The countys population, on the other hand, is about 40% white, one-quarter Black, one-quarter Latinx, and 8% Asian. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 39, the nominating committee must select twice as many qualified candidates as there are vacancies to be filled; in this case, the nominating committee will select 20 candidates from which the circuit judges will fill the 10 vacancies. Balanoff, who presides over the courts child protection division, has proposed an amendment to the Illinois Supreme Court rules that would require circuit court judges to select associate judges from all the countys 15 geographic subcircuits. Honorable Grace G. Dickler, Presiding Judge, Domestic Relations Division The judges must return the ballots to the Director within 14 days of the date the ballots were distributed. I thank them for their important contributions that assist us in appointing excellent Associate Judges for the Circuit Court of Cook County. ASSOCIATE JUDGE FINALISTS Proponents of the associate judges selection process argue that it more closely resembles a merit-based system than the partisan public elections for circuit judges. Ballots were due April 15, 2016. While circuit judges are elected by the public, associate judges are appointed by the circuit judges in a selection process conducted by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. The Nominating Committee took this action to avoid overlap with the March primary in which several applicants for Associate Judge are also running for Circuit Judge, and to avoid a scheduling conflict with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts mandatory Education Conferences that judges will attend in February and April. BAHENA, Hilda Follow the court on Twitter@CookCntyCourt, Privacy PolicyDisclaimerLegal Holiday ScheduleRules of the Court Orders of the Court, Information for Law Enforcement on Bond Cards, Petition For Authorization to Issue Bond Certifica, Petition For Authorization To Act As A Civil Suret, Part 20 (Rules) Court-Annexed Civil Mediation, Juvenile Justice&Child Protection Resource Section, Copyright 2020 by Circuit Court of Cook County. HERNANDEZ, Jasmine Villaflor I spent days and days in the lockups at 26th Street, she said, referring to Cook Countys main criminal courthouse. Associate judges are selected by the court's elected circuit judges in a process that is supposed to be merit-based and provide a counterbalance to a judiciary largely selected through partisan elections. Injustice Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism organization that conducts in-depth research exposing institutional failures that obstruct justice and equality. Sylvester Baker Jr., a former sheriff's deputy who ran for Cook County Sheriff in 2008. Under Supreme Court Rule 39, the Nominating Committee must select twice as many qualified candidates as there are vacancies to be filled; in this case, the Nominating Committee will select 34 candidates from which the Circuit Judges will fill the 17 vacancies. Black and brown communities are disproportionately impacted by the court system, particularly in the criminal court system, said a spokesperson for the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago, one of several legal groups that screen associate judge candidates. The new associate judges will be sworn in Oct. 4. Judicial Education in Illinois. Honorable Raul Vega, Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division About two-thirds of sitting judges are white, 20% are Black, 9% are Latinx, and 3% are Asian, according to data provided by Evans office. Candidate profile. Then, the circuit judges will vote to pick ten new colleagues out of the 20 in the finalist pool. They are vying for 10 associate judge . The form and instructions for electronically submitting an application are available on the Supreme Courts website here. HEGGIE, Corinne Cantwell Bar evaluations were issued for all Associate Judge applicants by The Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, at the request of Chief Judge Evans. As Andersen advises applicants for associate judge positions, McCuskey says those who intend to . Find Your Court. A lawyer was caught on tape bragging that "even a murder case can be fixed if the judge is given something to hang his hat on." [3] Ahmad one of three Black women in this years associate judges cohort was an assistant public defender from 2004 to 2007, when she left the Cook County public defenders office to become a prosecutor. Honorable Raymond L. Jagielski, Presiding Judge, Fifth Municipal District Honorable Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge I thank them for their important contributions that assist us in appointing excellent Associate Judges for the Circuit Court of Cook County., Follow the court on Twitter@CookCntyCourt, Privacy PolicyDisclaimerLegal Holiday ScheduleRules of the Court Orders of the Court, Information for Law Enforcement on Bond Cards, Petition For Authorization to Issue Bond Certifica, Petition For Authorization To Act As A Civil Suret, Part 20 (Rules) Court-Annexed Civil Mediation, Juvenile Justice&Child Protection Resource Section, Update on Associate Judge selection process, Copyright 2020 by Circuit Court of Cook County, Honorable Mary Ellen Coghlan, Presiding Judge, Probate Division, Honorable Grace G. Dickler, Presiding Judge, Domestic Relations Division, Honorable James P. Flannery Jr., Presiding Judge, Law Division, Honorable Sophia H. Hall, Administrative Presiding Judge, Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Resource Section, Honorable Moshe Jacobius, Presiding Judge, Chancery Division, Honorable Raymond L. Jagielski, Presiding