By Injustice Watch Staff | November 22, 2015. More than a half-century ago, Colorado voters passed a constitutional amendment to abolish partisan judicial elections and instead appoint judges based on merit. She is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern School of Law. While in the Circuit Court his other assignments included the County, First Municipal District, Adoption, and Traffic Divisions. She has some jury, bench and quasi-trial experience. The Committee finds Bradley R. Trowbridge qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. The councils report cites two examples in which the Appellate Court found evidentiary errors so serious that it sent the cases back with instructions to assign them to a different judge. She is well-respect by attorneys and judges for her legal knowledge, integrity, judicial demeanor, and preparation. The write-ups and recommendations are posted online and mailed to every registered voter household in the states Blue Book, a ballot information booklet. He is considered to be a well-prepared litigator with good writing skills. Hon. Thomas Kelley has been licensed since 1984. At that point, the bar associations decide whether a judge is qualified to continue to serve or whether a candidate will be recommended for the bench. The ISBA finds Judge Carolyn J. Gallagher recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Barry Goldberg was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1999. Most attorneys interviewed stated that she had excellent knowledge of the law and understood the nuances of guardianship and probate well. Judicial bar ratings are complex and important. After working in private practice and representing the 6th Ward in the Chicago City Council for thirteen years, she was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2011, re-appointed in 2014, then elected in 2016. In other words, it's been a long time. He has been a speaker for various bar associations. 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. He was highly praised by attorneys and judges for his legal knowledge and his technology skills during the transition to zoom hearings during the pandemic. Hon. He has both jury and non-jury experience in civil cases, has an extensive motion practice, appears in both state and federal courts, and has handled fifteen appeals. Illinois also ranked 50th in "Quality of Appellate Review" and 49th in "Juries' Fairness." . The Committee finds Bernadette Barrett qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Prior to that, he held various other government positions, including as Labor Counsel to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Legal Counsel to the Assessor, Deputy Director of Labor Relations for the Cook County Board; he also served as an assistant states attorney for several years, and was Deputy Supervisor of Torts and Federal Civil Rights Litigation Unit of the Civil Actions Bureau. He is active in bar associations and legal clinics. He has served as presiding judge of the Second Division. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get our public service journalism emailed directly to you. He has been assigned to various criminal misdemeanor calls in First Municipal since 2013, after first presiding in Traffic Court. The Committee finds Barry Goldberg qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Why? Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals? Iris Y. Chavira declined to participate in the judicial evaluation process. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2010 and retained in 2016. The Committee finds ShawnTe Raines-Welch not qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Hon. John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr. has been licensed since 1994. She is a past president of the Illinois Judges Association, the Illinois Bar Foundation and the Womens Bar Association and served as a section chair for the Illinois State Bar Association. Now you can read The Washington Post e-Replica anytime, anywhere. Injustice Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism organization that conducts in-depth research exposing institutional failures that obstruct justice and equality. Hon. Cook County Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan has come under scrutiny for his alleged role as a prosecutor in the wrongful convictions of Armando Serrano and Jose Montanez for a 1993 slaying. He is currently assigned to the Law Division Trial Section where he has sat since 2013. The Illinois system of disciplining judges first was enacted in 1970, after two state Supreme Court Justices, Ray Klingbiel and Roy J. Solfisburg Jr., fell under scrutiny for having acquired shares in a new Chicago bank just before they took part in deciding a case in favor of one of the bank's . He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2010 and 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. She does not report having any jury trial experience, and some non-jury trials from early in her career. Or they guess. He has been assigned to the Second District (Skokie) since February 2017, where he has been hearing a mixed civil call since October 2019 after first sitting in misdemeanor and traffic rooms. Perhaps the worst is Judge Priscilla Owen of the 5th U.S. 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. 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. Prior to that she worked at several other firms handling labor, employment and personal injury matters. 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. By Ted A. Donner . The ISBA finds Judge Patrick T. Murphy recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. The Committee finds Raymond W. Mitchell highly qualified for election to the Appellate 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. He has both criminal and civil trial experience. Delaware, for instance, claimed the top spot as the best and most fair legal system in the country, thanks to its crackdown on meritless securities class action litigation, high quality judges and its predictable and stable legal environment.. Votes for or against his candidacy will not be counted. Of course, my opinion column certainly is not a courtroom, but like a judges decision, weighing all the facts, here is mine:I believe you should Vote No on Demacopoulos retention. She has taught at law schools and bar association seminars. They say he is not a good judge, but I think the truth is far more political. 