Injustice Watch's nonpartisan guide to the November 2022 Cook County judicial elections. In the 32nd year of her legal career and a judge for the last . She is a past president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and was a Board member of the Illinois Judges Association and Illinois Latino Judges Association. Government-worker pension costs are overwhelming the state's budget: 19 percent of the budget is going to pay for pensions, compared to 4 percent in other states. He worked at several different firms before joining his current firm, focusing on similar areas. After that, they face a yes-or-no vote for retention every six years. We think that bar associations are limited in how far they can go, in how far they can push the judiciary for that reason, she said. Williams B. Sullivan was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1992. All consider her to be very diligent, with a good temperament, and described her as a strong proponent of promoting equity and diversity. The Committee finds Nick Kantas qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. EXCLUSIVE: Pekau has already decided to move ahead and eliminate the Villag Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals? She is considered to be professional, courteous and to have high ethical standards. Since 2022 she was appointed Deputy General Counsel for Chicago Public Schools, managing attorneys, and drafting CPS contracts. Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 . All attorneys described her as well prepared with excellent legal knowledge, and they praised her well-reasoned decisions in complex matters. Since 2019 she has been with Ancel Glink focusing on civil litigation defense and local government representation. The Committee finds Joe Gump qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Hon. After serving as an alderman in the Chicago City Council for the 4th Ward from 1973 until 1991, while maintaining a civil law practice, he was elected in 1992 to the Circuit Court, and has been retained four times since. Hon. Perhaps the worst is Judge Priscilla Owen of the 5th U.S. Michael B. Hyman - Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, Neville Jr. vacancy. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2014 and elected in 2016 after a career as a prosecutor. This year, 59 Cook County Circuit Court judges are seeking retention. Retention means a judge must receive at least 60% of the votes cast in their race to stay on the bench. Hon. The ISBA finds Judge Sandra G. Ramos recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. But they are not like everyday candidates even though they are candidates on our election ballot. She has been assigned to the Law Division, Jury Trial Section since 2007, and also is the Supervising Judge, Cook County Asbestos Docket. Alison C. Conlon has been licensed since 2000. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 1980 and has been retained six times since then. He was praised for his efforts to improve diversity on the bench, and for his support of diversion courts like the Restorative Justice programs, and Drug, Mental Health, and Veterans Courts. Howard Spitz was the first judge I referred to as the worst ever. John Patrick Kirby has been licensed since 1983. Raymond Mitchell was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1993. While in the Circuit Court his other assignments included the County, First Municipal District, Adoption, and Traffic Divisions. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2021 after serving as an associate judge since 2003; he also served a brief time as an appointed circuit court judge in 2000. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2010and retained in 2016. Lawyers contacted spoke highly of her as being a true student of the law, describing her as exceptional, sensitive, patient, and beyond reproach. In 2019 she was given the Distinguished Alumna Award by the University of Illinois College of Law. . Personal PAC, Men4Choice, and Future Voices Council have Launched Jane's Army to Elect Illinois Pro-Choice Candidates in 2022! A stress fracture in his shin. She is described as professional, and most reported that she is even keeled. That undermines confidence in our criminal justice system. Click here to view that list. Vote "no" on three judges by punching 228, 232 and 314. The last two judges scored the fight 115-115. Hon. There are more judges on a ballot than candidates for government office. Attorneys praised her legal ability, thoroughness, professionalism, and work ethic. They can be fixed. 1 two years ago. Terrence Fulton MacCarthy has been licensed in 1990. She is described as being professional, fair, efficient, and even-tempered. He does not report jury or bench trial experience, but does have substantial quasi-trial civil experience, including administrative and evidentiary hearings. Since 1966, when a vacancy happens in state court, the governor appoints a judge from a list of two or three candidates recommended by nominating commissions. Tracie Porter has been licensed since 1994. She has been a speak and a panelist and has served on several Illinois Court committees. Editor's note: The Record publications are owned by the Institute for Legal Reform. They also agreed that he is sharp, aware of legal issues and sees them from many angles. Mathias Delort has been licensed since 1985. She was elected to the Circuit Court. Candidates Who Do Not Participate in the Evaluation Process Are Rated Not Recommended. Hon. worst judges in illinois. Carolyn Gallagher was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1982. She is currently serving as Trustee of Moraine Valley Community College and as a board member for Rise From The Ashes. He is also known to be impartial, ethical, and diligent. For primary and general elections, lawyers with the 13 bar associations ranging from powerhouses such as the Illinois State Bar Association to lesser-known ones such as the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois ask judicial candidates to complete extensive written questionnaires detailing their career backgrounds, courtroom and work experience, and ethical issues that may have arisen in their past. We should hold judges up to a higher standard, a standard they frequently use to judge everyone else. She was praised for her ethics and her commitment to diversity in her judicial appointments, as well as her demeanor and diligence. For its judicial endorsements, the Tribune Editorial Board relies on the bar groups evaluations and on its own research, including discussions with lawyers and judges who know the candidates. He has been assigned to Criminal Division since October 2017; since October 2021 he has presided over a felony call after previously serving in the Pre-Trial Division. Hon. She is considered to be fair and impartial, with high character. Daniel James Pierce announced his retirement too late for his name to be removed from the ballot. In 1988 she was elected to the Circuit Court, where she was assigned to the Criminal and Chancery Divisions. It should come as no surprise to Illinois voters that as it comes time to elect new judges to the Illinois Supreme Court, that Democrats would nominate two candidates with deep financial ties to former Speaker of the Illinois House Mike Madigan and Chicago machine politics. The Committee finds Raymond W. Mitchell highly qualified for election to the Appellate Court. She is currently assigned to the Municipal Department, Fifth District (Bridgeview). In 2001, the Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint over Schwartz decision to bar Southern Illinois Law School students from serving in his courtroom, after his stepsons application to enroll there was denied. The ISBA finds Judge Alison C. Conlon recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Ms. Ryan reports that she has tried eight civil jury trials. Any list of terrible Supreme Court justices that does not begin with Chief Justice Roger Taney will inherently be controversial. She has taught at law schools and bar association seminars. She has been a committee member with the Chicago Bar Association. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2015 and elected in 2016. She has been assigned to the Probate Division since 2018, currently sitting in Decedents Estates. He has been assigned to the Municipal Department in the Fifth District (Bridgeview) where he presides over various criminal calls. Currently she is on the board of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation and volunteers with other community groups. The people who are assessing the judges, their interests may not necessarily align with the public that the judge is supposed to be serving, Nes said. She has been a board members of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and an officer of the Illinois Latino Judges Association. Hon. However, judges who receive unfavorable ratings tend to receive fewer yes votes, even if they ultimately win reelection. Prior to this he served as an assistant states attorney until 2006 when he opened his own general practice focusing on criminal defense and real estate. Attorneys reported that, while due to the nature of her job, they had limited experience observing her legal knowledge and ability, within the confines of her current role, she did have good knowledge of, especially with the effects of proposed legislation. After first being assigned to Traffic Court and then the Mortgage Foreclosure call in Chancery, in August 2018 she was transferred to her current assignment in General Chancery. America's Worst Judges. While most attorneys praised her temperament, a few found her to be impatient at times. In 2021 he was appointed to the circuit court. Hon. He is a past president of the Illinois Judges Association and the Latin American Bar Association. The ISBA finds Judge William H. Hooks not recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. The Committee finds Araceli Reyes De La Cruz qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Thank you. The Worst Shameless Lawyers/Liars in Illinois. He was appointed to the circuit court as a full judge in January 2021 and is currently the Presiding Judge of the County Division. The ISBA finds Judge Susan Kennedy Sullivan recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Since July 2016, she has been assigned to the Appellate Court First District; prior to that assignment, she served in the Chancery Division for six years and in the Child Protection Division. on Four Cook County Judges you should watch out for, The Chicago Sun-Times published a column from InjusticeWatch, which notes, they are the only judges seeking retention to each have more than a dozen decisions reversed by higher courts in the six years since they were last retained.. She was a member of the River Forest Plan Commission from 1995 to 2008; is a member of various bar associations; and is active in community affairs. Shes paid to do a job, just like all of us. He is currently the managing partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, where he has been employed since 2011, focusing on business litigation. