Judge Berkley, a lifelong resident of Madison County, is a graduate of Roxana High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He served as a Madison County Assistant State’s Attorney from 1990 to 1992.  He then worked in private practice and was a full-time assistant public defender for more than 25 years. Judge Berkley was a founding member of the Madison County Drug Control Task Force, which resulted in the creation of Madison County Assessment and Treatment Alternative Court (commonly called drug court). From January 2017 to March 2022, Judge Berkley worked as a senior law clerk for the Fifth District Appellate Court Justice John B. Barberis, Jr. Shortly before his election to Circuit Judge in 2022, Judge Berkley worked for the Office of the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor, where he argued numerous cases before the Fifth District Appellate Court. Judge Berkley is currently assigned to the Criminal Felony Division. He lives with his wife, Sherry. They have two sons and daughters-in-laws and are proud grandparents of two granddaughters.