1:16. Smollett was indicted on 16 counts before Foxx dropped all charges in March 2019. He currently sits in the Juvenile Justice Division hearing cases in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, and Bridgeview. Vote "no" on three judges by punching 228, 232 and 314. The Alamo dome was packed with Chavez fans, and the arena became quieter and quieter as the fight went on. He currently serves on the faculty of the National Judicial College. The ISBA finds Judge Steven James Bernstein recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. The ISBA finds Judge Marguerite Anne Quinn recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. He was recently assigned to a felony criminal courtroom after serving as a bond court judge in the Chicago criminal courthouse. Lawyers contacted described her as possessing exceptional legal knowledge and ability, with integrity that is beyond reproach. He is considered to have high integrity with a good temperament. The Committee finds Timothy W. Wright III qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Ranked 'Qualified' or higher by all three bar associations: P. Scott Neville Jr. - Illinois Supreme Court, Freeman vacancy. He is described as fair, with a good judicial temperament and high integrity. At various time she has worked with law firms and had her own practice and spent the first four years of her legal career with the U.S. Department of Labor as a Labor Litigation attorney. Attorneys report that she is an excellent attorney with good litigation skills, professional, and a hard worker. Malcolm Rich, executive director of the Chicago Council of Lawyers, said voters sometimes ask for more extensive research, including data on court management, results from court watching, and comments from people who have appeared before the judge. I also know many judges are even more political, like Demacopoulos. She is currently serving as Trustee of Moraine Valley Community College and as a board member for Rise From The Ashes. . Since 2011 she has been a solo practitioner handling mainly personal injury matters. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2015 and subsequently elected in 2016. We have . 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. Judge Laytin is well-regarded by attorneys for her legal knowledge and ability to deal with substantive issues. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get our public service journalism emailed directly to you. Founder, bioengineer, and Illinois Swim Team Captain Cara This year, that state placed 10th. Two of those candidates received positive reviews from all but one bar group. Carolyn Gallagher was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1982. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. He is a past president of the Illinois Judicial Council and received the Northern Illinois University College of Law Distinguished Service Award in 2020. Jerry Esrig was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1978. 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 is also known to be impartial, ethical, and diligent. Illinois nearly captured 20% of the top 10 worst local . Attorneys praised her thoroughness, thoughtful opinions, fairness, high integrity, and temperament. She was selected as an associate judge in 2021 and is currently assigned to the Traffic Division. She has taught law classes, and is a member of various bar associations, having served on committees with several of them. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2008, elected in 2010 and retained in 2016. 17. Clare Elizabeth McWilliams has been licensed since 1988. Hon. After serving as Cook County Public Guardian, he was elected to the Circuit Court in 2004, retained in 2010 and 2016. She has experience in both state and federal courts, and reports having tried several civil jury trials, as well as bench trials and motions. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. Shes paid to do a job, just like all of us. Jen Dean, co-executive director of Chicago Votes, an organization focused on engaging young people in the political process, thinks that those who have been involved in the criminal justice system and know what its like to be at the mercy of a judge should also have a voice in the process. Attorneys widely praised him for his work in his current assignment and his knowledge of abuse and neglect law. In Illinois, circuit court judges are elected to the bench. He is a past president of the Cook County Bar Association, a past Section chair with the Illinois State Bar Association, a committee member with the Illinois Judges Association, and has served on Illinois Supreme Court committees and the Illinois Courts Commission. The ISBA finds Justice Maureen Elizabeth Connors recommended for retention to the Illinois Appellate Court First District. He is described as fair, diligent, and sensitive to diversity. After spending eleven years in the Appeals Division, he moved to Felony Trial in the Third Municipal District (Rolling Meadows). He has been a speaker or moderator on legal topics both in-person and virtually. The state of Illinois is suffering from a government-worker pension shortfall of over $111 billion - the worst retirement crisis in the nation. Prior to her employment with the States Attorneys Office, she had been a sole practitioner handling real estate matters, and both a consulting attorney and an associate attorney with Winston and Strawn handling commercial litigation and real estate cases. He was a private practitioner who focused on local government and election law. We give them enough to have some sense of whether somebody thinks that the judge is doing a good job, he said. THE JUDGES BELOW ARE KNOWN TO BE CORRUPT OR HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES AND ABUSED THEIR POWER FOR PROFIT. According to the Illinois State Bar Association, Judge Kennedy scored the highest ranking, 92.6 percent, on the question of meets . He is currently the Presiding Judge of Child Protection, a position he has held since December 2020 when he was appointed Acting Presiding Judge. A few felt he was unimpressive and did not always follow the rules. The Committee finds Marcia OBrien Conway qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. After rising to partner at Winston and Strawn, handling appeals, he was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2008 and elected in 2010. Nathaniel Howse has been licensed since 1976. I know they are as political as Chicago Ward Organizations. James Fitzgerald Smith was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1975. 