Judge Ed Prochaska served as a Winnebago County Circuit Judge from 1996 to his retirement in December of 2018. A highly respected jurist and attorney, Judge Prochaska was known for his effectiveness at resolving civil litigation through the mediated settlement conference process. He was the Presiding Judge of the 17th Circuit Civil Division (2010-2018).

From 2007 to 2018, Judge Prochaska sat in the Law, Chancery & Miscellaneous Remedies division, where he conducted hundreds of successful settlement conferences. He successfully facilitated many multi-million dollar settlements, including two settlements over $10 million.

While sitting as a judge, Judge Prochaska presided over 214 jury trials, including medical negligence (47), auto accidents (53), legal malpractice, nursing home, premises liability, subrogation, eminent domain, breach of contract, civil rights, animal control act, negligent hiring/supervision, dram shop, and product liability. His extensive experience as a jurist and litigator instill confidence during the mediation process, as he combines the
evaluative and facilitative mediation styles to help resolve civil disputes. He completed a 40-hour Civil Mediation course at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada in 2017.

Judge Prochaska has extensive experience with the resolution of: