Luby campaign announces events

Per email received from Jasmani Francis, supporters of Ninth Subcircuit candidate William J. Luby ("A" vacancy) have organized two events in early January.

Interested persons are invited to stop by 827 Monticello Place in Evanston on Sunday, January 3, between Noon and 6:00pm to meet the candidate and pick up lawn signs supporting Luby's candidacy.

On Saturday, January 9 the Luby campaign will host another meet-and-greet at the Evanston American Legion Hall, 1030 Central Street, from 6:00 to 10:00pm. If you visit the corresponding event page on the Luby campaign website, you will see the word "fundraiser" used. However, while I do not expect that persons brandishing checks will be turned away, I am informed that there will not be any ticket sales. There will be a cash bar. And more lawn signs. There will also be a live band playing, the Billy Blues Band.

For additional information about either gathering, send an email to 4luby@luby2010.com or call Nicole at 312-332-5161.

Locations for Christmas tree recycling in Chicago

You may have heard or read that several Chicago Park District sites will chip and mulch Christmas trees in the coming couple of weeks... but neither this AP story on the WGN-TV website nor this article on the Chicago Sun-Times website tells you exactly where you can take your tree.

The City of Chicago, however, provides the following list of tree-recycling sites:

• Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.


• Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.


• Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.


• Garfield Park,100 N. Central Park Ave.


• Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.


• Humboldt Park Boathouse,1369 N. Sacramento Ave.


• Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.


• Kennedy Park,11320 S. Western Ave.


• Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.


• Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.


• Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave.(Parking lot east of Cannon Dr.)


• Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.


• Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.


• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.


• Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.


• North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.


• Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave.


• Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.


• Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.


• Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L


• Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.


• Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.


• Wentworth Park, 5625 S. Mobile Ave.

Chicago residents will be able to pick up free mulch at these locations between January 8 and January 17.

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Related: Holiday light recycling available.

Analysis of 15th Subcircuit races, new video found on the Internet

Found on the Internet, the blog Political Tracks -- a View from the Southside and, in particular, this November 24 post analyzing the 15th Subcircuit races at the south end of Cook County. I'm not adopting or agreeing with the analysis, but I thought it was interesting and worth calling attention to it... for what it's worth.

The proprietor of the Political Tracks blog, Alan Cottrell, also has posted a 16 minute video of Judge John Griffin addressing a recent meeting of "Team Hope" (f/k/a Team Obama) at the Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery. Judge Griffin's talk is on the various ways by which judges are selected in Cook County; you will be unsurprised to learn that the video contains a pitch for Griffin's candidacy (he's a candidate for the Phelan vacancy in the 15th Subcircuit). With Mr. Cottrell's permission, you can watch the interview now on page two of this blog.

As for Team Hope, as the former name indicates, the group began from a core of south suburban Obama volunteers that decided to stay together and politically involved after last year's election. Cottrell writes that Team Hope's meetings are open to the public but that the group "does not make endorsements and encourages participation in the political process as participants see fit."

Mary S. Trew campaign website launched

Per email received, the campaign website of Mary S. Trew is up and running. That's a link to the website in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar. Trew is a candidate for the "A" vacancy in Cook County's Ninth Judicial Subcircuit.

Meyerson campaign announces two fundraisers

Per email received, 11th Subcircuit candidate Pamela McLean Meyerson is having two fundraisers in the next couple of weeks.

The first of these is tomorrow night, December 30, at FitzGerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt in Berwyn. Billed as an "all-ages get-together," the event will run from 8:00pm to Midnight. Four bands are scheduled to play. Tickets are available at the door and the suggested donation is $25 for adults and $5 for students. There will be a cash bar available. For more information, see this page on the Meyerson campaign website.

A second Meyerson fundraiser will be held downtown on Tuesday, January 19, from 5:30 to 7:30pm, at Lizzie McNeill's, 400 N. McClurg Court (at the river). Tickets for this event are scaled at $50 (the "Friend" level), $100 ("Supporter"), $250 ("Sponsor") or $500 ("Amicus"). For more information about this event, and to make reservations, go to this page on the Meyerson website.

Yehuda Lebovits interviewed on NTNM

One of Avy Meyers' five guests on the next episode of North Town News Magazine is a Cook County judicial candidate. Judge Yehuda P. Lebovits, appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the Otaka vacancy in the 9th Judicial Subcircuit, will be interviewed on the program, which airs Thursday, New Year's Eve, on CAN-TV, Channel 19, in Chicago, at 7:30pm and again on Friday, New Year's Day, at 2:30pm. Evanston residents can watch on Cable Channel 6 on Thursday at 8:00pm. Other guests on the December 31/January 1 program are Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, Democratic candidate for Cook County Board President; Dr. Arie Friedman, a Republican candidate for Congress in the 10th District; Joel Pollak, a Republican candidate for Congress in the 9th District; and John Garrido, a Republican candidate for Cook County Board President.

You can watch the Lebovits interview now on Page Two of the blog by clicking here.

Pamela M. Leeming campaign website found

Found on the Internet, the campaign website of Judge Pamela Leeming, appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the countywide McCarthy vacancy and a candidate for the Riley vacancy in Cook County's 11th Judicial Subcircuit. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

Personal PAC endorsements in Cook County judicial races

From the Personal PAC website:

Personal PAC is a bi-partisan political action committee dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois.

Pro-choice forces are currently facing an unprecedented attack on reproductive rights. Anti-choice candidates and legislation, on both the state and national level, are threatening to dangerously restrict and deny access to safe and legal abortions.

This renewed assault on reproductive and abortion rights must be reversed with an electoral strategy designed to defeat anti-choice politicians, and to elect and re-elect pro-choice officials dedicated to protecting a woman’s right to choose.

Personal PAC’s determination and time-tested strategy for electing solidly pro-choice candidates in Illinois is needed now more than ever for the upcoming elections.

Personal PAC has included these Cook County judicial candidates among its 2010 primary endorsements:

Judge of the Appellate Court: First Judicial District: McNulty Vacancy
James Epstein (D)

Judge of the Appellate Court: First Judicial District: South Vacancy
Sebastian Patti (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Bronstein Vacancy
Terry MacCarthy (D)
Diann Marsalek (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Dolan Vacancy
Linda Pauel (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Hayes Vacancy
Raymond Mitchell (D)
Bonnie Carol McGrath (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Kelley Vacancy
Joanne Fehn (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Riley Vacancy
Russell William Hartigan (D)

Judge of the Circuit Court: Cook County Judicial Circuit: Ninth Subcircuit: Otaka Vacancy
Abbey Fishman Romanek (D)
Yehuda Lebovits (D)

The linked endorsement page indicates that additional endorsements may be forthcoming.

