Judge Borden graduated from Bradley University in 1973 and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 1977. He served as Articles Editor for the Law Journal and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Upon graduation, he was employed as a law clerk for Justice Richard Mills of the Third District Appellate Court from 1977 to 1979. He then entered private practice and was subsequently elected as Stark County State’s Attorney in 1984 and re-elected in 1988. Under the law at that time, he was able to maintain his private practice while holding the office of State’s Attorney.

In 1991, he was appointed as an Associate Circuit Judge for the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois. He served in that capacity until March, 2000 when he was appointed Resident Circuit Judge for Stark County by the Illinois Supreme Court. He was subsequently elected to that position in December of 2000. During his tenure on the bench, Judge Borden presided in every court division in the Circuit and consistently received some of the highest judicial ratings in the state including the highest rating of all Illinois judges during his retention in 2006. In 2007, he was elected Chief Judge of the Circuit and held that office for two terms. During his time on the bench, he presided over more than 200 jury trials including numerous personal injury and medical malpractice cases.

Since his retirement from the bench in December of 2012, Judge Borden has returned to private practice in Wyoming, Illinois and has been actively engaged in alternative resolution dispute matters throughout the central Illinois area. He has successfully mediated more than 30 cases involving estate, commercial, real estate, malpractice, nursing home neglect, personal injury and wrongful death disputes.