And when a judge has the highest number of reversals that really suggests a problem,as it does with Judge Anna Demacopoulos. Prior to becoming a judge, he had been an assistant public defender and a law clerk at the appellate level for the Hon. Hon. Hon. She has taught and lectured at various law schools and has been a committee member with various bar associations. He was described as being very fair, with high integrity, organization, and diligence, particularly praising how smooth his courtroom has run during Covid. Maloney and numerous fellow Cook County judges were the focus of an investigation named Operation Greylord. 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. As noted, and as was reported in the press at the time, Judge Hooks was referred to anger management counseling by the Executive Committee when he was reassigned temporarily to administrative duties in 2018 upon being accused by another judge of creating a hostile work environment outside of the courtroom. Thomas More Donnelly has been licensed since 1986. She is described as professional, and most reported that she is even keeled. Hon. Prior to ascending to the bench, she had served as an assistant states attorney and as Special Counsel to the State Comptroller. Hon. He has substantial trial experience, including in complex matters, and also handled many appeals hear in his career. He was described as calm, patient and sensitive. In addition, he has lectured at law schools and written on legal topics and is active in community organizations. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. The Alamo dome was packed with Chavez fans, and the arena became quieter and quieter as the fight went on. The Newsletter Bringing the Legal System to Light. She does not report having any jury trial experience, and some non-jury trials from early in her career. After rising to partner at Winston and Strawn, handling appeals, he was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2008 and elected in 2010. Although more research is needed in the area of substance abuse and loneliness to understand the link, data reports also indicate a tie . She has been assigned to Domestic Relations in the Third District (Rolling Meadows) since August 2018; her prior assignments include Domestic Violence and Traffic Court. Before being appointed to the bench, she had tried a considerable number of civil bench trials. Votes for or against his candidacy will not be counted. Corruption in Illinois has been a problem from the earliest history of the state. Frankly, grant-makers see it as purely political, which we dont, said Elizabeth Monkus, a policy analyst and attorney at Chicago Appleseed who managed the project. Before service on the bench, he was a solo practitioner with a general civil practice. He has spoken on legal topics and monitors election in Eastern Europe as part of the International Election Observation Mission. The legislative redistricting of DuPage County to the Third . The Committee finds Diana Lpez qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. The ISBA finds Judge LeRoy K. Martin recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Her first assignments were to First Municipal, both Traffic and Civil Trial Section, Non-jury. Prior to that, he was with two other firms handling corporate litigation, and also served for one year as a clerk to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Hon. She currently practices with the Conway Law Group. The ISBA finds Judge Carrie E. Hamilton recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Edit State of Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board COMPLAINT AGAINST A JUDGE - illinois. The ISBA finds Judge Terry MacCarthy 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 a board members of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and an officer of the Illinois Latino Judges Association. She is currently assigned to the Municipal Department, Fifth District (Bridgeview). Lawyers contacted described her as possessing exceptional legal knowledge and ability, with integrity that is beyond reproach. Learn more here: . Mary K. O'Brien has deep financial ties to the Madigan . We have not been able to (financially) support the project, which takes considerable staff time.. Some truly terrible judges have been re-upped repeatedly by voters who simply didnt have a clue. Charles Patrick Burns has been licensed since 1981. But, they are willing to stand with their pals and friends and colleagues who are judges to give them High Ratings that the judges then use to tout to the public and argue they deserve to be retained. She was an assistant public defender until she was selected as an associate judge in 1983. #10 Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall, UFC on FX 2 - March 2nd, 2012 The judges robbed Ian McCall of a win over Demetrious Johnson 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.. Read the Tribune's endorsements for the 2018 general election, Photos: Northwestern loses to Penn State 68-65 in overtime, Nick Niego is back as Brother Rice stuns St. Rita. Mary Kathleen McHugh has been licensed since 1993. The Courts Commission is the seven-member body that decides on what, if any, discipline to impose for judicial misconduct, once it is charged by the Judicial Inquiry Board. He is currently the Presiding Judge of Child Protection, a position he has held since December 2020 when he was appointed Acting Presiding Judge. She prepared thoroughly for each case and is described as patient and kind to the many pro se litigants appearing before her. From 2009 until 2016, she was assigned to the Criminal Division in the Second District (Skokie). Ratings reflect the Committees opinion of whether candidates have the necessary qualifications for judicial service or ascension to a higher office and are not a reflection of the candidates abilities as lawyers or judges. Library of the U.S. Courts of the Seventh Circuit. The Seed Court is a diversion court for defendants between 18-26 charged with drug offenses. By Injustice Watch Staff | November 22, 2015. She has some jury, bench and quasi-trial experience. Attorneys were split in their assessment of his courtroom demeanor - some stated that he runs his courtroom well, while others referenced his brusque manner, and felt that he could be disrespectful and arrogant at times, especially towards women attorneys. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016. Its even rarer for voters to remove a judge from office. They can be fixed. She has spoken on legal topics and served on Supreme Court committees. (Committee for Retention of Judges in Cook County photo). Somejudges have zero cases appealed because of their given assignment. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association and a speaker. Cook County Judge Carol Howard is known among certain prosecutors as being so lenient on criminals that her courtroom, room 203, has earned the slogan of "set em' free, room 203." One case . Because at the end of the day, they will have to stand in front of a judge and represent a client.. Judge Aviva K. Bobb CA Los Angeles works at ARC CA Century City Bar 50146. Terrence Joseph Lavin has been licensed since 1983. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2014 and elected in 2016. America today is virtually a juristocracy--government of, by and for people with law degrees. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2015 and elected in 2016. The ISBA finds Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. He is considered to have high integrity with a good temperament. Prior to that assignment, he had been the Presiding Judge of the Pretrial Division at the Leighton Criminal Court House since 2017. She is a former president of the Southwest bar Association and a member of various other bars. worst judges in illinois. The ISBA finds Judge Thomas V. Lyons recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. This information for ODAR offices located in Illinois was last updated on 12/01/2022. He is currently the Treasurer of the Advocates Society and a committee member. The ISBA finds Judge Mary Kathleen McHugh recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Personal PAC, Men4Choice, and Future Voices Council have Launched Jane's Army to Elect Illinois Pro-Choice Candidates in 2022! He is an experienced commercial litigator, with some jury and bench trial experience and substantial complex quasi-litigation before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other boards. With another election fast approaching, Rebel Nes, an Illinois resident, recalled in a recent interview how challenging she found it in past election cycles to make an informed vote on the many judges running for retention. 49:32. Lawyers report that she knows the law and how to apply it, and issues thoughtful rulings. The ISBA finds Judge Bonita Coleman qualified for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. But a 2016 report from the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, a nonpartisan think tank, notes that this system has issues, too: Merit selection commissions can still be captured by special interests, and retention elections have become increasingly politicized and costly. Judge Evans does not hear a court call. 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 vast majority of attorneys described him as being smart and knowledgeable with an inclusive approach and high integrity. She has been a committee member with the Chicago Bar Association. As an alternative, during business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM through 6:00 PM, an email message concerning the emergency can be sent to Emergency_Judge@ilnd.uscourts.gov. After first being assigned to First Municipal, he currently presides in the Law Division, Commercial Calendar Section. 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. But critics, including Nes, say the evaluations fall short, noting how few judges over the years have received negative ratings, let alone get bounced from the bench by voters. Lifetime Achievement Award , and the Northwest Suburban Bar Association has named a scholarship in his honor. In one of the worst rulings our legal team @NFGR_Official has ever witnessed, a Bush-appointed judge defied both the Supreme Court's Bruen ruling and the Second Amendment by upholding Illinois' "Assault Weapons" Ban. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2016 and is currently assigned to the Municipal Department in the Fourth District (Maywood), hearing a variety of cases on a rotating basis. 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. . 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. He has taught on legal topics. The Committee finds Marcia OBrien Conway qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. 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. He also serves as an appointed guardian ad litem and has taught at The John Marshall Law School. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 1998 and retained in 2004, 2010 and 2016. 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. 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. He is considered to be a strong advocate and an experienced trial attorney who gets good dispositions for his clients. 