Bonnie McGrath fundraiser announced

A fundraiser is being planned for Bonnie Carol McGrath, a candidate for the countywide Hayes vacancy, on January 4, 2010, from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Petterino's, 150 N. Dearborn Street, just across from the Daley Center.

Individual tickets are available for $100. "Friend" tickets are $500 while "Sponsor" tickets are available for $1,000.

Ticket requests may be sent to The Friends of Bonnie Carol McGrath, 47 W. Polk Street, Suite 100-138, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

Two new judicial candidate interviews on NTNM

Two of the five guests on this week's edition of North Town News Magazine are judicial candidates in Cook County.

Abbey Fishman Romanek, a candidate for the Otaka vacancy in the 9th Judicial Subcircuit, and Judge Thomas V. Lyons, the sole remaining candidate for the countywide O'Malley vacancy. You can see either of these interviews right now on Page Two by clicking on the links in the preceding sentence.

This edition of North Town News Magazine can be seen in its entirety Thursday, Christmas Eve, on CAN-TV, Channel 19, in Chicago, at 7:30pm and again on Friday, Christmas Day, at 2:30pm. Evanston residents can watch on Cable Channel 6 on Thursday at 8:00pm. Other guests on the program are Toni Preckwinkle, candidate for President of the Cook County Board; Joseph Berrios, candidate for Cook County Assessor; and Dean Maragos, candidate for New Trier Township Democratic Committeeman.

Judicial candidates interviewed by Judge Hill Veal on PCC NET TV

I've come across an interview by Cook County Circuit Court Judge (and Appellate Court candidate) Pamela Hill Veal of First Subcircuit candidate Thaddeus L. Wilson (Coleman vacancy) and countywide candidates William H. Hooks (Berland vacancy) and Marvin W. Gray (Riley vacancy) on something called the Probation Challenge Connection Network. A mission statement above the video screen advises, "PCC NET TV's goal is to educate and brings about an Awareness - Awareness brings on the ability to think. Thusly,a person can prayerfully make rational decisions."

I had not heard of PCC NET until I came across this video. If it has a cable outlet of any kind, I've not discovered it.

Anyway, you can watch the entire video on Page Two.

Bonita Coleman-John now unopposed in 1st Subcircuit

Elliot Powell withdrew Tuesday as a candidate for the "A" vacancy in Cook County's First Judicial Subcircuit, leaving Bonita Coleman-John as the one and only candidate left for that vacancy. There being no Republican or Green opposition, Coleman-John will be elected to that post and take office in December 2010.

Only one Democrat now seeking McCarthy seat

Five Democratic candidates filed for the countywide McCarthy vacancy in the special filing period that closed November 23. Each of the five candidates, including the party-slated candidate, Assistant Public Defender Daniel J. Gallagher, drew objections to their nominating petitions. The objections against Gallagher's papers were withdrawn. Jessica A. O'Brien, James P. Piezonka and Brad Trowbridge all withdrew their candidacies on Tuesday, according to the State Board of Elections website. The only other candidate, besides Gallagher, Paul Martin McMahon, was removed from the ballot this morning.

Gallagher may be unopposed in the primary, but he will have the distinction of being the only Democratic candidate for judge in Cook County to have to face a Republican in November: Maureen Masterson Pulia and Michaela Nolan Ryan both filed as Republicans in this race.

eVoter.com allows candidates to post their messages... for a fee

I'd seen references to eVoter.com in various places as I've browsed about the web; tonight I set out to figure out what it was all about.

Here's the deal: It provides a list of candidates. Right now, if you click over and check, you'll find a list of all candidates in all primaries. But a voter can narrow the search by providing eVoter.com with his or her home address; the site will supposedly provide a list then of only those races that will be on that voter's ballot.

But the site isn't just for voters... it's also for candidates... and for organizations that wish to make endorsements... for a price. The site's Help and FAQ page explains:

What is eVoter.com?

eVoter is an unbiased, non-partisan, website where people can enter their address and to see their ballot in the next election. Voters use eVoter because they want to learn about Candidates and make informed choices.

What kinds of things can voters do on eVoter.com?

They can not only see which Candidates are running for which offices, they can also see which Organizations have endorsed which Candidates. Voters can filter their ballot by endorsements, make their selections and then print out their ballot to take to the polls on Election Day. Voters can also print out absentee ballot request forms and use eVoter to help make decisions when voting at home.

Most importantly, Voters can interact with Candidates by supporting them, sharing Candidate Profiles and contributing.

How does eVoter decide which Candidates appear on the site?

All Candidates for office will be listed on eVoter after the date that the ballot is officially published by the relevant election authority. But only Candidates who create an eVoter Candidate Profile will have an interactive listing. Prior to this date, only Candidates who create an eVoter Candidate Profile will appear on our Sample Ballot.

Therefore, we do not decide which Candidates appear on eVoter.

As a Candidate, what can I do with my Profile?

On your Profile you will be able to post pictures, your statements and information, your endorsements, and links to your website, Facebook profile, YouTube videos, and press articles. Voters will be able to contact you to support your campaign and you will be able to contact them back. You can even receive donations through your eVoter profile.

What’s the cost to a Candidate to have a Profile on eVoter.com?

The cost of an eVoter Profile is on a sliding scale based on the size of the office you are running for. Click here to see our Price List (www.evoter.com/candidate/pricing) and Terms and Conditions www.evoter.com/terms. At any level, the cost of an eVoter Profile is a tiny fraction of the cost of normal political advertising in any other medium. Most importantly, you will be reaching Voters who are visiting eVoter because they are looking to make an informed decision.

What’s the cost to a Voter to use eVoter?

Voters can use all of eVoter’s functionality for free. Voters never pay for any of our services, including: Generating a personalized Sample Ballot, viewing Candidate Profiles, sending support messages to Candidates and seeing Organizational endorsements.

What’s required for a Candidate to create a profile?

