Countywide races -- Part II

In part one of this look at the current status of the countywide judicial races in Cook County, we covered the Disko and Glowacki vacancies. We resume here with the Healy vacancy.

Healy Vacancy

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Maureen Ward Kirby to this vacancy in August 2007; she has since been slated for this vacancy by the Democratic party and endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor. Before August, Kirby was a partner with Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP. About 10 years ago Kirby represented Northwestern football player Darnell Autry in a case against the NCAA, trying to get the NCAA to let Autry (who had aspirations of becoming an actor) appear -- without pay -- in a movie.

Peter John Curielli (Objection Pending) has been a lawyer since 2000. He has an office in Barrington.

Keehan Vacancy

Judge Marilyn F. Johnson was appointed to this seat by the Illinois Supreme Court. The Democratic Party slated her for this vacancy and the Chicago Federation of Labor has endorsed her candidacy. Johnson was General Counsel for the Chicago Public Schools until 2003, when she became Chief of Staff of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Johnson briefly succeeded Jack Hartman as Executive Director of the Tollway Authority in 2006 but accepted appointment to the bench instead.

As Giuseppe R. "Joe" Papavero, Joseph Robert Papavero (Objection Pending) ran as a Republican in the 12th Subcircuit in 2006. A lawyer since 2000, the ARDC's website lists Papavero's employer as Community Investment Corporation.

Lott Vacancy

Joanne Marie "Jody" Rogers practices with Ellison Nielsen Zehe Antas. According to the firm's website, Rogers practices in civil rights, insurance subrogration, insurance malpractice, property & casualty, and personal injury - defense. An attorney since 1989, Rogers ran for a countywide vacancy once before, in 1998.


Thomas J. Byrne is the candidate slated by the Democratic Party in this race. He also received the endorsement of the Chicago Federation of Labor. Byrne is a supervisor in the Cook County state's attorney's office in the 3rd Municipal District at Rolling Meadows. He ran for the Schiller vacancy in 2006, finishing second behind Pamela E. Hill Veal. Byrne won the Tribune endorsement in 2006, however. The Tribune editorial said, "In 16 years as a prosecutor Thomas J. Byrne has handled more than 1,000 cases. He supervises the prosecutors assigned to the Rolling Meadows courthouse. He works with police to evaluate felony cases, and his peers have praised him for having the courage to make and defend unpopular decisions about what would be appropriate criminal charges."