The old Congress is going out so it's time to review the worst people who are now federal judgesfor life. Lawyers contacted described her as possessing exceptional legal knowledge and ability, with integrity that is beyond reproach. She has been the co-chairperson of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice Forms Committee, and a committee chair for the Illinois Judges Association, as well as a speaker. She was a litigation attorney until selected as an associate judge in 1988, serving in First Municipal, Traffic Court, Domestic Violence Court, and the Fifth District (Bridgeview). Hon. And when a judge has the highest number of reversals that really suggests a problem,as it does with Judge Anna Demacopoulos. In 2018 he received the Harold Sullivan Award from the Illinois Judges Association, and in 2019 was given the Impact Award from the Center for Disability and Elder Law. She is a board members of Greenlight Family Services and has served on bar association committees. Were here to help. She has been a speaker at several law schools and written on legal topics. 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. The ISBA finds Judge Jesse Outlaw recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. The Committee finds Gary William Seyring qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. 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. Rounding out the Top 5 states were Maine, Connecticut, Wyoming and Alaska. Although crime is probably the most significant issue, it is not the area's only problem. Mary K. O'Brien has deep financial ties to the Madigan . She also serves as Acting Presiding Judge when the Presiding Judge is unavailable. The Cook County Democratic Organization, which is solidly behind Foxx, voted not to endorse Toomin for retention. Concerns were raised, by some attorneys, about his demeanor and temperament, and some instances of insensitivity towards women. 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. Has been a speaker on legal topics and is a member of various bar associations. Famous for the mob attorney scandal judicial dishonesty is an epidemic. In addition to praise of her legal knowledge and ability, many attorneys also gave good marks to her ability to manage a high-volume courtroom while being respectful to the man pro se litigants in her courtroom. Judge Thomas Else is Literally the worst most unfair bias considering judge I have ever encountered. Twitter, Facebook. He was universally praised by attorneys for his legal knowledge and ability, they stated that he is always prepared for oral arguments and asks excellent questions. Raymond Mitchell was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1993. Smolletts hoax backfired when the two alleged racist and homophobic thugs turned out to be people he allegedly recruited to stage the assault. He has been a speaker and received the Jurist of the Year Award in 2019 from the Southwest Bar Association. In 2021 he was appointed to the circuit court. 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. Or they leave them all blank. In 2014 she was given the Cook County Special Advocate Volunteer Spirit Award. Injustice Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism organization that conducts in-depth research exposing institutional failures that obstruct justice and equality. According to the report, those surveyed indicated the litigation environment in the U.S. has generally improved in 2019, as it has each year since the survey was first issued in 2002. 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 . And Illinois has historically been resistant to changing the way that judges are evaluated and selected, potentially dooming efforts to improve the ratings process. Michael Weaver has been licensed since 2006. While Chicago Appleseed concluded that the pilot project demonstrated the value of these more robust public judicial evaluations, it was discontinued in 2014 because of a lack of outside funding. She currently practices with Tracie Porter PC handling residential and commercial real estate matters, and probate, corporate and securities mattes. May 28, 1998 12:01 am ET. The ISBA finds Judge Maureen ODonoghue Hannon recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. And I think voters should have an issue with her, too. Knox County Illinois Judge Benson Throws Out Order of Protection by Judge Mangieri for Kids. She is described as respectful, fair, and diligent. The ISBA finds Judge James L. Allegretti recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Hon. WORST MOTHER EVER! Illinois did not rank above 48th in any of the 10 criteria. Thomas J. Maloney was a judge in Cook County, Illinois from 1977 to 1991. InjusticeWatch, a non-political organization that I respect, concluded in an assessment, Demacopoulos has had 14 decisions reversed by higher courts since 2014, among the most of any of the judges running for retention this year., Hanah Jubeh, spokeswoman for Committee for Retentionof Judges in Cook County, responded,Comparing the single number of reversals is not reflective of thequality of the judge. Hon. 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. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. The decision was absurd, with the first judge scoring the fight 115-113, but at least he had the right fighter winning in Whitaker. We canvassed several thousand BayStaters to find the worst of the worst. Another 9% gave that designation to Madison County. 314: The Chicago Bar Association singled out Judge Lisa Ann Marino as not worthy of retention. He is currently assigned to Chancery, after previously sitting in the Criminal Division at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. Prior assignments include a variety of calls in First Municipal, including the Civil Jury room, Motions and Assignments, and Traffic. She has taught at judicial seminars. Freddrenna M. Lyle has been licensed since 1980. She is past president of the Illinois Judicial Council, a former board member of the Illinois Judges Association and has been chair of various committees of the Cook County Bar Association. Robert Balanoff has been licensed since 1982. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2015 and elected in 2016. Charles Charlie Beach has been licensed since 1996. Illinois had the third most federal criminal convictions for public corruption between 1976 and 2012, behind New York and California.A study published by the University of Illinois Chicago in 2022 ranked Illinois as the second . Prior to that she worked at several other firms handling labor, employment and personal injury matters. Bradley R. Trowbridge has been licensed in Illinois since 2000. She is currently assigned to the Municipal Department, Fifth District (Bridgeview). Terrence Joseph Lavin has been licensed since 1983. She is a past president of the National Association of Women Judges and the Illinois Judges Association. The Committee finds Rena Marie Van Tine highly qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. I have disagreed with some judges that I liked, too. . He has been assigned to various criminal misdemeanor calls in First Municipal since 2013, after first presiding in Traffic Court. He is a past president of the Illinois Judges Association and the Latin American Bar Association. He has been assigned to the Housing Section since 2016 after initially serving in various sections of First Municipal. 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 was elected to the Circuit Court in 2010 and retained in 2016. 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 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. 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. Jesse Outlaw, Jr. has been licensed since 1980. Illinois also ranked 50th in "Quality of Appellate Review" and 49th in "Juries' Fairness." . The Committee finds Diana Lpez qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Were more concerned about her track record for having cases reversed on appeal. Polito retired from the bench in July this year and is now collecting a monthly pension of $6,415.78. 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 served on various committees and boards of various bar associations, including the Illinois State Bar Association, and has been a speaker on legal topics. He was elected to the Circuit court in 2004; retained in 2010 and 2016. He is a member of several bar associations and a past president of the Decalogue Society of Lawyers. On an average year the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board gets close to 450 complaints, but a step by step walk through of the complaint process shows that a majority of cases are dismissed before any investigation into the complaint occurs. Vote no on three judges by punching 228, 232 and 314. He has a calm demeanor and is always on time. South Dakota had been ranked No. Toomin is being targeted because in August 2019, he appointed the special prosecutor who exposed Foxxs pathetic political and racial decision to not prosecute Jussie Smollett, the actor who, on Jan. 29, 2019, allegedly faked up a homophobic and racist attack against himself to build up sympathy to improve Hollywood notoriety. He initially spent a year in Traffic Court. 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. 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. Or they guess. Tracie Porter has been licensed since 1994. She was selected as an associate judge in 2021 and is currently assigned to the Traffic Division. States like Illinois are pariahs to companies, Kim said. Jerry Esrig was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1978. James Fitzgerald Smith was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1975. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Ms. Iris Y. Chavira is found to be not recommended for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. For more boxing news, click here! Vote "no" on three judges by punching 228, 232 and 314. The ISBA finds Justice Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. recommended for retention to the Illinois Appellate Court First District. He was praised for his work in Veterans Court and his diligence and impartiality. Ruth Isabel Gudino was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1995. The ISBA finds Judge Freddrenna M. Lyle recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. 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. The Committee finds Araceli Reyes De La Cruz qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County. 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 . By Max Boot. Personal PAC, Men4Choice, and Future Voices Council have Launched Jane's Army to Elect Illinois Pro-Choice Candidates in 2022! Since 2013 he has been assigned to First Municipal, where he currently presides over a Civil Jury courtroom. It was reported that at times she could be condescending and disrespectful to both attorneys and litigants, and that there are times she speaks Spanish directly to litigants without properly employing the official court interpreter. Aleksandra Gillespie has been licensed since 1993. Rich said he very much doubts that a politically appointed performance commission would fly in a state such as Illinois where judges are elected. 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. 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. The ISBA finds Justice Maureen Elizabeth Connors recommended for retention to the Illinois Appellate Court First District. She was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2014 and elected in 2016. They say he is not a good judge, but I think the truth is far more political. He also received positive comments on his temperament, diligence, impartiality, and integrity. The ISBA finds Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. He has been a guest lecturer at local law schools and on Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts committees. The ISBA finds Judge Robert Balanoff recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. Basically that means she lied, and probably to protect Smollett for political and even possibly racial reasons. She is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern School of Law. He is highly respected for his clear reasoning, his good solid writing and hard work. This year, that state placed 10th. Attorneys praised his legal knowledge, especially in the area of medical malpractice which was his practice area before his election as a judge. He served as presiding judge of Domestic Relations and the Law Division before being elected Chief Judge in 2001, a position he has recently been elected to for an eighth term. Hon. He is currently assigned to the Chancery Division, Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Section. In 1998 he was elected to the Circuit Court and retained in 2004 and 2010. More than a half-century ago, Colorado voters passed a constitutional amendment to abolish partisan judicial elections and instead appoint judges based on merit. Brendan A. OBrien has been licensed since 1996. The ISBA finds Judge Mary Lane Mikva recommended for retention to the Cook County Circuit Court. He does not report jury or bench trial experience, but does have substantial quasi-trial civil experience, including administrative and evidentiary hearings. She is currently assigned to the Chancery Division, General Chancery Section, after first sitting in several different First Municipal courts. Thank you. Maps in North Carolina, Illinois, Texas and Alabama show the worst gerrymandering sins. Library of the U.S. Courts of the Seventh Circuit. More transparency needed for criminal courts judges in Illinois - Wirepoints. 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. Multiple attorneys described him as being very smart and intelligent, with excellent legal knowledge and ability, and as being professional, impartial, and patient. ADULT STAR USES FAN FOR $$$! In the 32nd year of her legal career and a judge for the last . In 2021 she received the Mary Heftel Hooton award from the WBAI and in 2019 received the Sandra Otaka Leadership Award from the AABA. . He is a former member of the Board of Managers and a past committee chair of the Chicago Bar Association. 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 is considered by attorneys appearing before him to be a hard worker of high character who is extremely knowledgeable about the law, and skilled at keeping the focus of his courtroom the juveniles appearing there. 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. Some specifically cited his exceptional patience with pro se litigants. Judge Mark Ciavarella Destroyed families via jail for . Under the BIPA law, plaintiffs and their lawyers have filed more than 300 lawsuits in the last two years accusing employers of technical violations of the law. After a career in private practice with different litigation firms, she was elected to the Circuit Court in 2008. Mary Kathleen McHugh has been licensed since 1993. Hon. In 2019 he received the Cornelius Stradford Award from the Cook County States Attorney. 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. While most attorneys praised her temperament, a few found her to be impatient at times. At Large judges are elected from the entire circuit, including from all of Cook County. He has substantial civil trial experience including in complex matters. By: Matt Rosenberg. Having the highest number of rulings reversed of any judge IS an issue. Hon. He has substantial trial experience, including in complex matters, and also handled many appeals hear in his career. He currently serves as the Presiding Judge in the Probate Division, after being appointed Acting Presiding Judge in 2019. Lawyers report that he has a thorough understanding of the legal process with excellent legal knowledge, and his written opinions are thorough and well-researched. Kathleen Marie Burke has been licensed lawyer since 1989. 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. A few indicated that at time punctuality was an issue, though others attributed any issues there to the number of cases and nature of the job. She wants to see an evaluation process that takes into account the perspectives of people who are most impacted by the court system. 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