During the registration process, we need to ask you a few questions to make sure that your Profile appears in the correct place when voters search for their Sample Ballot. These questions include:

• The level of Office you are running for
• Your name and address
• The exact name and address of your registered Campaign Committee
• The ID Number of your Campaign Committee
• The name of the Treasurer of your Campaign Committee
• The name of your contact person (if not you)
• A primary e-mail address

Can a Voter make contributions to a Candidate using eVoter?

Yes, people can make contributions to a Candidate’s campaign using through a Candidate’s Profile page, using our affiliated payment processor. We also provide the Candidate with detailed reports of contributions, including the information necessary to assist in complying with State and Federal election laws and regulations.

According to the eVoter.com price list, judicial candidates can create their own profile for $100. Profiles in other races cost as much or more.

As of tonight, I could find only one Cook County judicial candidate, Russell William Hartigan, a candidate for the countywide Riley vacancy, that's created an eVoter.com profile. I would guess there'll be more.

It's interesting that the eVoter site allows a candidate to receive campaign contributions.

This blog can't compete with that -- but I will post Cook County judicial candidates' statements 'in their own words' for free (that's exactly $100 less than the amount charged by eVoter.com). (Candidates: I only have one statement from a candidate for this primary so far, but you can visit the Archives to see exemplars from candidates in the 2008 primary. Send your completed statement to me via email using the link on this page.)

Maureen Masterson Pulia campaign website found

Found on the Internet, the campaign website of Maureen Masterson Pulia, Republican candidate for the countywide McCarthy vacancy. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

Dennis Michael Fleming fundraiser announced

The Lawyers Committee to Elect Dennis Michael Fleming will host a fundraiser at Fado Irish Bar, 100 W. Grand in Chicago, on December 22 from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Fleming is a candidate for the Otaka vacancy in Cook County's 9th Judicial Subcircuit.

Tickets are available for a "suggested minimum contribution" of $125, but "governmental lawyers" will be admitted for $75.

New judicial candidate interviews available from North Town News Magazine

Per email received from Avy Meyers, the host and moderator of North Town News Magazine, some new judicial candidate interviews are now available on line and on Page Two of this blog.

Specifically, you can see Meyers' interview of either Diann K. Marsalek or Edmund Paul Michalowski by following the links in this sentence.

As a bonus, although races for the Appellate Court are slightly beyond the scope of this blog, Meyers has also allowed us to post his interview of Chancery Judge James R. Epstein and you can find that on Page Two as well.

North Town News Magazine can be seen Thursdays on CAN-TV, Channel 19, in Chicago, at 7:30pm and again on Friday at 2:30pm. Evanston residents can watch on Cable Channel 6 on Thursday at 8:00pm.

Click to enlarge the flyer for more information about NTNM including when and where the show can be seen.
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If anyone has information about Cook County judicial candidate appearances on other programs, please leave a comment or send me an email.

You can't 'Facebook friend' Florida judges... what about Illinois?

You may have heard or read last week that a Florida ethics committee ruled that judges cannot "friend" lawyers on Facebook or other social networking sites. The way the story was reported, you might be forgiven for concluding that a bunch of moss-backed old Luddites in Tallahassee are fighting some sort of last-ditch resistance against that crazy Internet thing all those durn-fool kids keep talking about. The New York Times' December 10 take on the story was not quite that harsh; neither was the Wall Street Journal's "Law Blog" December 9 post.

And the actual facts are more nuanced still. That's a link to the actual November 17 opinion of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Commission of the Florida Supreme Court in the preceding sentence.

The press coverage focused on just one aspect of the Florida opinion, namely, whether Florida judges should accept 'friend' requests on Facebook and other social networks from lawyers likely to appear in their courts. Florida said this was a bad idea because "listing lawyers who may appear before the judge as 'friends' on a judge's social networking page reasonably conveys to others the impression that these lawyer 'friends' are in a special position to influence the judge. This is not to say, of course, that simply because a lawyer is listed as a 'friend' on a social networking site or because a lawyer is a friend of the judge, as the term friend is used in its traditional sense, means that this lawyer is, in fact, in a special position to influence the judge. The issue, however, is not whether the lawyer actually is in a position to influence the judge, but instead whether the proposed conduct, the identification of the lawyer as a 'friend' on the social networking site, conveys the impression that the lawyer is in a position to influence the judge. The Committee concludes that such identification in a public forum of a lawyer who may appear before the judge does convey this impression and therefore is not permitted."

There is, to my knowledge, no similar prohibition in Illinois and I would be very surprised if such a prohibition were to be imposed in the near future. First, as even the Florida committee acknowledges in the passage quoted above, a person who is a "friend" on a person's social networking site is not necessarily an intimate -- or even a nodding acquaintance -- of that person in "real life." Members of the general public -- including those who do not use social networking sites might be confused by the designation... but, for the most part, only people who use social networking sites see social networking sites and therefore no confusion is likely to result.* (On the other hand, I wouldn't want to try and defend the lawyer who buys an ad on TV or in print touting his 'friendships' with various jurists as documented by Facebook.)

Second, the Illinois Supreme Court has its own Twitter feed. As a practical matter, therefore, it appears that the Illinois courts have taken a different approach to social networks than their Florida brothers and sisters.

And even the Florida JEAC did not forbid Facebook to Florida jurists altogether. Judges may establish sites and 'friend' each other -- and, presumably, their families and non-lawyer neighbors and friends as well.

Also, said the Florida Committee, judicial campaign committees can set up Facebook pages where lawyers, even lawyers who appear before that judge, can list themselves as "fans." The key distinction, in the opinion of the Florida JEAC, is that, on a fan page the lawyer is not accepted or rejected by the judge. "Because the judge or the campaign cannot accept or reject the listing of the fan on the campaign's social networking site, the listing of a lawyer's name does not convey the impression that the lawyer is in a special position to influence the judge."


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* Indeed, a minority of the Florida Committee reached this conclusion also. Quoting from the report, "The minority concludes that social networking sites have become so ubiquitous that the term 'friend' on these pages does not convey the same meaning that it did in the pre-internet age; that today, the term 'friend' on social networking sites merely conveys the message that a person so identified is a contact or acquaintance; and that such an identification does not convey that a person is a 'friend' in the traditional sense, i.e., a person attached to another person by feelings of affection or personal regard."

