My Calling: Mary Jane Theis (BS ’71)

For Mary Jane Theis, who took over as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois in 2022, her Loyola education took a profound turn during a history test.

 “I think back to a class on American diplomatic history,” she says. “I read hundreds of years of history for this course, but what impacted me, and continues to, was the final exam.” Used to multiple choice tests, Theis saw only one open-ended question: Describe Franklin Roosevelt’s diplomatic policy. “I had to think about the question, the context, and how to write an outline, prioritize, and synthesize,” she recalls.

“It was an intellectual awakening for me that school wasn’t just about spitting out answers.” As the leader of the highest judiciary in Illinois, with decades of experience as a public defender and trial judge, Theis and her colleagues have a stake in the evolution of the law. “I look at all kinds of cases. One might be a murder case, a divorce, an environmental issue. These big ideas and important principles cut across all areas of law in our American system. But the basic concept that I keep coming back to is this idea of fairness.”

Theis sees the judiciary’s changing role in the court of public opinion. “Courts are being asked to decide societal issues in ways they weren’t before,” she explains. Public perception has shifted to believe that there is partisanship within the courts that influences a judge’s decision. “It troubles me,” says Theis.

“I have close relationships with judges from all over the state and I don’t have a clue what party they belong to. Judges aren’t politicians.”

When asked to share advice for Loyola students, Theis emphasizes service. “Connect your life to something bigger than yourself and choose a career that will bring you meaning. It will bring you joy.”

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