegerhardt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/family-photo-640x843.jpg

Judge Gerhardt is a McHenry County Circuit Court Judge, serving in the Fourth Judicial Subcircuit of the Twenty-Second Circuit. Prior to being unanimously appointed Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court, he served as an Associate Judge in McHenry County since 2011. As judge, he has heard cases in the Family and Criminal Divisions. Recently, Judge Gerhardt was appointed, pursuant to an order from the Illinois Supreme Court and by the Chief Judge of McHenry County, to preside over a felony case in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit in Kane County.

As an experienced prosecutor, including having served for nine years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in McHenry and Cook Counties, Judge Gerhardt is well-versed in criminal litigation. He began his legal career in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office where he handled criminal appeals, juvenile court, and felony review. In juvenile court, Judge Gerhardt was proud to have fought for and protected abused and neglected minors. As an Assistant McHenry County State’s Attorney from 2002-2006, he handled all types of criminal matters including homicide cases.

https://www.judgegerhardt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_0669.jpg

In private practice, Judge Gerhardt handled a wide variety of civil and criminal matters including acting as prosecutor for the Village of Oakwood Hills. He also practiced as an associate attorney for the law firms of Gummerson and Rausch in Woodstock and Wiejaczka Law in Hawthorne Woods. In addition, he worked with the Aviation Integrity Project, a public interest organization that fought corruption concerning the expansion of O’Hare International Airport, working with J. Terrence Brunner, the longtime head of the Better Government Association.

https://www.judgegerhardt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_0698.jpg

Judge Gerhardt is a current member and past president of the McHenry County Bar Association and has served on the Board of Governors for the association. He is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judge’s Association. In 2015, Judge Gerhardt was awarded the Turning Point, Inc. Peace and Justice Award.

https://www.judgegerhardt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_1316.jpg

He received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990 and his Juris Doctor from Chicago’s John Marshall Law School in 1995. Judge Gerhardt distinguished himself at John Marshall Law School by competing on two Mock Trial Teams at the Tournament of Champions and the American Trial Lawyers Association Competition.

https://www.judgegerhardt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_0479.jpg

Mark lives in the Crystal Lake area with his wife, Jill, and their four children, Grace (14), Ben (13), Audrey (12), and Ella (10). They enjoy spending time with each other as a family, attending church and Bible study, and camping in a variety of national parks and the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness. He and his family are members of the Evangelical Free Church of Crystal Lake where he serves on the Safety Team and Jill sings in the choir. Mark also volunteers his time as the Class Administrator of the Crystal Lake men’s class of Bible Study Fellowship. He has also coached little league baseball for his children. Mark previously taught Criminology at Trinity International University, and made custom cabinetry and remodeled homes.

(779) 800-5521

Mark@JudgeGerhardt.com

1500 Carlemont Drive, Suite E, Crystal Lake 60014

Paid for by Committee to Elect Mark R Gerhardt to Circuit Judge.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.