Lipinski will not replace Lipinski and other primary ballot changes

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections website, Scott Edward Lipinski was removed yesterday from the ballot, ending his quest to replace his mother, the Hon. Marcella C. Lipinski, in Cook County's 15th Judicial Subcircuit. A crowded field remains in that race including Linzey D. Jones, Frank James Ryan, Pat Flanagan, Nicholas W. Karas, Richard G. Karwaczka, Karla Marie Fiaoni, Michael Brendan Barrett, and Associate Judge Joan Marie G. Kubalanza.

William D. Moore's bid for the 15th Subcircuit Phelan vacancy was also presumably ended yesterday when he was removed from the ballot. Remaining in the race for the Phelan vacancy are Judge John C. Griffin (appointed to this vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court); Carl Evans, Jr.; Nichole C. Patton; Thomas "TJ" Somer; and Mary Beth Kent Duffy.

In addition, James Edward Hanlon has withdrawn his candidacy for the countywide Bronstein vacancy. Remaining in the race for the Bronstein vacancy are Terry MacCarthy, Diann K. Marsalek, Sharon Finegan Patterson, and Thomas William Flannigan. (The Cook County Clerk's website indicates that an objection which had been filed to Patterson's candidacy was overruled this week.)

Thomas V. Lyons now uncontested for O'Malley vacancy

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Melanie Rose Nuby has withdrawn from the race to replace Cook County Circuit Judge James P. O'Malley. This leaves Judge Thomas V. Lyons, who was appointed to this vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court in August 2008, as the only remaining candidate for that vacancy in the February 2, 2010 Democratic primary.

Since there are no Republican or Green Party candidates for this vacancy, Judge Lyons no longer faces any electoral obstacle to keeping his job.

Before going on the bench, Lyons practiced with the Nolan Law Group. He joined that office in 2005 after nearly two decades with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, where he had served as deputy chief of the civil actions bureau and chief of the Special Litigation Division. Prior to that, according to a December 27, 2005 Chicago Daily Law Bulletin article, Lyons was a top prosecutor in the Felony Trial Division.

Steven J. Fruth fundraiser announced

Per email received, a fundraiser will be held December 15 for Judge Steven J. Fruth, appointed by the Supreme Court to the Riley vacancy in Cook County's 11th Judicial Subcircuit.

The fundraiser will be held at Rosebud Theater District, in the lobby of 70 West Madison Street, from 5:30 to 7:30pm on the 15th. Individual tickets are $100. "Friend" tickets are available for $250 and "host" tickets may be had for $500.

In a nice nod to the holiday season, the organizers also ask that attendees consider bringing a "canned good" to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

For additional information or to make reservations, email Matt Fruth at mattfruth+rose@gmail.com or call (708) 606-4164.

Keeping track of objections to judicial candidates' nominating petitions

Cook County Clerk David Orr's website has regularly updated information about challenges to any and all Cook County candidates -- including judicial candidates. Scroll down for judicial candidate information.

The Cook County Clerk's Office had issued a candidate list that shows ballot numbers -- subject to revision, of course, depending on the outcome of the ballot challenges. (You have to select a party ballot from that screen. Of course, if you select a Republican ballot, you'll find judicial candidates in only one of the eight countywide races -- and none at all in any of the subcircuits in which judicial vacancies are being filled.)

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Updated with corrected link.

David J. Coleman campaign website found

Found on the Internet, the campaign website of David J. Coleman, candidate for the Darcy vacancy in Cook County's Third Judicial Subcircuit. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

Holiday light recycling available

The Chicago Tribune website has this AP story today about holiday light recycling. The City of Wheaton and several Cook County municipalities will be collecting old holiday lights at various times between now and the end of the January.

Here is information about where and when you can dispose of used Christmas string lighting and extension cords from the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County website:

Village of Arlington Heights Public Works
222 N. Ridge Avenue
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm
December 28, 2009 - January 15, 2010
(847) 368-5800

Village of Elk Grove Village - Health and Community Services
901 Wellington Avenue
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
(847) 439-3900

City of Evanston - Ecology Center
2024 McCormick Boulevard
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
From December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
(847) 448-8256

City of Evanston - Library
1703 Orrington Avenue
Monday - Thursday: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday: 12:00 to 6:00 pm
December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
(847) 448-8600

Village of Glenview Public Works
1333 Shermer Road
24-hour outside drop-off at Public Works
December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
(847) 657-3030

Village of Hoffman Estates in Village Hall Lobby
1990 Hassell Road
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
December 7, 2009 - January 15, 2010
(847) 882-9100

Village of Lincolnwood Publics Works
7001 N. Lawndale Avenue
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
(847) 675-0888

City of Park Ridge
400 Busse Highway
Monday - Friday: 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
December 1, 2009 - January 15, 2010
(847) 318-5200

City of Rolling Meadows
3600 Kirchoff Road
24-hour outside drop-off at City Hall entrance
November 25, 2009 - January 22, 2010
(847) 394-8500

Village of Wilmette Public Works
711 Laramie Avenue
24-hour outside drop-off at front parking lot
December 21, 2009 - January 22, 2010
(847) 853-7500

Village of Winnetka Public Works
1390 Willow Road
Monday - Friday: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
November 1, 2009 - February 5, 2010
(847) 716-3568


Garland, live greens, wreaths or other non-recyclables are not accepted in this program.

Hopefully these collection sites will be in better shape than the City of Chicago facility I visited this evening. I had some cardboard and plastic to drop off at the recycling bins in the Caldwell Woods Forest Preserve, 6358 W. Devon. But when I got there, not only were the blue dumpsters full to overflowing, a volume of recyclables as large as the dumpsters themselves was piled up against them.

It's my understanding that the City gets cash for this green trash. (They'd better; everyone else gets money for their recycling.) Considering the sorry state of the City budget, one might think that a revenue opportunity like this would not be so neglected.

I've been to this collection facility before and I've never seen it in such bad shape. Readers: Are you having similar experiences... or was this just a one-time unhappy event?

Marvin W. Gray campaign website found

Found on the Internet: The campaign website of Marvin W. Gray, a candidate for the countywide Riley vacancy. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

A comment on comments

I'm usually grateful for comments -- but not always.

I recently noticed this comment on an older post about a particular candidate (CAPS in original):

NOT ETHICAL,NOR PRACTICES INTEGRITY OR MORAL TURPETUDE IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES. ITS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE WE NEED FAIR IMPARTIAL JUDGES!

