Filing closes tomorrow for the initial candidate filing period; no additional Cook County judicial candidates filed after the doors opened last Monday morning at the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Although the Appellate Court races are somewhat beyond the scope of this blog, while we're waiting to see who comes in at the filing deadline, we can take a moment and look at who filed for the three Appellate Court vacancies in Cook County.
Most of the persons filing for the Appellate Court already serve on the Circuit Court. One, Sebastian T. Patti, already serves on the court. He was serving on the Cook County Circuit Court as supervising judge of the Housing Section within the 1st Municipal District when he was assigned by the Illinois Supreme Court to the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Leslie E. South; Patti was subsequently slated for this vacancy by the Cook County Democratic Party.
Judge James R. Epstein was slated by the Democrats for the McNulty vacancy; Judge Pamela E. Hill-Veal was slated by the Democrats for the O'Malley vacancy.
Some Appellate Court candidates filed for more than one vacancy. Chancery Judge Mary Katherine Rochford filed for all three vacancies. Judge Ellen Flannigan filed for both the McNulty and South vacancies.
Deidre Baumann, a candidate for the countywide Berland vacancy on the Circuit Court, also filed for both the McNulty and South vacancies.
Other candidates for the McNulty vacancy are Judge Arnette R. Hubbard and Judge Jim Ryan.
Also filing only for the O'Malley vacancy were Judge Thomas L. Hogan and solo practitioner Frank Edward Gardner. Gardner has run for the Appellate Court previously, most recently for the Campbell vacancy in 2008.
Judge William D. O'Neal filed only for the South vacancy, as did solo practitioner Kevin Rogers.
Every one of these candidates has filed for the Democratic Primary. No Republican or Green Party candidates have yet come forward for either the Cook County Circuit Court or the First District Appellate Court.
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I've never met Jack Leyhane, but I find his blog to be one of the more useful resources concerning Cook County Judicial races.
After the New Year I expect to write an entry discussing the individuals I'm supporting for several judicial positions, most endorsed by the Democratic Party, some not so.
But there are many qualified people seeking judicial offices this year. Unfortunately all cannot be elected. Among those I'd like to support but can't are Judge Mitchell, Judge Epstein, Judge Rochford, Judge Hogan, Judge Hill-Veal and attorney Terry MacCarthy. There are others I'm supporting but don't know personally and when I offer personal endorsements they are only of people whom I know personally.
I have been disappointed with some of my choices in the past, but fortunately they are in a small minority. I readily acknowledge my errors, but my batting average is very good. Frankly, the only people who should listen to my recommendations are those who know me or have read or heard my published statements or comments and agree with them. Although I am a 'frugal' liberal I am not an idealogue, and there are many legitimate conservatives I respect.
I have never voted for all the candidates in one party in a general election, and I don't expect to.
Those who I am supporting most in the upcoming February 2 primary for judicial contests are Judge Bill Hooks, attorney Diann Marsalek and attorney Bonnie McGrath for the Cirucit Court and Judge Arnette Hubbard, Judge Aurelia Pucinski and Appellate Court Justice Sebastian Patti, for the three Appellate Court vacancies.
While I have great respect for the opinion of the bar associations, the Democratic Party, organized labor and major media, for me it is important to speak out for those who I know are not only honest, intelligent, informed in the law and fair, but who have had life experiences that make them especially sensitive to the individual disputes before them and the concerns of the average individual. I only recommend voting for those who I would feel safe in having sit in judgment upon me, and would understand that my case is one which I want to be judged on its specific merits, and not on an assembly line basis or because it automatically fits in with some irrelevant (to me) precedent. I wouldn't want a judge who would overturn the law to rule in my favor or would act out of bias, from either direction.
I will go into specifics later and appreciate the opportunity that Mr. Leyhane so generously and impartcially affords.
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