Chicago Council of Lawyers retention ratings explained

The Chicago Council of Lawyers has released the explanations of its ratings for the coming election. For the complete report, follow this link.

Several Circuit Court judges were found "well qualified" for retention by the CCL. These are:

• Judge Paula Daleo,
• Judge Thomas Davy,
• Judge Jennifer Duncan-Brice,
• Judge Thomas P. Fecarotta, Jr.,
• Judge Michelle Jordan,
• Judge Carol Kelly,
• Judge John Patrick Kirby,
• Judge Mary Mikva,
• Judge Donald J. O’Brien, Jr., and
• Judge Kathleen Pantle.

Most of the other Cook County Circuit Court judges seeking retention were found "qualified" for retention in office. However, as mentioned in Saturday's post, the CCL chose not to recommend seven Circuit Court judges. These are:

• Judge Dorothy Jones,
• Judge Laurence Dunford,
• Judge Jeffrey Lawrence,
• Judge Susan J. McDunn,
• Judge Patrick T. Murphy,
• Judge William O’Neal, and
• Judge John D. Turner.

The CCL noted that Judge Jones opted not to participate in the CCL evaluation process. In an article in this evening's Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, John Flynn Rooney reports that Judge Jones chose not to participate in any bar evaluation. "I don't participate in the [bar groups evaluation] process because unfortunately I don't think it's fair," Jones told Flynn in an interview. "I let the people decide."

Here are the comments posted by the CCL for each of the seven judges the Council does not recommend for retention:

Hon. Dorothy Jones – Not Recommended
Judge Dorothy Jones refused to participate in the evaluation process. The Council finds her Not Recommended for retention.

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Hon. Laurence Dunford – Not Qualified
Bio: Judge Laurence Dunford was elected to the bench in 2004 and is currently assigned to the First Municipal District. Judge Dunford was admitted to practice in 1971. Prior to election, he was in private practice.

Judge Dunford presents a difficult case. Most respondents say that he has a good knowledge of the law and with adequate legal ability and temperament. But other respondents find fault with his temperament, saying that he can be short-tempered and unpredictable from day to day. The Council concludes that he is Not Qualified for retention.

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Hon. Jeffrey Lawrence – Not Qualified
Judge Jeffrey Lawrence was elected to the bench in 1992. He is currently assigned to the Law Division. Previously, he was in the Domestic Relations Division. Judge Lawrence was admitted to practice in 1969. Prior to election, he was in private practice.

Judge Lawrence is considered to have good legal ability. He is a capable judge who is praised for his ability to handle more complex cases. However, the Council is concerned that there are numerous reports that Judge Lawrence is not punctual in terms of starting his court call. This is a complaint that lawyers have directed at Judge Lawrence since the 1998 retention election evaluation conducted by the Council. In addition, there are lawyers who report that he is sometimes not prepared for their cases and that he is sometimes intemperate on the bench. On balance, the Council finds him Not Qualified for retention.

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Hon. Susan J. McDunn -- Not Qualified
Judge Susan McDunn was elected to the bench in 1992. She is currently assigned to the Law Division. Previously, she was in the County Division and the First Municipal District. Judge McDunn was admitted to practice in 1980. Prior to election, she was in private practice.

Judge McDunn is considered to have adequate legal ability. Judge McDunn was found Not Qualified for retention in 2004, having been publicly rebuked by the Illinois Appellate Court for judicial conduct the court says, “disgraced the judiciary and the people of Illinois.” The Council found her behavior in failing to follow Illinois adoption law based on her personal beliefs to be “unacceptable and fall well beyond the pale of appropriate judicial conduct.” The Council believes this behavior alone disqualifies Judge McDunn, but an evaluation conducted for the 2010 retention election revealed that many lawyers believe she has difficulty handling complex matters that come before her and that she demonstrates an inappropriate temperament. The Council finds her Not Qualified for retention.

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Hon. Patrick T. Murphy – Not Qualified
Judge Patrick T. Murphy was elected to the bench in 2004, and serves in the Fifth Municipal District Domestic Relations Division, where he runs the Unified Family Court Project. Previously, he served in the First Municipal District and the Sixth Municipal District Domestic Relations Division. Judge Murphy was admitted to practice in 1964 after earning his J.D. Prior to election, Judge Murphy served as the Cook County Public Guardian. He was also an assistant Cook County state’s attorney, an attorney with the National Legal Aid & Defender Program and Legal Assistance Foundation, and in private practice.

Judge Patrick Murphy is considered to have very good legal ability and is held in high esteem by many for his work as Public Guardian prior to the time he took the bench. But many practitioners report that he is inconsistent in his rulings as a judge. They say he often makes inappropriate, sometimes insulting remarks to the parties in front of him. Some say that he fails to follow the law, ruling in a way that he believes is correct. He is considered to be an advocate rather than a neutral arbiter. The Council respects Judge Murphy for his commitment to reform but finds him Not Qualified for retention to the Circuit Court.

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William O’Neal – Not Qualified
Judge William O’Neal was elected to the Circuit Court in 1992. He has served in the Sixth Municipal District since his election. Judge O’Neal was admitted to practice in 1971. Prior to election, he was in private practice and had been a Cook County Public Defender.

Judge O’Neal is reported to demonstrate concern about each defendant who comes before him. His integrity is unquestioned. However, many lawyers question whether he always follows the law. In addition, some lawyers complain about his impatience on the bench. The Council finds him Not Qualified for retention.

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Hon. John D. Turner – Not Qualified
Judge John Turner was elected to the Circuit Court in 1998. He is currently assigned to the Sixth Municipal District and was previously in the First Municipal District. Judge Turner was admitted to practice in 1984. Prior to election, he was an attorney for the Chicago Transit Authority, for the Chicago Park District and both with the Office of the Public Guardian and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Judge Turner hears misdemeanor cases. Some lawyers say he can be short-tempered on the bench and others complain that he does not always apply the law to the facts. Many other lawyers, however, say that he is doing an adequate job in his current assignment. On balance, the Council finds him Not Qualified for retention.