Don't bother looking for the original because I've taken it down. I don't want to become an accessory to drive-by character assassinations.

This blog allows for anonymous comments, but I strongly encourage anyone who leaves a comment to leave a name. I would think that this would be particularly important to someone who wants to leave a comment in an attempt to persuade voters that a candidate is unworthy of their trust. By the way, from what I've read on the subject, SHOUTING (which is what TYPING IN ALL CAPS is analogous to) is not particularly persuasive. In addition, it's rather hard to read....

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Please note: I am not assuming responsibility for any content or comments here except that which I put up. I will do my best to police this site, but this is a spare-time activity for me and I may miss something.

Sign printers take note: Ballot numbers are out

Some objections to candidate nominating petitions are still unresolved, so some of these may change, but the Cook County Clerk's Office has issued this candidate list that shows ballot numbers as they stand right now.

Joan Marie G. Kubalanza campaign website found

Found on the Internet: The campaign website of Associate Judge Joan Marie G. Kubalanza, a candidate for the Lipinski vacancy in Cook County's 15th Judicial Subcircuit. That's a link to the website in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

Every Democrat draws objections in race for McCarthy vacancy

This is an updated, corrected version of a post first put up on Tuesday evening.

Objections have been filed to the nominating petitions of each of the five Democrats who filed for the countywide McCarthy vacancy in the recently concluded special filing period.

Elizabeth Granoff is the objector against James P. Piezonka and Brad Trowbridge; Margaret M. Johnson and Susana Y.Accove are the objectors against Jessica A. O'Brien; and Kent Sinson is the objector against Paul Martin McMahon. Jessica A. O'Brien and Paul Martin McMahon have each filed objections to Daniel J. Gallagher's nominating petitions.

The petitions filed by the two Republicans in the race, Maureen Masterson Pulia and Michaela Nolan Ryan, were not challenged.

And still two more campaign websites

A happy consequence of browsing through the countywide judicial candidates' responses to the Tribune questionnaire was the discovery of two more campaign websites.

I found this evening that Sandra G. Ramos has a campaign website. That's a link in the preceding sentence; a link has been added to the Sidebar. Ramos is a candidate for the Riley vacancy.







I also found a campaign website for James Michael Bailey. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link for his site has been added to the website as well. Bailey is also a candidate for the Riley vacancy.

I also saw that several other countywide candidates have sites under construction. The Sidebar will continue to grow... soon.

Tribune endorsement questionniare links -- Countywide judicial races

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the eight countywide vacancies in Cook County. If a candidate's name is not linked, it means that the candidate, as of this writing, has not yet responded to the Tribune.

Please note: Each of the persons listed on this page -- indeed, nearly every single Cook County judicial candidate is a candidate in the Democratic primary. There are two exceptions -- two Republicans are battling for the right to oppose the successful Democratic candidate for the McCarthy vacancy. However, neither Maureen Masterson Pulia nor Michaela Nolan Ryan has yet responded to the Tribune questionnaire.

Berland Vacancy

William H. Hooks

Deidre Baumann

William Burnett Raines

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Bronstein Vacancy

Terry MacCarthy

James Edward Hanlon

Diann K. Marsalek

Sharon Finegan Patterson

Thomas William Flannigan

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Dolan Vacancy

Susan Kennedy Sullivan

Linda J. Pauel

Kevin J. Murphy

Ubi O'Neal

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Hayes Vacancy

Raymond W. Mitchell

Bonnie Carol McGrath

Carl B. Boyd

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Kelley Vacancy

John Patrick Callahan, Jr.

Joanne F. Fehn

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McCarthy Vacancy*

Daniel J. Gallagher

Paul Martin McMahon

Jessica A. O'Brien

James P. Pieczonka

Brad Trowbridge

* This is the only Cook County judicial race -- countywide or subcircuit -- in which any Republican has filed. Neither of them are listed here. See explanatory note at the outset of this post.

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O'Malley Vacancy

Thomas V. Lyons

Melanie Rose Nuby

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Riley Vacancy

Sandra G. Ramos

Russell William Hartigan

James Michael Bailey

John Patrick Nyhan

Edmund Paul Michalowski

Marvin W. Gray

Tracey J. Stokes

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

Tribune endorsement questionniare links -- 9th Subcircuit races

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the two vacancies in Cook County's 9th Judicial Subcircuit. Every candidate in these to races has already responded to the Tribune questionnaire.

Otaka Vacancy

Abbey Fishman Romanek

Yehuda Lebovits

Geary W. Kull

Dennis Michael Fleming

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"A" Vacancy

Steven James "Steve" Bernstein

Michael Ian Bender

Jeffrey Dov Greenspan

William Joseph Luby

Scott Bagnall

Mary S. Trew

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

Another new campaign web site found

Actually, paging through the Tribune questionnaires, it appears that there are several 15th Subcircuit candidate sites "under construction" so the Sidebar list will grow more soon.

But the campaign website of Pat Flanagan appears up and running right now. Thus the link in the preceding sentence and its addition to the Sidebar.

Tribune endorsement questionniare links -- 15th Subcircuit races

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the three vacancies in Cook County's 15th Judicial Subcircuit. If a candidate's name is not linked, it means that the candidate, as of this writing, has not yet responded to the Tribune.

Lipinski Vacancy

Linzey D. Jones

Frank James Ryan

Pat Flanagan

Nicholas W. Karas

Richard G. Karwaczka

Karla Marie Fiaoni

Scott Edward Lipinski

Michael Brendan Barrett

Joan Marie G. Kubalanza

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Panichi Vacancy

George F. Scully

Mary Therese Quinn

Michael T. Huguelet

Peter A. Fera

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Phelan Vacancy

John C. Griffin

Carl Evans, Jr.

Nichole C. Patton

Thomas "TJ" Somer

Mary Beth Kent Duffy

William D. Moore

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

Things I learned while looking up other things

Yes, I know we're talking about the Tribune endorsement questionnaires this evening, but this regular column title from the late Sydney J. Harris of the old Chicago Daily News occurred to me as I was looking through the candidate responses on the Tribune site.

I found two new websites while looking up the Third Subcircuit candidate questionnaire responses.

