About Us (RC Version: 9.13.3.0)

About Us

The St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office seeks justice for the People of St. Clair County. We do this by upholding the highest ethical standards while vigorously prosecuting the guilty, protecting the innocent, advocating for victims, safeguarding the rights of all citizens, and working with law enforcement and community leaders to strengthen the communities we serve.

About The State's Attorney

Jim Gomric was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois, the eldest of five children. Jim attended
Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville. In 1992, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Saint Louis
University. Thereafter, he attended Saint Louis University School of Law graduating in 1995. He met his
wife, Julie, while in law school.

Jim Gomric began his legal career as an assistant state's attorney for St. Clair County in the fall of
1995 and continued in former State's Attorney, Robert Haida's, office for several years. During that time,
Jim served in a variety of roles including warrant review officer.

After his service as an Assistant State's Attorney, Jim transitioned to the St. Clair County Public
Defender's Office and, following his time there, began a career in private practice spanning nearly two
decades. During that time, Jim worked with a number of the most talented attorneys in the region.

Over the last twenty-three years, Jim Gomric has successfully tried many cases of all types in
both the federal court and many counties in Illinois.

He and his wife are the proud parents of three children, John Tyler, Rose Marie and Jimmy.

Freedom of Information Act

Transparency in government leads to accountability in government. In that spirit, legislation was passed in Illinois stating "[i]t is the public policy of this State that public bodies exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business and that the people have a right to be informed as to the conduct of their business. In order that the people shall be informed, the General Assembly finds and declares that it is the intent of this Act to ensure that the actions of public bodies be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly." 5 ILCS 120/1. Advance notice is a part of this public policy, as is the principle that exceptions to openness requirements are to be interpreted narrowly. 5 ILCS 120/1. As the Appellate Court has stated, "[t]he clear intention of the legislature expressed in the Act favors, of course, open deliberation as well as open action." People ex rel. Hopf v. Barger, 30 Ill. App. 3d 525, 536 (Second Dist. 1975).

More information in regards to St. Clair County Freedom of Information Act Requests and the Common Paperwork associated with them can be located on the St. Clair County FOIA page.

Office Leadership:

First Assistant, Daniel E. Lewis- Mr. Lewis graduated from Saint Louis University in 2006 and Saint Louis University School of Law in 2009. He began his employment with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office in 2010. He is currently assigned as Chief of the Criminal Bureau. His previous assignments include Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division, the Violent Crimes Unit, General Felony Unit, Supervisor of the Domestic Violence Unit, and Traffic/Misdemeanor Division.

Chief of the Criminal Bureau, Jason Emmanuel

Chief of the Children’s Justice Division, Bernadette Schrempp- Ms. Schrempp graduated from Ohio Northern College of Law in 2007 and began her employment with the St. Clair County State’s Attorneys Office in 2008. She is currently assigned as Chief of the Children’s Justice Division. Her previous assignments include Supervisor of the Domestic Violence Unit, General Felony Unit, and Traffic/Misdemeanor Division.

Chief of the Governmental Affairs Division, Chris Allen- Mr. Allen received his B.A. and M.B.A from Murray State University, and his J.D. from the Southern Illinois University School of Law. In private practice, he served as defense trial counsel for entities ranging from family-owned businesses to Fortune-500 companies, and appeared before courts throughout the State of Illinois. He has served the State’s Attorney’s Office in the Traffic/Misdemeanor Division, Juvenile Unit, General Felony Unit, and Domestic Violence/Special Victims Unit.

Chief Investigator, Phil Delaney- Mr. Delaney has been with the State’s Attorney’s Office since 1985 and is a retired police officer.

State's Attorney Office Leadership Diagram

History of the Office

Former St. Clair County State's Attornies:
• Martin W. Schaefer- 1888-1892
• Martin D. Baker- 1896-1900
• James Farmer- 1900-1904
• Fredrick Tecklenburg- 1904-1912
• Charles Webb- 1912-1916
• Hubert E. Schaumleffel- 1916-1922
• Hilmer Lindauer- 1922-1932
• Louis P. Zerwick, 1932-1948
• Richard J. Carter, 1948-1956
• John J. Hoban, 1956-1960
• John M. Karns, Jr., 1960-1968
• Robert H. Rice, 1968-1976
• Clyde L. Kuehn, 1976-1980
• John Baricevic, 1980-1990
• Robert B. Haida, 1991-2010
• Brendan F. Kelly, 2010-2019
• James Gomric, 2019 - Present

Community Outreach

Speakers Bureau

If your organization wishes to have someone from the State’s Attorney’s Office speak at or attend an event, please contact our office. Attorneys in our office have provided community outreach at numerous events and trainings on a wide-variety of subject matter.

