Judge Matthew J. Hartrich: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Matthew J. Hartrich is an at-large judge on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois. He was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court on May 27, 2020, filling a seat vacated by the Hon. David Overstreet.

The 2nd Judicial Circuit encompasses Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties.

Prior to his appointment, Hartrich was the state’s attorney for Crawford County, a position to which he was named in 2012. Before that, he was an assistant public defender with the Crawford County Public Defender’s Office (2005 to 2012).

Hartrich earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1999. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Illinois College of Law in 2002. He was licensed to practice in Illinois (2002).

After graduating from law school, Hartrich began his legal career as an associate at Altheimer & Gray in Chicago. He worked in that capacity until 2003, at which time he became an assistant state’s attorney with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.

He is registered as a Republican.