I found this campaign website for Steven G. Watkins. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

I'd already found a campaign website for Charles Francis Fitzgerald. But tonight I found that he has two. You can choose between www.fitzforjudge.net or www.fitzgeraldforjudge.com. I had the former site; the Tribune had the latter. The sites appear identical -- but the Tribune site name seems more formal.

Doesn't it just figure?

Tribune endorsement questionnaire links -- 3rd Subcircuit races

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the three vacancies in Cook County's Third Judicial Subcircuit. If a candidate's name is not linked, it means that the candidate, as of this writing, has not yet responded to the Tribune.

Carmody Vacancy

Allen F. Murphy

Peter M. Kramer

Thomas G. O'Brien

Steven G. Watkins

Charles Francis Fitzgerald

Daniela Silaides

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Darcy Vacancy

Edward Harmening

James Patrick Doran

Thomas J. Murphy

David J. Coleman

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"A" Vacancy

Daniel Malone

Ronald Joseph Hurley

Mary McNamara

Bernadette McNicholas

Pamela Cotten

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

Tribune endorsement questionnaire links -- 1st Subcircuit races

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the three vacancies in Cook County's First Judicial Subcircuit. If a candidate's name is not linked, it means that the candidate, as of this writing, has not yet responded to the Tribune.

Coleman Vacancy

Thaddeus L. Wilson

Linnae Bryant

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Steele Vacancy

Sharon Oden-Johnson

Michelle Hugghis Flagg

Jesse Outlaw

Joseph Chico

Theodore "Ted" London

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"A" Vacancy

Bonita Coleman-John

Elliott L. Powell

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

Tribune endorsement questionnaire links -- 11th Subcircuit race

Herewith links to the candidate questionnaire responses posted by the Chicago Tribune. In this post we will look at candidates for the Barbara Riley vacancy in Cook County's 11th Subcircuit. If a candidate's name is not linked, it means that the candidate, as of this writing, has not yet responded to the Tribune.

Steven J. Fruth

Maritza Martinez

Ann Finley Collins

Pamela McLean Meyerson

John Michael Lagattuta

Pamela M. Leeming

Thomas David Bilyk

Lisa A. Marino

Eugene Joseph Berkes

Kim R. Kardas

John W. Chwarzynski

Radusa Ostojic

The Tribune lists candidates alphabetically; they're listed here in ballot order.

An ad is seen on Facebook, but I clicked past too fast

I saw an ad this morning on Facebook for a Cook County judicial candidate. I made a mental note to come back and save the ad for blogging purposes but, as it turns out, Facebook's rotation system hasn't brought that ad back. And I've clicked repeatedly this morning trying.

I've talked here about candidates with Facebook pages -- and judicial campaigns with public Facebook pages -- but this was the first paid advertisement I'd seen.

Readers: Have you seen ads for judicial candidates on Facebook? Have you seen ads for Cook County judicial candidates cropping up in places you did not expect to find them? Leave a comment.

Tribune posts endorsement questionnaires

The Chicago Tribune has published a list of responses to endorsement questionnaires by judicial candidates. The link will take you to a page that lists all area judicial races (not just Cook County). Not all candidates have yet responded, but you can follow live links on that page to the responses submitted by each candidate who has responded.

I have been highly critical of the Tribune's coverage (or, rather, lack thereof) of Cook County Circuit Court races in the past. I therefore find myself in a pleasant state of shock at this discovery. I will post more about these questionnaires soon.

Russell W. Hartigan campaign website found

Found on the Internet: A campaign website for Russell W. Hartigan, candidate for the countywide Riley vacancy. That's a link to Hartigan's website in the preceding sentence. A link has also been added to the Sidebar.

49th Ward schedules endorsement session

Updated to clarify, December 3, 2009

According to its blog, the 49th Ward organization will hold an endorsement session December 12 -- but not for judicial candidates. The linked post states, "If you are running for a County-wide judicial vacancy or an Appellate Court vacancy we will continue to do our endorsements by a panel of our membership. You can send your resume, bar ratings which must include a favorable review from either the Chicago Bar Association or the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and any additional information you would like to submit. There will not be an endorsement session for Appelate or County-wide judicial candidates." For additional information, follow the link.

Before we're done with this primary -- as visitors will see in the round-up posts as we near the end -- all sorts of groups will be endorsing judicial candidates. Some groups seem to come into existence every two years solely for the purpose of making endorsements. Other, established groups make endorsements but don't seem eager to let the public in on who has been endorsed. In the last campaign, there were several candidates claiming the endorsement of one union or another. Some unions proudly announced their endorsements on their websites, but there were some unions whose endorsements I could not confirm (or include) in my round-ups. (The Chicago Federation of Labor endorsements are already available although this early endorsement list does not include the McCarthy vacancy.)

Other groups make endorsements -- but don't necessarily invite candidates to seek them. Groups should be free to endorse whom they will and how they will -- but if only one candidate is 'invited' to present his or her credentials and receive an endorsement, doesn't that reflect on the credibility of the endorsement? Of course, some groups may be contacting candidates directly, conducting an open process, but in private. There's nothing wrong with that.

If you, dear reader, knows of any group holding an endorsement session for Cook County judicial candidates, and if you'd like to get the word out about it, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Lidar cases about to get Frye-d

In his November 6 Sun-Times column, Mark Brown revealed that anybody showing up in Cook County Traffic Court to contest a Chicago speeding ticket, with or without a lawyer, was likely to have the ticket dismissed -- at least if the basis of the ticket was one of those "high-tech LIDAR speed detectors" introduced by the Chicago Police Department three years ago. (Brown's column noted that tickets "based on the reading from traditional radar devices are not being routinely dismissed.") Lidar is an acronym for "Light Detection and Ranging Device." It isn't radar; it allegedly can function like radar in determining the speed of a moving car.

Apparently the City didn't mind dismissing Lidar speeding tickets that much -- at least before Brown's November 6 column -- because, according to that column, "the vast majority of accused speeders [disposed] of their tickets by just mailing in the fine or going to traffic school."

The City began dismissing Lidar speeders after defense attorneys began challenging the admissibility of the Lidar, demanding that local prosecutors "hold a special hearing to prove the scientific basis behind LIDAR before using it as evidence."

