The ISBA finds Judge Daniel Patrick Duffy recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. 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. Hon. Hon. But Monkus said she thinks that robust, performance-based judicial evaluations aimed as much at continued training, education, and professional growth for judges as they are at voter education are critical for a better judiciary. Howard Spitz was the first judge I referred to as the worst ever. He has also handled real estate matters. The ISBA finds Justice Mary Jane Theis recommended for retention to the Illinois Supreme Court First District. Click here to view that list. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 1998 and retained in 2004, 2010 and 2016. He is a past president of the Advocates Society. The ISBA finds Judge Thomas J. Kelley recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. She has been a speaker and has participated in committees for the Cook County Bar Association and the Illinois Judicial Council. wrongful convictions tied to disgraced former police detective Reynaldo Guevara, Ask an expert: Bar association ratings, explained, Rich told Injustice Watch leading up to the last general election, In 2020, Cook County voters cast ballots for judges in historic numbers, theres not enough transparency in the process, report from the Brennan Center for Justice. Two of those candidates received positive reviews from all but one bar group. She is a member of various bar associations, has spoken on legal topics and is on the executive board of Casa Central. He has a reputation as a person of great integrity who listens, is always prepared, and treats all with respect. 34. The Committee finds Marcia OBrien Conway qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. They also agreed that he is sharp, aware of legal issues and sees them from many angles. She has some civil jury trial experience, has handled some appeals and substantial quasi-litigation experience. She is currently assigned to the Law Division Trial Section, after a previous assignment in Child Protection. There are four Cook County Judges seeking retention who have the worst records when it comes to having their rulings reserved by the Appellate Court. The ISBA finds Judge Steven A. Kozicki recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. The ISBA finds Judge Jerry A. Esrig recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. March 31, 2022. Colorado and many of the states that have adopted public commissions to evaluate judges differ from Illinois in another key way by appointing, not electing, judges. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 1989 and then elected in 1994 and retained in 2000. Others critical of how judges are elected or retained in Illinois say the evaluations ignore the voice of the larger community and have an inherent conflict of interest by relying on primarily lawyers opinions. Other states, such as Colorado, have public commissions comprising lawyers and nonlawyers who evaluate judges performance. Has been a speaker on legal topics and is a member of various bar associations. The former NFL running back plead guilty to attacking Kristin Evans, the mother of his child, in mid-August 2021, when he allegedly became angry over . Give credit to the original source. She has litigation experience in civil jury and bench trials. Northern District of Illinois Historical Association. Attorneys appearing before him gave him high marks for his legal knowledge and abilities, and his ability to think outside the box and find creative solutions. The ISBA finds Judge Daniel Malone recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Jerry Esrig was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1978. From 1990 to 2016, 99% of the Colorado judges who received positive recommendations kept their seats, while only 64% of judges with negative ratings stayed on the bench, according to a state report. The ISBA finds Judge Kathleen Marie Burke recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. By Ted A. Donner . Since 2016she has been assigned to the Law Division where she currently sits in the Trial Division. For context, she adds, Judge Demacopoulos is at 11 percent and she has had the highest number of cases before the Appellate Court. CHICAGO Illinois Republicans last controlled the state Supreme Court the same year the former John Hancock building opened along North Michigan Avenue, and the Chicago Cubs infamously blew the National League pennant. And of all of the factors that exist to retain or not to retain a judge, that ranks as one of the most important in my mind. He is a past member of the Illinois State Bar Association Assembly, a past president of the Justinian Society, and an officer of the North Suburban Bar Association. After serving as Cook County Public Guardian, he was elected to the Circuit Court in 2004, retained in 2010 and 2016. For most judicial offices, ISBA will provide either an evaluation or a poll rating. Hon. In 2014 she was given the Cook County Special Advocate Volunteer Spirit Award. She is well-respect by attorneys and judges for her legal knowledge, integrity, judicial demeanor, and preparation. Another 9% gave that designation to Madison County. Susana L. Ortiz has been licensed since 2001. Hon. Hon. He has taught at Roosevelt University, been active on committees with the Chicago Bar Association and the Northwest Suburban Bar Association and assisted military families with tax preparation through a pro bono program. On Nov. 8, Illinoisans will vote for important judge positions, including three Illinois Supreme Court justices and 16 appellate court judges. Many voters vote No on all the judges not to hurt the judges but to help campaigns take out bad judges that have been targeted by groups angry with rulings. In 1988 she was elected to the Circuit Court, where she was assigned to the Criminal and Chancery Divisions. He was one of the villains in the "believer story . Attorneys reported that she is well-regarded and respected for her extensive legal knowledge and experience. He