CBA says four "not recommended" for retention

The Chicago Bar Association has announced its ratings for Cook County judges seeking retention in November. (Click here for complete CBA "Green Guide" in .pdf format.)

Supreme Court Justices Thomas R. Fitzgerald and Charles E. Freeman were both rated "qualified" in their retention bids, as were Appellate Court Justices Joseph E. Gordon and Shelvin Louise Marie Hall.

All Cook County Circuit Court judges seeking retention were also deemed qualified by the CBA with four exceptions. The four judges rated "not recommended" by the CBA are:

• Dorothy F. Jones
• Susan Jeanine McDunn
• William D. O'Neal
• Jim Ryan

Here is the text of the CBA's evaluation for each of these retention candidates:

DOROTHY F. JONES.........................NOT RECOMMENDED
The candidate declined to participate in the Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) screening process and, therefore,according to The Chicago Bar Association's governing resolution for the JEC, is automatically found NOT RECOMMENDED.

SUSAN JEANINE MCDUNN...............NOT RECOMMENDED
Judge Susan Jeanine McDunn is “Not Recommended” for retention as a Circuit Court Judge. Judge McDunn was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1980 and has served as a judge since 1993. Since 2007, Judge McDunn has served in the Law Division and is considered a hard worker. However, Judge McDunn does not possess the requisite legal knowledge and ability to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.

WILLIAM D. O'NEAL........................NOT RECOMMENDED
The candidate declined to participate in the Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) screening process and, therefore,according to The Chicago Bar Association's governing resolution for the JEC, is automatically found NOT RECOMMENDED.

JIM RYAN.......................................NOT RECOMMENDED
Judge Jim Ryan is “NotRecommended” for retention as a Circuit Court Judge. Judge Ryan was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1992 and was elected to the Circuit Court in 2004. Judge Ryan does not possess the requisite legal knowledge, ability, and temperament to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.