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 was praised for his integrity, respectfulness, professionalism, organization and hard-work. Illinois' overall pension debt is . He has had his own law practice since 2003 handling domestic, chancery, probate, and criminal matters. The Illinois average for winning a disability hearing is 44%. There are more judges on a ballot than candidates for government office. In 2010 she was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court, and then elected in 2012. He also received positive comments on his temperament, diligence, impartiality, and integrity. That all led to two vacancies on the ballot this year for the newly drawn Second and Third Districts in Chicago's suburban counties. 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. Why? Community feedback really should be a bigger part of the evaluation process, he said. The judges referenced in this story fall way below that number whenyou consider all cases on appeal. In 1998 he was elected to the Circuit Court and retained in 2004 and 2010. He is currently the managing partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, where he has been employed since 2011, focusing on business litigation. We give them enough to have some sense of whether somebody thinks that the judge is doing a good job, he said. The Illinois Latino Judges Association Holiday Fiesta will take place on Thursday, December 8, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., at Mi Tierra Restaurant, 2528 S. Kedzie, Chicago. Marguerite Anne Quinn has been licensed since 1986. Attorneys reported that he is diligent, fair, even keeled and sensitive to diversity. He currently serves as the Presiding Judge in the Probate Division, after being appointed Acting Presiding Judge in 2019. Michael Weaver has been licensed since 2006. Hon. 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. 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. News comes daily from Chicago and Cook County about suspects freshly charged in heinous crimes even though they were already on probation or parole for earlier misdeeds, or awaiting trial while out on bail. 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 . 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. It is the 10th most dangerous place to live in Illinois, which is why it makes it onto the list of the worst places to live in Illinois. 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. Matthew Link has been licensed since 2004. Hon. Illinois nearly captured 20% of the top 10 worst local . He worked as an assistant corporation counsel for the city of Chicago and then as City Attorney for DesPlaines until 1989. He lectures on legal topics. She has been a speaker at several law schools and written on legal topics. Hon. Lawyers appearing before him describe him as having superior legal knowledge, being always prepared, and excellent with complex cases. And I think voters should have an issue with her, too. Unlike Colorado, Illinois voters rejected an amendment to the states constitution in 1970 to create judicial nominating commissions that would have recommended candidates for appointment to the bench by the governor. He is currently assigned to the Juvenile Justice Division, with a dual assignment to the First Municipal Division Supporting Education and Employment Development (SEED) Court. Prior to this, she has been Chief of General Prosecutions for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation from 2014 to 2016; Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Safety and Security Officer for the Chicago Transit Authority from 2009 to 2014; and an assistant states attorney from 2001 to 2009. Here's how you know Donald Trump's judicial appointees are a near-uniform trainwreck, underqualified denizens of the hyper-conservative Federalist Society. The ISBA finds Judge Patricia Spratt recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Attorneys report that she is an excellent attorney with good litigation skills, professional, and a hard worker. In January 2019 he returned to the Criminal Division. He was recently assigned to a felony criminal courtroom after serving as a bond court judge in the Chicago criminal courthouse. He previously worked for several agencies included the Legal Assistance Foundation and is a mediator and arbitrator. Judicial candidates are rated by the ISBA - JEC members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. Their rulings result in punishments and fines and their rulings stand until they are appealed and then reversed. Under her proposal, judges who were found qualified would have automatically received another term, while those who were found not qualified would have faced a public retention vote. He has served on the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee for thirty years, taught trial advocacy, written and taught classes on legal ethics. The ISBA finds Judge Anna Maria Loftus recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Judge Laytin is well-regarded by attorneys for her legal knowledge and ability to deal with substantive issues. Illinois Courts Commission: A System Borne from Scandal, Joseph C. Polito, Will County Associate Judge, Kurt P. Klein, DeKalb County Circuit Judge, William G. Schwartz, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge. 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. Sandra Gisela Ramos has been licensed since 1986. In 2016 she was elected to the Circuit Court. She was an assistant states attorney from 1993 until 2018. 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