Assistant U.S. attorney, former public defender chosen as next 17th District associate judges

Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Scott R. Paccagnini and Amy K. Peterman have been selected as the newest associate judges of the 17th Judicial Circuit, which covers Boone and Winnebago counties.

They will fill the two judgeships granted to the circuit under the Associate Judges Act. They will be sworn into office at 4 p.m. Thursday at Veterans Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St., Rockford.

“Both of these qualified attorneys bring a breadth of experience and devotion to public service, qualities which will translate well to the bench,” 17th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge John Lowry said in a news release. “We are confident they will serve the 17th Judicial Circuit with humility and integrity. We look forward to their service.”

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Paccagnini has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois since 2011. He is now the branch chief. He previously worked as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller and Currency and for the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section in Washington, D.C., and as a law clerk to Judge P. Michael
Mahoney in Rockford. Paccagnini has also served as an adjunct professor for Rockford University and Chicago-Kent College of Law.

He received his undergraduate degree in English from Truman State University in 1998 and his Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law with honors in 2002.

“I am humbled at the opportunity to serve our community as an associate judge,” Paccagnini said in a news release. “This is a great honor and I look forward to joining the outstanding circuit and associate judges on the 17th Judicial Circuit. I would like to thank my family and friends for their continued support.”

Paccagnini is a member of the Winnebago County Bar Association, the Rockford Federal Bar Association, and the National Federal Bar Association.

He’s also involved with Children’s Home and Aid Northern Region Advisory Council, Motherhouse Crisis Nursery, and Rockton Lions Club.

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Peterman served as an assistant public defender in the Winnebago County Public Defender’s Office between 2010 and 2019. Since 2020, she has worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, where she currently serves as supervisory regional counsel for Winnebago and Boone counties.

Peterman attended The George Washington University graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2003 with a B.A. in American Studies. In 2009, she received her Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

“I am truly humbled and honored by the opportunity to continue serving my community in this new capacity,” she said in a news release. “As a lifetime resident, I am committed to continuing to invest in the growth, development, and betterment of a community that has given me tremendous support and opportunities. I want to thank my family, friends, colleagues, and community for their continued encouragement and support on this new endeavor.”

Peterman is a member of the Winnebago County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. She also serves on the executive board of the Roscoe Parent Teacher Organization, Boy Scouts of America,
Rockford Rescue Mission and the 317 Art Collaborative.

She has served as a volunteer mentor in connection with the court’s Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program and attended the Judicial Academy at the National Judicial College.