Judge Sharon Arnold Kanter received her Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991, and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1994.  Sharon joined the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in 1994 in the Criminal Appeals Division. She also worked in the First Municipal Division, Felony Review Unit, Sex Crimes/Domestic Violence Division, and the Felony Trial Division throughout her 29-year career.  In 2023, Sharon was elected an Associate Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County. She is assigned to the Second Municipal District in Skokie, Illinois where she presides over all types of criminal cases.

Judge Kanter will discuss problem-solving courts. These courts combine intensive judicial supervision, with rigorously monitored rehabilitation services and accountability, with a team approach to decision-making to help adults from becoming repeat offenders. The Problem-Solving Courts team is led by the judge and includes a prosecutor, defense counsel, probation officer, clinical case manager,  social worker,  and others. There are currently 20 Problem-Solving Courts operating in the Circuit Court of Cook County.