Judge, Fifth Municipal District, Honorable LeRoy K. Martin Jr., Presiding Judge, Criminal Division, Honorable Sharon M. Sullivan, Presiding Judge, County Division, Honorable Shelley Sutker-Dermer, Presiding Judge, Second Municipal District, Honorable E. Kenneth Wright Jr., Presiding Judge, First Municipal District. Honorable E. Kenneth Wright, Jr., Presiding Judge, First Municipal District Any attorney licensed to practice in Illinois who is a U.S. citizen and a resident of Cook County can apply for the positions with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts through March 3. Age: 46 Rochford has been an associate judge since 2012. WARD, Torrick Alan See below for recent judicial ratings of candidates: The Alliance is made up of 11 minority and ethnic bar organizations as follows: the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Cook County Bar Association, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the Womens Bar Association of Illinois. During the next few weeks, the candidates will present circuit judges with their credentials, including a short video, resume, and one-page biography. FAHY, William Nicholas Former prosecutors dominate the roster of 22 new associate judges, who were selected last week by the countys circuit judges. The Circuit Judges vote for one candidate for each vacancy to be filled. Chicago, Illinois, United States. Such a system would help ensure a more diverse slate of associate judges, Balanoff said. Ballots were due September 7, 2021. Licensed attorneys submit applications for consideration and undergo evaluations by bar associations. Associate Judge finalists announcedReleased On 02/10/2023 Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the courts Nominating Committee today announced the names of the 44 candidates who will be on the ballot for circuit judges to vote to fill 22 associate judge vacancies. Each bar association issues its own ratings for all individual associate judge applicants. The Director then counts the ballots which are accompanied by a signed card, tabulates the results and certifies them to the Chief Judge at all times maintaining the secrecy of the ballots. Congratulations to all 44 who made the short list (See the full list and official . More than 200 candidates applied to become associate judges this year, and a selection committee headed by Evans announced 44 finalists in August. The Alliance is made up of 12 minority and ethnic bar organizations as follows: the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Cook County Bar Association, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, the Womens Bar Association, and the Arab American Bar Association of Illinois. Use additional pages when necessary to provide complete answers to questions. serving as a circuit court judge, Susan F. Hutchinson was an associate judge from 1981 to 1992. Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the court's Nominating Committee today announced the names of the 44 candidates who will be on the ballot for circuit judges to vote to fill 22 associate judge vacancies. REYNA, Mariano Ricardo GOLDBERG, Mitchell Benjamin Age: 47 The judges may vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled, and must return the ballots to the Director within 14 days of the date the ballots were distributed. On Friday, February 10, 2023, the Circuit Court of Cook County announced that 44 persons, 21 men and 23 women, had made the coveted associate judge "short list." It is from this list of names that the full judges of the Cook County will select 22 new colleagues. Honorable James P. Flannery, Jr., Presiding Judge, Law Division PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE OFFICE OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE WAS REVISED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2019. Law School: University of Illinois College of Law Feb 2017 - Present6 years 2 months. Fourteen of the 22 new associate judges are current or former Cook County prosecutors. Her prior roles include serving as a Cook County assistant state attorney, and a Commissioner of the Illinois Court of Claims. The 17th seat, still to be filled, will go to one of two black men leaving black women excluded. Judicial Vacancies. . The Director then counts the ballots, which are accompanied by a signed card, tabulates the results, and certifies them to the Chief Judge at all times maintaining the secrecy of the ballots. Presiding judges will set up Zoom and/or in-person meetings to allow circuit judges to meet with all the candidates. The names of 13 new associate judges, selected in a vote of Cook County Circuit Court judges, were announced Tuesday by Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. High-Profile Cases. But a vote by the county's circuit judges has rewarded them with seats on the bench in any event. Applications are now being accepted for these vacancies, as well as additional vacancies which may occur during the nomination process. The group includes both government attorneys and attorneys in private practice. Age: 46 Admitted to the Bar: 1993 This involves . The associate judge positions are due to the retirements of Associate Judges John T. Carr, John L. Huff, and Elizabeth Loredo Rivera, the resignations of Associate Judges Timothy J. Associate judges make up about one-third of the roughly 400-member judiciary in Cook County. JHA, Lakshmi Elkhanialy Gaffney was charged with official misconduct, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice for allegedly falsifying police reports from the scene, but a judge found him not guilty of all charges in 2019. Released On 02/10/2023. Within 14 days after the Chief Judges notification, the Director mails a secret ballot with the names of each candidate to each circuit judge. Resident: Chicago If mailed or hand delivered, the deadline is 5 p.m. on that day. Follow the court on Twitter@CookCntyCourt The Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance of Bar Associations will evaluate applicants and a committee composed of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans and the presiding judges of the courts various divisions will review the applications. Admitted to the Bar: 1987 That's a big shift from the past two associate judges elections. Lost election several times but was appointed as an associate judge on the recommendation of Madigan and somehow ended up on one of the most sought after calendars by Cook County judges. If unable to electronically submit an application, an applicant must submit two (2) signed originals of the prescribed application to Marcia M. Meis, Director, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 222 North LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60601. Malcolm C. Rich Gabriel A. Fuentes Age: 45 NOVY, James Bryan WILSON, John Wellington Follow the court on Twitter@CookCntyCourt, Privacy PolicyDisclaimerLegal Holiday ScheduleRules of the Court Orders of the Court, Information for Law Enforcement on Bond Cards, Petition For Authorization to Issue Bond Certifica, Petition For Authorization To Act As A Civil Suret, Part 20 (Rules) Court-Annexed Civil Mediation, Juvenile Justice&Child Protection Resource Section, Chief Judge Evans posts 10 vacancies for associate judge, Copyright 2020 by Circuit Court of Cook County. While Circuit Judges are . Interviews concluded today, and the Nominating Committee will reconvene in April to select 34 finalists. Applicants should be aware that their names will be released to the media to allow public comment on their candidacy and that a bar evaluation may also be requested. Ballots listing the names of 26 finalists, chosen from 283 candidates, were distributed to 249 circuit judges. The problem with the list, and the reason I'm slow-walking it at this point, is that the Chief Judge's Office has not released any . An Injustice Watch analysis of the last class of associate judges, sworn into office in October, found the group to be more demographically diverse than past cohorts, but more than half were former prosecutors. The bar associations evaluations concluded in December. STUDENROTH, David Lawrence KNIBBS, James John In 2018, only one of the 17 candidates selected to serve as an associate judge was Black. Honorable Grace G. Dickler, Presiding Judge, Domestic Relations Division Other Professional Experience: Attorney for 25 years. KANTER, Sharon Arnold Admitted to the Bar: 2000 CENAR, Richard George Law School: DePaul University College of Law The other former public defender is Carl Evans Jr., who is now an attorney in private practice. The deadline for applications for the current class was February 3, so it is unsurprising that a list would have been created by now.. BHAVE, Sunil Shashikant The group includes both government attorneys and attorneys in multiple areas of private practice. Update on Associate Judge selection process. COSGROVE, Audrey Victoria Because a nominating committee winnows the candidate pool, Andersen advises aspirants to "focus on the judges likely to be on that committee. However, the new class is much less diverse when it comes to professional backgrounds. VINES, Michael James Within 14 days after the Chief Judges notification, the Director mails a secret ballot with the names of all candidates to each circuit judge. Current Affiliation: Cook County States Attorneys Office. BHAVE, Sunil Shashikant The Nominating Committee is made up of the following circuit judges: Honorable Grace G. Dickler, Presiding Judge, Domestic Relations Division, Honorable Erica L. Reddick, Acting Presiding Judge, Criminal Division, Honorable James P. Flannery, Jr., Presiding Judge, Law Division, Honorable Sophia H. Hall, Administrative Presiding Judge, Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Resource Section, Honorable Moshe Jacobius, Presiding Judge, Chancery Division, Honorable Sanjay T. Tailor, Acting Presiding Judge, County Division, Honorable Raul Vega, Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division, Honorable Jill C. Marisie, Presiding Judge, Third Municipal District, Honorable Shelley Sutker-Dermer, Presiding Judge, Second Municipal District, Honorable E. Kenneth Wright, Jr., Presiding Judge, First Municipal District. Released On 01/25/2018. Seven of the announced vacancies come as a result of retirements and resignations. Circuit Judge Grace Dickler, who presides over the courts domestic relations division and sat on the committee that screened the applicants for associate judge, said the circuit judges try to make sure that the associate judges they pick are going to be fair no matter what their background.. Children. FRENTZAS-BUBARIS, Athena Judges have wide-ranging powers to interpret and enforce the law, and research shows that a judges background including their race, ethnicity, gender, and professional experience can have a measurable impact on how they rule. Email us at [emailprotected] or call us at (312) 521-0977. Mediation Service. Age: 46 Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. In 2018, only one of the 17 candidates selected to serve as an associate judge was Black. Under Rule 39, the Nominating Committee must select twice as many qualified candidates as there are vacancies to be filled; in this case, 44 candidates were selected for 22 vacancies. 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