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. The ISBA finds Judge Eulalia De La Rosa recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Hon. In January 2022 she was appointed to the Circuit Court where she is currently assigned to Traffic Court. Why? I have met some great judges. The threat of suit under the BIPA law has persuaded some companies to refuse to sell some of their products there, said Harold Kim, chief operating office of the Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, in a prepared statement. Attorneys praised his legal knowledge and well thought out rulings, his fairness, professionalism, and his integrity. Attorneys describe him as having an encyclopedic knowledge of substantive law, unflappable, always prepared, and a straight shooter. He also received the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Court of Honor Award in 2012. She currently sits in the Law Division, Motion Section. He has been a speaker or moderator on legal topics both in-person and virtually. She lectures often on legal topics and is the recipient of several awards, including the May Heftl Hooton Award from the Womens Bar Association in 2018, the Judicial Service Award from the Northwest Suburban Bar Association in 2019, and she was named the 2022 Celt of the Year by the Celtic Legal Society. She was selected as an associate judge in 2021 and is currently assigned to the Traffic Division. He is currently serving as Acting Supervisor of the Housing Section, First Municipal. In September 2017 he was appointed as an associate judge to the Circuit Court, Traffic Section. Prior assignments include a variety of calls in First Municipal, including the Civil Jury room, Motions and Assignments, and Traffic. Gary William Seyring has been licensed since 1978. Critics of the Colorado model say theres not enough transparency in the process and note that the commissions still find that most judges meet performance standards. He is a commissioner on the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission and served as a trustee for Lyons township School Treasurers Office and is a member of several bar associations. Well, I dont listen to the Bar Associations. He has received several awards, including the Donald Hubert Public Service Award in 2021 from the Chicago Inns of Court; the Promotion of Social Justice Award in 2016 from the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys in 2016; and the Distinguished Service Award from the Friends of Recover in 2021. Those who appeared before him in First Municipal described his legal knowledge as above average; those appearing before him in his current assignment reported that while he was not initially familiar with that area of law, he has worked to learn it and gives fair rulings. Mary Kathleen McHugh has been licensed since 1993. The lawsuits have particularly surged in the wake of an Illinois Supreme Court ruling, which determined plaintiffs dont need to prove they suffered any real harm from such biometric scans before they can sue. He has a calm demeanor and is always on time. Attorneys reported that he knows civil procedure and runs a very tight and efficient court. The ISBA finds Judge Aleksandra Gillespie recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. He has substantial civil trial experience including in complex matters. Federal law empowers judges to reject political maps that curb minorities' voting . He was described as calm, patient and sensitive. For this years election, all 135 judges up for retention across the state were found qualified. She is considered to be very professional, diligent, and punctual, with a good temperament and high ethical standards. He was a founding member of the South Asian Bar Association. He has been assigned to the Law Division Jury Section since 2017. Illinois did not rank above 48th in any of the 10 criteria. In this case the court ruled for the re-enslavement of Dred Scott, a Black man and former slave from Missouri who claimed to be free. 232: Judge Matthew Coghlan also was rated not qualified by the Council of Lawyers, which cited a case in which the Appellate Court twice overturned his decision not to grant a rehearing for a defendant who said hed confessed to murder after being tortured by detectives working for disgraced Chicago police Lt. Jon Burge. Earlier in her career, she spent two years as a law clerk in Chancery followed by three years in a law firm. Sep 12, 2022. He has been a private practitioner since with his own practice: Law Offices of Gary Seyring, focusing on various areas of civil law including domestic relations, real estate, probate and estate planning, and business law. He is a member of several bar associations. Thomas J. Maloney (1925-2008) was a judge in Cook County, Illinois who served from 1977 until his indictment for bribery in 1991. International soccer returns to SeatGeek Stadium, Chicago Wolves Noesen wins Presidents Award, Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia, Sheriff and District 230 honor students for public service hours, Chicagoan who invested in research to save children releases new book, Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications, Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job, United offers endless airline travel problems for travelers. Since 2016she has been assigned to the Law Division where she currently sits in the Trial Division.

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