For nearly 12 years, Judge Terry Hopkins brought his special mixture of humor, experience and common sense to the Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon. Upon his untimely death in late 2006, the Supreme Court of Illinois turned to one of Southern Illinois’ most experienced and respected judges, Judge James Wexstten, to continue Judge Hopkins’ legacy.

“It was such an honor to be named to follow my friend Terry Hopkins onto the Appellate Court. All of us miss him very much, but the best way we can honor him is to carry on his work,” said Judge Wexstten.

The family of Judge Hopkins has joined together to support Judge Wexstten’s campaign. His wife Jeri and his brothers and sister joined Judge Wexstten at his announcement in Terry Hopkins’ home county of Franklin County.

Terry’s brother, George, said:
"My name is George Hopkins, Jr., younger brother to the late Honorable Terrence J. Hopkins of the Fifth District Appellate Court. I am here with my brothers Leonard and Michael and my sister Maureen, along with Terry’s widow, Jeri.

My brother Terry lived a long, productive, and honorable life – he just did it in record time.

He loved God and family. He loved the law, and he loved his many friends. When we would get together at family functions or when I was calling him, as many of you did, for free legal advice, he spoke very often and in the highest regard of his close friend Jim Wexstten.

When Terry died last October, it was a great concern to all of us as to who could bring to his place on the Court the wisdom and dedication that Terry took to work every day. Our hope and prayer was that it would be Judge Wexstten, the person we knew that Terry would have chosen himself

Well Terry must have been taking advantage of his new position – already assisting the “Chief of Chief Justices” with key decisions -- because it was Judge Wexstten who was called to fill Terry’s seat on the Fifth District Appellate Court.

I hear my brother’s voice every day, sometimes it might still be the reverberations of his booming voice that still echoes and ricochets around the world, but I know how he felt, and still feels, about his friend, Judge Jim Wexstten.

Jim, I know that “Big Brother is watching” and, in this case, it’s a good thing. I know he’s smiling today, and, I know exactly what Terry Hopkins would say if he were here at this podium – I just can’t say it as loud as he could.

He’d say, “We must take advantage of a good thing -- the wisdom and logic and fairness and experience and dedication – that we find in our friend Judge James Wexstten. And, we must elect Judge James Wexstten to the Fifth District Appellate Court."