has been on the Board of Chicagos Theological Seminary and Claremont McKenna College and was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award by Claremont McKenna in 2019. Before services on the bench, he was an assistant corporation counsel and an attorney for the Chicago Board of Education. She prepared thoroughly for each case and is described as patient and kind to the many pro se litigants appearing before her. The ISBA finds Judge Terry MacCarthy recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. While they have taken aim at tech and social media giants, such as Facebook and Google, these lawsuits have particularly targeted employers for making employees scan their fingerprints on so-called biometric time clocks to verify their identity when punching in and out of work shifts or accessing secure areas, like drug storage closets. He has served on various committees and boards of various bar associations, including the Illinois State Bar Association, and has been a speaker on legal topics. Thomas E. Nowinski has been licensed since 2004. We need to have people who are directly impacted leading that work and making sure that their stories are getting told, she said. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2014 and elected in 2016. Welcome to The Washington Post e-Replica! They described her as professional and calm. Hon. He is a committee member of the Illinois Judicial Council and has published articles. Unfortunately, they're going to be around long after Trump departs the White House on January 20, but that's no reason not to document the top five worst Trump appointees thus far. He previously worked for several agencies included the Legal Assistance Foundation and is a mediator and arbitrator. Hon. Dorothea Renee Jackson has been licensed since 2006. As voters prepare for the November 8, 2022 General Election, they have a field of candidates to consider for Federal, State and County offices, including a number of important judicial races. He was appointed as an associate judge in 1997 with assignments in the Chancery Division hearing mortgage foreclosure maters, and elected to the Circuit Court in 2008, and elected to the Appellate Court in 2012. Brendan A. OBrien has been licensed since 1996. Attorneys overwhelmingly reported that she has a good command of the law and knows how to apply it. While a circuit court judge, he sat in Mortgage Foreclosure, Traffic, Domestic Violence, and the Sixth Municipal District (Markham). After that, they face a yes-or-no vote for retention every six years. Daniel James Pierce announced his retirement too late for his name to be removed from the ballot. Chicago Illinois is one of the most corrupt court systems in America. What Happens to Complaints Against Judges? Cook County Circuit Judge Timothy Evans, a consummate politician who served for years on Chicago's City Council, faces a retention race this November but first his peers will . Northern District of Illinois Probation. He is currently assigned to the Pre-Trial Division at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. Lisa Taylor has been licensed since 2001. Attorneys reported that he is a solid judge with very good legal knowledge and a good understanding of evidence and is impartial with a good temperament. In 2017, he received the Judge Howard T. Markey Award from the John Marshall Law School Alumni Association, and in 2020 he was awarded the Robert J. Mangler Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association. After first spending time in the Traffic Division, she was assigned to Eviction Court in 2016. From October 2018 until January 2019, he was temporarily assigned to administrative duties in the Sixth District (Markham) by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court. The ISBA finds Judge Thomas V. Lyons recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Multiple attorneys described him as being very smart and intelligent, with excellent legal knowledge and ability, and as being professional, impartial, and patient. She is a former board member for the James Moran Center in Evanston and sat on the Illinois Supreme Court Character and Fitness Committee. Library of the U.S. Courts of the Seventh Circuit. Ms. Ryan reports that she has tried eight civil jury trials. The Committee finds ShawnTe Raines-Welch not qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. We should hold judges up to a higher standard, a standard they frequently use to judge everyone else. Get the State of Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board COMPLAINT AGAINST A JUDGE - illinois accomplished. She has been a committee member with the Chicago Bar Association. Before being appointed to the bench, she had tried a considerable number of civil bench trials. In the areas of "Trial Judges' Impartiality" and "Trial Judges' Competence," Illinois ranked 49th and 50th respectively. The ISBA finds Judge Carolyn J. Gallagher recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Not necessarily just to get community outreach to say should this person be retained or not retained but seeking community input on what are the problems with a particular judge or a particular division of the circuit court, he said. Elected in 2012, she apparently got off to a very bad start. 1:16. Diana Lpez has been licensed since 2001. Her first assignment was in First Municipal. The ISBA finds Judge Mary Kathleen McHugh recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Charles Charlie Beach has been licensed since 1996. United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The Committee finds Timothy W. Wright III qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Why? Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals? She also teaches as judicial conferences. He also received positive comments on his temperament, diligence, impartiality, and integrity. That got her some business, I am sure. Prior to that, he was assigned to First Municipal. Judge Michael Cicconetti's Bizarre Sentences Puts His Community At Risk Kelly Marie McCarthy - Cook County . In Cook County, 13 bar associations professional organizations for lawyers have long attempted to help voters on these down-ballot contests by rating each judicial candidate as qualified or not. All attorneys contacted praised her legal knowledge and ability, thoroughness, sensitivity, temperament, and integrity. Kent Wagner runs the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, a state office overseeing about 230 volunteers who evaluate judges, write up their conclusions, and recommend whether a judge meets a specified set of performance standards. He is known as a hard worker who is fair and patient. She has taught and lectured at various law schools and has been a committee member with various bar associations. She received high praise for her integrity and her sensitivity towards the many diverse people that appear before her, include those appearing pro se. 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. Out of the 61 judges up for retention in Cook County in the Nov. 8 elections, for instance, all but four were recommended for another term by all the bar associations. He has been assigned to the Law Division Jury Section since 2017. He is a board member of the Illinois Judicial Council. National Foundation for Gun Rights attorneys lost no time in Show more . Each judge has to garner at least 60% of the vote to stay on the bench. The ISBA finds Judge Eve Marie Reilly recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. 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. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. The average reversal rate pursuant to the 2018annual report from the Illinois Supreme Court indicates that 22percent of civil cases and 17 percent of criminal cases are reversed. Theyre near the end of the ballot, listed in seemingly random order. Commencing October 26, 2022, Justice Theis will begin serving a three-year term as Chief Justice succeeding Justice Anne M. Burke. Hon. Thomas J. Maloney was a judge in Cook County, Illinois from 1977 to 1991. By Dave McKinney. She is Chairman of the Board and a Founder of the Alexander Family Foundation. Those involved in the bar associations evaluation process say the lawyers groups are being asked to do too much with too few resources. Since 2013 she has been Supervising Judge of the Countys Asbestos Docket. He is highly respected for his clear reasoning, his good solid writing and hard work. Retention means a judge must receive at least 60% of the votes cast in their race to stay on the bench. Sandra Gisela Ramos has been licensed since 1986. We have not been able to (financially) support the project, which takes considerable staff time.. The Committee finds Araceli Reyes De La Cruz qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. South Dakota had been ranked No. Attorneys widely praised him for his work in his current assignment and his knowledge of abuse and neglect law. The report noted, for instance, that 92% of all plaintiffs filing asbestos-related lawsuits in Illinois come from out of state. The survey, conducted by Harris Poll, posed a series of questions to what the report said was a national sample of more than 1,300 in-house general counsel, senior litigators or attorneys, and other senior executives at companies with at least $100 million in annual revenue. All of the survey respondents were identified as executives or attorneys knowledgeable about litigation matters and who have firsthand, recent litigation experience within the last five years in each state they evaluate.. She is a member of several bar associations, has been a speaker on legal topics, mentored law students, and served on the City of Chicagos Board of Ethics from 2009 until 2012. He is a former officer of the Alliance of Illinois Judges. Even fewer complaints are made known to the public. She is currently assigned to the Chancery Division, General Chancery Section, after first sitting in several different First Municipal courts. She has been active with various bar associations, including serving as treasurer of the Indian American Bar Association, has spoken on various legal issues, works on diversity issues with the Sates Attorneys Office, and helped organize a naturalization drive. Nine attorneys and eight nonlawyers evaluated judges up for retention in Cook County in the 2010 and 2012 elections. In January 2019 he returned to the Criminal Division. Aleksandra Gillespie has been licensed since 1993. In 2017 she joined Schwartz Gilligan where she focuses on general tort defense and insurance coverage litigation, with some probate practice. 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. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. Because at the end of the day, they will have to stand in front of a judge and represent a client.. Prior to that assignment, he had been the Presiding Judge of the Pretrial Division at the Leighton Criminal Court House since 2017. Name (s) Address. He has been with McDermott Will handling commercial litigation since 2007, as a partner since 2013, and is currently the Pro Bono Litigation Partner. She has been a local prosecutor and administrative law judge for several suburban municipalities. After spending eleven years in the Appeals Division, he moved to Felony Trial in the Third Municipal District (Rolling Meadows). Here's Who's on Your Ballot For the Illinois Primary Election 2022. Hooks is rated positively by all major Illinois bar groups except the Illinois State Bar Association. Carbondale. The ISBA finds Judge Anna Maria Loftus recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Follow Ray Hanania at She practices in the areas of domestic relations, civil litigation and corporate law with the Barrett Law Group. Basically that means she lied, and probably to protect Smollett for political and even possibly racial reasons. 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. Attorneys reported that she is fair minded, hard-working, professional, and diligent. She is apart time Adjunct Professor/Instructor at Loyola University School of Law. 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