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. He has published articles, volunteered with First Defense Legal Aid, and was president of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Womens Network. As judicial misconduct investigations drag on, judges in limbo outside courtrooms with pay. He won election for a full term the following year, and retired from the bench in 2012. Debra Walker has been licensed since 1987. James J. Ryan has been licensed since 1992. She has some civil jury trial experience, has handled some appeals and substantial quasi-litigation experience. 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. Almost every attorney praised his knowledge of criminal law and the rules of evidence and procedure, as well as his long involvement with the Rehabilitative Alternative Probation initiative in the drug court. The country's approximately 1,700 federal judges hear 400,000 cases annually. The Committee finds Aileen Bhandari qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Hon. In January 2022 she was appointed to the Circuit Court where she is currently assigned to Traffic Court. The ISBA finds Judge Mary Lane Mikva recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Although he's best known for So You Think You Can Dance, Nigel Lythgoe was generally amicable in personality in the dance competition.He was the original template for a tough judge on Popstars, where he got the nickname of "Nasty Nigel.". Retention's insulation. Of the minority of complaints that do get investigated, most are dismissed or dealt with confidentially. She has taught at judicial seminars. Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, / h a r m ju l s i z / HY-rm yoo-LISS-eez; April 27, 1822 - July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. She practices in the areas of domestic relations, civil litigation and corporate law with the Barrett Law Group. Hon. The Illinois system of disciplining judges first was enacted in 1970, after two state Supreme Court Justices, Ray Klingbiel and Roy J. Solfisburg Jr., fell under scrutiny for having acquired shares in a new Chicago bank just before they took part in deciding a case in favor of one of the banks executives. After that, they face a yes-or-no vote for retention every six years. United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. After initially sitting in Traffic Court and in Bridgeview, since June 2021 he has been assigned to Domestic Relations as preliminary matters judge. Twenty-two district commissions spread throughout Colorado evaluate county and district court judges, while a separate state commission evaluates judges on the appellate courts and state supreme court. 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. Since 2013 he has been assigned to First Municipal, where he currently presides over a Civil Jury courtroom. Attorneys describe him as having an encyclopedic knowledge of substantive law, unflappable, always prepared, and a straight shooter. James Leonard Allegretti, has been licensed to practice in Illinois since 1978. Most people dont. She is described as fair, patient, and sensitive to all. He is a board member of the Illinois Judicial Council. Library of the U.S. Courts of the Seventh Circuit. In a recent interview, Rich acknowledged that bar associations should move beyond just relying on lawyers for input in coming up with their ratings on judicial candidates. In September 2017 he was appointed as an associate judge to the Circuit Court, Traffic Section. 1 two years ago. He is presently assigned to the Domestic Violence Division in the Fourth Municipal District (Maywood) since February 2012; prior to that he was assigned to Traffic Court. The ISBA finds Justice Terrence J. Lavin recommended for retention to the Illinois Appellate Court First District. The Seed Court is a diversion court for defendants between 18-26 charged with drug offenses. Another 9% gave that designation to Madison County. Terms of office for circuit judges were lengthened to six years, making campaigns less frequent, and . Mary Lane Mikva has been licensed in 1980. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. Attorneys reported that his legal knowledge was superior in the art of charitable trust issues and fraud. Alison C. Conlon has been licensed since 2000. Most of the bar associations issue only their rating a proverbial thumbs-up or thumbs-down. The Committee finds Gary William Seyring qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. That could mean total damages could quickly climb into the millions or even billions of dollars, depending on the size of the company. Rounding out the Top 5 states were Maine, Connecticut, Wyoming and Alaska. The report further faulted Illinois lawmakers and its courts for allowing a blizzard of recent legal actions against employers and other companies of all sizes and types under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, even when plaintiffs cant prove they were actually harmed by an alleged violation of the law. To this day Maloney is listed as "one of the worst judges in history." 3. RELATED: 10 Best Reality Shows Of The '90s Popstars' format had the singer depend entirely on the judges' ruling, meaning Lythgoe had the final say . According to the report, survey respondents rate Illinois worst in the country in five of 10 criteria. Is this level of engagement a fluke or a new normal? Nick Kantas was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2004. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Judge Collins is found to be not recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. 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