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PodCamp: Judge Shares His Journey to the Bench

Nathaniel Hostetter with Brian Otwell.
Katie Buck
/
NPR Illinois 91.9 UIS
Nathaniel Hostetter with Judge Brian Otwell.

Hello I’m Nathaniel Hostetter for the 2018 NPR Illinois PodCamp.

Brian Ottwel is an Associate Judge for the seventh Judicial Court of Illinois for eight years.

His interest in law began when he got a job working for an Illinois Court.

“When I graduated with a degree in political science from Illinois State University and not knowing what to do with that and as I was getting ready to graduate I looked in the classified section which people used to do to look for jobs.”

 

His interest in law soon took another turn when he went to Illinois Law School.

“I worked as a file clerk and a bailiff for a year and a half before I went to law school and I discovered that aspect of the law was very appealing to me as I got to know the lawyers and the judges.”

After 15 years of being a public defender for Sangamon County, he became an associate judge which he has been for 8 years.

I’m Nathaniel Hostetter and this is NPR PodCamp.

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NPR Illinois PodCamp is an annual program teaching media literacy, civic education, journalism, and technical skills to aspiring students.

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