Clean Slate

Good people sometimes make mistakes. Sometimes this means getting caught in a situation which damages their ability to lead their lives and make a living. This might be missing court dates on something as minor as a traffic violation and having warrants issued. Maybe that person does not have the cash to post bond on that warrant, so an otherwise law-abiding citizen who made a minor mistake is forced to try to avoid the court system and law enforcement. That warrant may damage that person’s ability to get a job, to provide for their family, and to contribute to society. This damages both that individual and society as a whole. In recognition of that fact, since 2010, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, Circuit Clerk’s Office, Sheriff’s Department, and Judiciary offer Clean Slate Day events a few times each year. Clean Slate Day allows individuals who have warrants for traffic and misdemeanor offenses to have their warrants quashed and cases reset. There is no charge for doing so. All that is required is a valid photo ID and a willingness to start on a path to a better life.

Ride Alongs

It is important for Assistant State’s Attorneys to understand the communities that they serve. In that spirit, the State’s Attorney’s Office sets up Ride Alongs with local law enforcement agencies to see what life is actually like in the various areas of St. Clair County, from the inner-city environments of East St. Louis to rural jurisdictions such as Marissa.

Midnight Basketball and The Arthur Johnson Foundation

The State’s Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with these programs and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in East St. Louis to help keep kids off the street and give our youth a safe place to grow and to learn important life skills.

Good Samaritan Center

The State’s Attorney’s Office partners with the Good Samaritan Center in Washington Park, Illinois. Among other things, the office has a holiday drive to gather toys for kids, as well as hats, gloves, and scarves for those in need. Individuals from the office also volunteer with other programs run out of the Good Samaritan Center including New Yu Youth Movement, a youth ministry offered out of the Good Samaritan Center.

Other organizations that we partner with include: The Christian Activity Center, Children’s Home + Aid, Metro East Police District Commission, East Side Aligned, Southwestern Illinois College, Lindenwood University, and St. Clair County Chiefs of Police Association.

Employment Opportunities

Internship Program

The St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office Internship Program seeks to allow students opportunities to not only observe, but to also become active participants in the courts system. As the representative for the People of the State of Illinois, the State’s Attorney’s Office both prosecutes individuals accused of crimes and also acts as legal counsel for St. Clair County in civil cases. Law students who have obtained their Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 license are given the opportunity to appear in court representing the People of the State of Illinois in a variety of different types of proceedings. Law students not yet eligible for a 711 license area also given a wide range of opportunities to learn and serve.

Past interns have assisted in the review of cases for charges, legal research and writing, presentation of cases to the Grand Jury, conducting Preliminary Hearings, arguing motions, preparing cases for trial, and trying cases. Having those experiences prior to even graduating law school has proved invaluable for many interns, a number of whom have also accepted full-time positions in the Office after graduation.

Applicants should be team-oriented and have a strong commitment to public service. Applicants are also required to pass a background check and drug test prior to beginning their internship.

If you are interested in interning with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office please mail a resume and cover letter attention to ASA Bernadette Schrempp, Chief of the Children’s Justice Division.

Fellowship Program

The St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office Fellowship Program seeks to give licensed attorneys the opportunity to become sworn Assistant State’s Attorneys, thereby gaining valuable skills that may lead to a potential offer for full-time employment when a position becomes available in the office. While these are volunteer positions, numerous previous fellows have been employed on a full-time basis in this office, or the experience has led them to be hired by other prosecutor’s offices or law firms. State’s Attorney Fellows are true Assistant State’s Attorney’s in every sense of the word, representing the People of the State of Illinois in trials, hearings, and plea negotiations just as any other Assistant State’s Attorney does.

State’s Attorney Fellows are subject to all of the same rules and conditions of employment as any other county employee. This includes a criminal background check and drug test prior to beginning employment.

If you are interested in becoming a Fellow with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office please mail a resume and cover letter attention to ASA Bernadette Schrempp, Chief of the Children’s Justice Division.

Full-Time Employment

The St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office employs 28 full-time Assistant State’s Attorneys and 22 Support Staff Members. The office constantly strives to find highly-qualified and motivated individuals to fill vacancies when they occur. All new employees, regardless of position, are required to undergo a criminal records check and submit to a drug test prior to beginning their employment. Additionally, all St. Clair County employees must become residents of St. Clair County within 90 days of beginning their employment.

We offer starting salaries that are competitive with similarly situated counties. All full-time positions also include health, dental, optical, and life insurance as well as a pension plan through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

St. Clair County has an established Equal Employment and non-discrimination policy that requires employment decisions be made without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, pregnancy, or physical or mental disabilities unrelated to the ability to perform essential job functions.

For Assistant State’s Attorney positions, candidates are judged individually, and the following criteria may be given consideration for interviewing and hiring:

Academic standing and accomplishments.
Law School Course Selections focusing on criminal law and procedure, evidence, and practical skill and clinical courses.
Prior work experience and internships, both legal and non-legal.
Documented interest in and history of public service and/or volunteerism.
Recommendations and references regarding personal and professional integrity.

If you are interested in being considered for employment by the Office, please forward a resume, cover letter, and list of references to the attention of Daniel E. Lewis, First Assistant State’s Attorney.