Veterans Day Conversation with Judge John F. Lyke

On Veterans Day 2024, the Veterans Law Association and Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion hosted a conversation with the Honorable John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. who serves in the Criminal Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Judge Lyke also hears Veterans Treatment Court cases as part of Cook County’s Problem-Solving Courts. An Army veteran, Judge Lyke received his JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Before becoming a judge, he worked for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office, then entered private practice specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation.

In conversation with the president of the Veterans Law Association, Ben Wideman (JD-MBA ’25), Judge Lyke discussed growing up in the Robert Taylor Housing Projects in Chicago and his initial decision to enlist in the military. After sharing several stories from his time in basic training, Judge Lyke spoke of how the discipline he developed in the Army was a huge benefit when transitioning from the service to college and later law school. In addition to defraying the costs of college, serving in the military “opens up doors for you,” said Lyke, and puts one’s studies in a different perspective. Ultimately, he chose to pursue law because he wanted to help “people who look like me.” Although initially reluctant to take a job with the State’s Attorney office, feeling it went against his initial goal, his mentor, former Judge David Erickson, told him, “As a prosecutor, it’s your decision, not the judge’s to pursue a case or not. You have the power to dismiss the case or reduce it …as a defense attorney, you can’t do that.”

Judge Lyke discussed cases he hears as part of the Cook County Veterans Treatment Court, a unique program designed for individuals who have served in the U.S. military and become involved in the criminal justice system. He was asked to hear cases for the program due to his military service, as the program recognizes that many veterans or active-duty service members may be charged with felony or misdemeanor offenses as a direct or indirect result of, for example, posttraumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury that occurred during military service. Thus, the Veterans Treatment Court’s goal is to assist these service members to reduce their risk of further involvement in the criminal justice system in the future and to improve their overall quality of life. This mission is achieved through the combined efforts of the Veterans Treatment Court Team and the community, under the supervision of the Court. Judge Lyke spoke about the program’s details and the ways it benefits veterans by keeping them out of prison. 

Student questions focused on the importance of getting involved in local community networks. Judge Lyke spoke of his experiences in local bar associations and how it opened unexpected doors. He concluded by discussing his time as a trial lawyer on both sides of the courtroom, describing preparation and listening as crucial to lawyers in winning a case. “Your best skill as a trial lawyer is one you were born with: your ears,” he said. “You have to listen.”