That "special hearing" is called a Frye hearing. The name refers to the case of Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C.Cir. 1923). In Illinois, "scientific evidence" such as a Lidar speed reading "is only admissible at trial if the methodology or scientific principle is based is 'sufficiently established to have gained general acceptance in the particular field in which it belongs.'" Snelson v. Kamm, 204 Ill.2d 1, 787 N.E.2d 796, 809 (2003), quoting Frye, internal quotation marks simplified.

Brown's November 6 column said the City 'hadn't gotten around to' asking for a Frye hearing on the admissibility of Lidar evidence. Brown reports that a City Law Department spokesperson told him that "one of the problems is that -- in the cases where it has called a defendant's bluff and agreed to a Frye hearing -- the defendant gives up rather than put up a huge legal fight over a little speeding ticket."

Brown reported in a November 15 follow-up column that the City had stopped routinely dismissing Lidar tickets. Presumably, once Brown spilled the beans, people stopped pleading guilty... and revenue dipped perceptibly. (The Tribune picked up the story on November 9.) Today, Megan Twohey reports in the Chicago Tribune that the Cook County State's Attorney is also pursuing a Frye hearing in a Lidar speeder case.

So the question of the admissibility of Lidar results will soon be determined.

I wanted to check out the case that Brown referred to in his first column on the subject. Brown said it was a Downstate case involving a Naperville lawyer, Michael Canulli, "who was driving with his family to a girls' softball tournament in Springfield nine years ago when he was ticketed on I-55 near Lincoln, where State Police had sprung a massive speed trap. Incensed by their tactics, Canulli took the case to court."

The reported case is People v. Canulli, 341 Ill.App.3d 361, 792 N.E.2d 438 (4th Dist. 2003). The Appellate Court noted that, "No reported cases in Illinois address the admissibility of Lidar laser evidence to measure the speed of vehicles. Where the question of the general acceptance of a new scientific theory is raised, the court is oftentimes asked to establish the law of the jurisdiction for future cases." (792 N.E.2d at 444.)

The Canulli court found "the use of Lidar laser technology to measure the speed of an automobile constitutes 'new' or 'novel' evidence. Therefore, a Frye evidentiary hearing was necessary to determine whether these instruments were admissible as a matter of law. The trial court erred in admitting the results of the Lidar laser unit without conducting a Frye hearing. Because the only evidence of the speed of defendant's vehicle was obtained through the use of a Lidar laser unit, whose general acceptance has not been thoroughly litigated in precedential cases, defendant was denied a fair trial." (792 N.E.2d at 445.)

The Circuit Court of Downstate Logan County had not ignored Frye in convicting Mr. Canulli of speeding. However the Appellate Court determined that the trial court erred in relying on the outcome of a Frye hearing in another case heard in the circuit court, particularly because that hearing "was conducted at the sentencing hearing after defendant pleaded guilty, involved different parties, and the testimony centered on the reliability of the LTI 2020 (a laser-based speed-detection system manufactured by Laser Technology, Inc.), rather than the Lidar laser unit used here. In addition, the record indicates that defendant was not aware that a Frye hearing was going to be conducted prior to the sentencing hearing and, therefore, did not present any evidence or have an expert present." (792 N.E.2d at 444-445.) For these reasons, the Canulli court found that the question of the scientific reliability of Lidar evidence had not been adequately litigated in the prior hearing. The court stated that "relying exclusively upon prior judicial decisions to establish general scientific acceptance can be a 'hollow ritual' if the underlying issue of scientific acceptance has not been adequately litigated." (792 N.E.2d at 445, citation omitted.)

There are only two other Illinois cases in which Lidar is even metnioned. The first of these, People v. Sparks, 335 Ill.App.3d 249, 780 N.E.2d 781 (2nd Dist. 2002), did not involve speeding. Instead, the case concerned the alleged delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a church and the Lidar was one of two devices used to measure the relevant distance. The Appellate Court found that the defendant waived the issue of the admissibility of the Lidar evidence. (780 N.E.2d at 784.)

The only other Illinois case to even mention Lidar is People v. Berrier, 362 Ill.App.3d 1153, 841 N.E.2d 1117 (2nd Dist. 2006). In this case, however, Lidar is mentioned only because is was the subject of the Canulli case. The Berrier court cited to Canulli on the question of whether the State is permitted to reopen its proofs after it rests its case and, if so, in what circumstances.

William Burnett Raines campaign website launched; fundraiser planned

Per email received, the campaign website of William Burnett Raines, candidate for the countywide Berland vacancy, is up and running. That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

In addition, the Raines campaign is planning a fundraiser on December 4th at Cardozo's Pub, 170 W. Washington St. Chicago from 6:00 to 8:00pm. Tickets are $100 -- but tickets for "young professionals" and law enforcement personnel cost $50. I'm not certain what the cutoff for "young" is these days and the email did not specify. I am only certain that I am on the no-longer-young side of that divide.

Foris withdraws from 11th Subcircuit race

The State Board of Elections confirms that Oak Park solo practitioner Carrie M. Foris withdrew from the crowded 11th Subcircuit race on Friday, leaving 12 candidates still in the race.

Hat tip to candidate Pamela McLean Meyerson for bringing this to my attention.
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Related: Baker's dozen in crowded 11th Subcircuit race

Daniel J. Gallagher website announced

Assistant Public Defender Daniel J. Gallagher, the candidate slated by the Cook County Democratic Party for the McCarthy vacancy, has a campaign website up and running. I'd noticed it over the weekend, but it was still obviously under construction. That's a link to the website in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the Sidebar.

Hat tip to newly admitted attorney Patrick Russell, who's volunteering with the Gallagher campaign, for letting me know that the site is now functional.

Four file to oppose Gallagher

In addition to the two Republicans mentioned earlier today, four Democrats filed to challenge Assistant Public Defender Daniel J. Gallagher's bid for the countywide McCarthy vacancy.

First to file was Paul Martin McMahon, a name partner in Costello, McMahon, Burke & Murphy Ltd.. A lawyer since 1992, the firm website notes that McMahon is a "lifetime member" of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a Past President of the St. Athanasius (Evanston) Parish Council. He's also served, according to the firm website, "as a volunteer attorney at the St. Sabina legal ministry on the south side." McMahon ran for the countywide Burr vacancy in 2006.

