Macon Reporter

Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Barry L. Vaughan recently hit the campaign trail in his run for the 5th District Appellate Court.

“Back on the campaign trail tonight in Moultrie County in Bethany, Illinois,” Vaughan recently posted on Facebook. “What a great bunch of people fired up to elect conservative candidates. Great to see GOP Chairman David McCabe, Tracy Weaver, Moultrie County State's Attorney, Treasurer Stephanie Helmuth (Stephanie Helmuth Republican Candidate for Moultrie County Treasurer), State Senator Chapin Rose and State Senator Steve McClure.”

Vaughan was first assigned as an appellate justice in the Fifth District back in December 2020 to fill the vacancy created by the election of Judge Mark M. Boie. He officially began serving on Jan. 4, 2021.

“I am humbled and thankful to Justice (David) Overstreet and the Supreme Court for assigning me to the Appellate Court,” he said in a press release. “I pledge to the people of this district that I will perform the duties assigned to me faithfully and with equal justice for all who appear before me.”

A resident of McLeansboro, the 58-year-old Vaughan has served on the bench for nearly two decades. Prior to serving on the bench, Vaughan was in private practice at Cochran and Vaughan for six years and served as Wayne County State’s Attorney for eight years.

The Fifth Judicial District is composed of 37 counties in the southernmost part of Illinois, including: Alexander, Bond, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Shelby, St. Clair, Wabash, Wayne, Washington, White, Williamson, and Union.