Eric Rinehart Sworn In As New Lake County State's Attorney

WAUKEGAN, IL — A longtime criminal defense attorney took office Tuesday as the new chief prosecutor in Lake County.

Eric Rinehart, 44, of Highwood, was sworn in as Lake County state's attorney by Lake County Chief Judge Diane Winter in front of nearly two dozen friends and family members at the Lake County Courthouse. He addressed many of the roughly 150 employees of the state's attorney's office Tuesday afternoon via video.

"We can be safe in our communities and fair in the courthouse at the same time," Rinehart told his staff. "These goals are not in inherent conflict, and if they ever seem to collide, we must be smart enough, and brave enough to try new ideas, to speak truth to power, and to always be honest with ourselves and our community about the challenges we face."

In a statement after his swearing in, Rinehart said his mission is to make the county safer without sacrificing a commitment to equality, transparency and the rights of individuals.

“We will always proceed with compassion and transparency, but our first responsibility to the people of Lake County is the completion of the mission: we will reduce crime and end disparities in our courthouse,” Rinehart said. “I promise my office will protect all communities regardless of race, class, gender, or sexual orientation.”

After earning a law degree from the University of Chicago in 2001, Rinehart spent two years practicing civil law at the business litigation firm Schopf & Weiss in Chicago.

In 2003, he joined the Lake County Public Defender's Office in an effort to spend more time in courtrooms and work closer to home, according to his office. He formed his own law firm — Malia & Rinehart — in 2009.

According to his office, Rinehart has defended clients in over 70 jury trials in Lake County. He has also handled appeals that have led to more than 20 oral arguments before Illinois appellate courts and the Illinois Supreme Court.

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Rinehart declared his candidacy last July and ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primary before he faced off against two-term incumbent Mike Nerheim.

According to official results from the Lake County Clerk's Office, Rinehart defeated Nerheim by a margin of 52-48, or about 13,500 votes.

Nerheim, a Gurnee Republican, said he was uncertain what he plans to do next. In a statement after conceding, he attributed his loss to a national "Blue Wave" of support for Democratic candidates.

"The main hurdle to overcome in this election was the impact that national politics was going to play on our local race," Nerheim said. "We were able to secure a lot of crossover votes, but in the end, not enough."

Speaking to his new staff for the first time as state's attorney, Rinehart said he received a gracious personal note from Nerheim during his first day in office and thanked him for his years of service to the county and public.

"I know how much he was liked and respected in this office, I certainly acknowledge that," Rinehart said, "I know that he personally worked hard to reach out to every community, that he is a dedicated public servant and I know he will continue to improve our legal community here in Lake County and in Illinois."