Monday, July 07, 2008

William H. Hooks appointed to Berland vacancy

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Richard B. Berland will retire July 11.

The Supreme Court has already announced that William H. Hooks will replace Judge Berland. His appointment to this countywide vacancy is effective August 4 and will terminate on December 6, 2010.

Hooks is among the announced speakers for a July 18 IICLE program, "Managing Media in the High Profile Case." In one such recent high-profile case, Hooks represented Cook County Public Defender Edwin A. Burnette in his efforts to hold on to his job after the Cook County Board proposed to dismiss him.

Hooks was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981. He has served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, retiring from the reserves as a lieutenant colonel in 1995.

1 comment:

Phil Krone said...

Judge Bill Hooks is probably the best qualified candidate running for Judge in Cook County this year in any race, at the trial Circuit Court level or the Appellate level.

Just a few weeks before he died former Appellate Court Justice R. Eugene Pincham asked me to help Bill Hooks get elected in 2010. I am doing just that.

Judge Hooks is a person of integrity, intelligence, fairness and experience. I know this from personal experience as well as upon the strongest recommendation of Judge Pincham.

He has been found qualified by every bar organization which evaluates candidates, most of them giving him their highest designation.

He is fortunate to be first on the ballot by luck of the draw, and endorsed by the Democratic Party of Cook County, the Chicago Federation of Labor and the IVI-IPO.

It would be a tragedy indeed if this exceptional person is not elected resoundingly in the February 2, 2010 Primary. There are about eight candidates I am supporting in various judicial races, but Bill Hooks is my first choice of all of them, and Justice Pincham's request to me, I will admit, is the first and foremost reason I am so enthusiastic in my support. One of the other candidates seeking the same position has excellent credentials, but they pale in comparison to his.

A vote for Judge Bill Hooks is the right choice and an easy one to make.