John Donald O'Shea is a retired Circuit Court Judge. During his 26 years on the bench, he handled the full gambit of cases, from major civil suits for money damages, to and including, divorces, adoptions, juvenile matters, non-support matters, eminent domain cases, suits for injunctive relief and minor and major criminal cases, including three cases where the death penalty was sought. He spent most of the last ten years of his judgeship as Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division of the Circuit County of Rock Island Count, Illinois.
Prior to his 1974 election to be bench, he served as a Rock Island County (IL) Assistant State's Attorney, as Moline, IL Corporation Counsel, and as an attorney in private practice.
Don graduated from the University of Notre Dame (BA '64) and Notre Dame Law School (JD '65)
Thereafter, he did his basic and advanced training with the Illinois National Guard before applying for a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was commissioned therein as a Lieutenant Junior Grade (JAG), and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Commander.