Also filing this afternoon for the McCarthy vacancy was Jessica A. O'Brien, the Immediate Past President of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago. O'Brien has been an Illinois attorney since 1998. She works for the Illinois Department of Revenue in the Income Tax Section of the Litigation Division.

Filing immediately after Ms. O'Brien was Northwest Side solo practitioner James P. Pieczonka. An attorney since 1983, Pieczonka's Sullivan's listing advises that his practice is focused in taxation, real estate and condominium law.

The last to file for the Democratic nomination for the McCarthy vacancy was Brad Trowbridge. A Loop solo practitioner, Trowbridge concentrates in family law. A lawyer since 2000, Trowbridge was recently mentioned in a Law Bulletin article announcing the settlement of a suit for emotional distress arising from "a failed 22-year love affair" between a one-time law student and the former dean of a local law school. Trowbridge was one of the plaintiff's attorneys.

There will be no lottery for positions in this race; assuming that each of these candidates stays in the race, they will be listed, in this order, following Gallagher on the ballot.

A second Republican files for McCarthy vacancy

This is what I get for cracking wise: Just a few hours after I wrote, "Given that the special filing period for the McCarthy vacancy closes this afternoon, the odds are [that Maureen Masterson Pulia] will remain the only Republican" to file for a judicial vacancy in Cook County, Michaela Nolan Ryan (pictured at right) filed her papers.

Ryan ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the Devlin vacancy in the 12th Judicial Subcircuit in 2008. Ryan has been a lawyer in Illinois since 1991. She maintains an office in Winnetka.

A Republican files for judge in Cook County!

Maureen Masterson Pulia, an Illinois Workers Compensation Commission Arbitrator, filed late this morning for the countywide McCarthy vacancy as a Republican.

Pulia ran as a Republican for the Shultz vacancy in the 4th Judicial Subcircuit in 2008, winning in the primary but losing in November to the Democratic nominee, Pat Rogers. Pulia has also served as the Village Clerk and as a trustee of the Village of Westchester.

Pulia's filing is the first -- and so far the only -- filing by a Republican judicial candidate in Cook County (countywide or subcircuit) for the 2010 primary. Given that the special filing period for the McCarthy vacancy closes this afternoon, the odds are she will remain the only Republican.

December 2 fundraiser for Judge Thaddeus Wilson at Excalibur

This morning's email brings notice of a December 2 fundraiser for Judge Thaddeus Wilson, candidate for the Coleman vacancy in Cook County's First Judicial Subcircuit, a seat that he now holds by Supreme Court appointment.

Wilson's fundraiser will be held at Excalibur, 640 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago between 5:00 and 7:00pm on Wednesday, December 2. According to this Facebook page, the suggested donation is $65, but premium tickets are scaled as follows: Supporter, $100; Patron, $250; and Sponsor, $500. To reserve tickets (and reservations are requested), please call (312) 244-3786 ext. 1.

Several Cook County judges recalled to service

Two veteran Cook County jurists, Henry A. Budzinski and Curtis Heaston, have been recalled to judicial service for another year, ending November 30, 2010.

Each of these judges was also recalled to additional service:

Martin D. Coghlan,
Kenneth Lee Fletcher,
James A. Shapiro,
Lauretta Higgins Wolfson,
Martha A. Mills,
Walter Williams, and
William H. Wise.

Two Associate Judges have also been recalled, Joan M. Kubalanza (who's running for the Lipinski vacancy in the 15th Judicial Subcircuit) and John M. Grogan.

The court has appointed each of these individuals to serve through November 30, 2012. Depending on what really happens when the Mayan calendar runs out, that might be just about enough....

Maureen Leahy Delehanty appointed to Riley vacancy

If you looked at this August post, which I'd updated as recently as September 12, you'd have seen that William R. Jackson, Jr. was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the countywide Riley vacancy (the Vacancy of the Hon. Ronald C. Riley, as opposed to the 11th Subcircuit Riley vacancy, to wit, Vacancy of the Hon. Barbara Riley).

Still with me?

Judge Jackson was not slated by the Democratic Party for the countywide Riley vacancy -- but he was selected one of five new Cook County Associate Judges. When Judge Jackson became an Associate Judge, the Riley vacancy was opened up again.

But not for long.

In yet another appointment I missed, on November 3, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Assistant State's Attorney Maureen Leahy Delehanty to the new-old vacancy. Judge Delehanty began her judicial career on November 16; this appointment will end on December 6, 2010.

Delehanty is not currently a candidate for judicial office. She did file for the Donnersberger vacancy in the Third Judicial Subcircuit for the 2008 primary but withdrew in December 2007, allowing appointed Judge Patrick J. Sherlock to hold that seat by default.

Pamela Leeming appointed to McCarthy vacancy

Well, the long and the short of it is, I missed it: Assistant Public Defender Pamela M. Leeming was appointed to the McCarthy vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court on October 30. Her appointment begins December 1 and terminates December 6, 2010. An attorney since 1990, Leeming was a finalist in the 2008 round of Associate Judge Selection. She currently serves as Secretary of the Asian American Bar Association. Leeming is presently a candidate for the Riley vacancy in the 11th Judicial Subcircuit -- a seat to which Steven J. Fruth was appointed by the Supreme Court.

While I missed the announcement, the Cook County Public Defender's Blog did not.

I don't feel too bad about that. After all, Leeming works for the PD's office and the Supreme Court doesn't always issue a press release when it fills a vacancy.

But also scooping FWIW on this occasion was Ameet Sachdev of the Chicago Tribune's "Chicago Law" blog. You know... the Chicago Tribune that never publishes anything about judicial elections or appointments except for maybe one article around endorsement time? Yes, that Chicago Tribune.

Sachdev writes (in a November 3 entry!) "Chicago's Asian-American community is celebrating [Leeming's] appointment. Leeming, who is of Pakistani descent, is believed to be the first Asian-American to serve as a judge for the full Cook County circuit. Several Asian-Americans are judges in Cook County subcircuits."

The special filing deadline for the McCarthy vacancy is Monday.
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Update 11/21/09: My copy of the November 3 Tribune seems to have already been recycled so I have to rely on Westlaw for this assertion -- but, after checking, it would appear that Mr. Sachdev's blog entry about Leeming's appointment (linked above) never made it into print. Thus the actual newspaper didn't cover Leeming's appointment after all. My belief in the balance of the cosmos is restored.