Russell W. Hartigan appointed to Circuit Court

Russell W. Hartigan, of the Chicago firm of Hartigan & O'Connor, was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court yesterday to fill the countywide vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John J. Moran.

The appointment is effective October 14, 2010 and will terminate on December 3, 2012.

Hartigan was a candidate in this year's primary for the countywide Riley vacancy. He finished second to Sandra Ramos, the candidate slated by the Democratic Party. (Ramos is unopposed on the November ballot.) In the course of his campaign, Hartigan obtained endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the 19th Ward Democratic Organization, the Wheeling Township Democratic Organization, the IVI-IPO, Personal PAC, and the Illinois Civil Justice League. Hartigan was rated qualified or recommended by every bar group that screened his credentials for the primary. He garnered a "highly qualified" rating from the Chicago Bar Association, the CBA noting that Hartigan "has practiced a wide range of complex civil litigation matters. He has tried a variety of civil jury trials. He is respected by his peers and possesses an excellent temperament." Hartigan also received a "highly qualified" rating from the ISBA and was "highly recommended" for judicial office by the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago.