Roundup of remaining Circuit Court races

We've covered the countywide races in which many have filed; we've covered the races which are so far uncontested (see list of links at the end of this post). Herewith the information on the remaining countywide races for the Cook County Circuit Court.

The Conlon Vacancy

Judge Stanley L. Hill, Sr. was appointed to this vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court and was slated by the Cook County Democratic party. Judge Hill's campaign website is electjudgestanleyhill.com. He so far faces two challengers, Karen Lynn O'Malley and Jo Anne Hopson Guillemette.

Karen O'Malley joined the Levin Riback Law Group in 2008 after serving as an Assistant State's Attorney for over 15 years. (That's a link to her campaign website in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the sidebar.) The Levin Riback website states that O'Malley's currently focuses on "complex personal injury litigation, construction litigation and automobile negligence." According to the Levin Riback site, O'Malley has "successfully tried more than 75 jury trials" and, hundreds of bench trials. It also notes O'Malley "spent her last five years as an assistant state's attorney supervising the Child Advocacy Division, a unit dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of sexual crimes against children." O'Malley's campaign website also stresses her extensive teaching experience, including nine years as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University Law School teaching trial advocacy and coaching students for moot court competitions (she was also Assistant Director of the Moot Court Program at DePaul University Law School for a time, according to her campaign site).

Jo Anne Hopson Guillemette also stresses her child protection and teaching experience on her campaign website. (That's a link to the site in the preceding sentence; a link has also been added to the sidebar.) Guillemette has been an Illinois attorney since 1987; she is currently employed in the Office of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, where she works as Assistant Director and Administrator of the Expedited Child Support Program. Her campaign website states that her duties in this office include "maintaining a Minimal Continuing Legal Education Program (MCLE)." She has worked, according to her campaign biography, as an elementary school teacher and social worker. As an attorney she has worked for the Department of Children and Family Services as regional counsel, "advis[ing] employees and screen[ing] children for adoption." Guillemette also served as an Assistant State's Attorney, according to her campaign site, and as an Assistant City Attorney -- in Rockford, Illinois.

The Kinnaird Vacancy

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Judge Erica L. Reddick to this vacancy in 2010. She was subsequently slated for this office by the Cook County Democratic Party.

Her sole challenger (so far) is Kevin Cunningham.

Both Reddick and Cunningham have campaign websites and these are linked in the sidebar.

The Frossard Vacancy

Judge Diann Karen Marsalek was recently appointed to this vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court. Shortly thereafter, she was slated for this office by the Cook County Democratic Party.

Judge Marsalek faces three challengers (so far). These are Thomas W. Flannigan, Judge Kevin W. Horan and Nichole C. Patton.

Marsalek, Horan and Patton all have campaign websites up and running. Each is linked in the sidebar. Mr. Flannigan recently advised this blog that his website is not yet ready for rollout. It will be linked when it is completed.

Flannigan has also filed papers to run for the Illinois Supreme Court. Judge Horan (who was appointed to the Riley vacancy in the 4th Subcircuit) has also filed nominating papers in that race (see, linked 4th Subcircuit post, below).

The Pucinski Vacancy

Judge Thomas R. Allen holds this seat by Supreme Court appointment. He is, however, seeking election to the bench from the 10th Subcircuit.

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Judge Lorna Ellen Propes to the Terrell vacancy in the 7th Subcircuit, but the Cook County Democratic Party slated her for this vacancy.

Her sole challenger (so far) is Edward J. Maloney.

Both Propes and Maloney have campaign websites that are linked in the sidebar.

The Simmons Vacancy

Judge Cynthia Y. Cobbs holds this seat pursuant to Supreme Court appointment. She has not filed for election at this point.

Michael A. Forti currently serves as Deputy Corporation Counsel of the Constitutional and Commercial Litigation Division of the City of Chicago Law Department. (That's a link to Forti's campaign website in the preceding sentence; a link has been added to the sidebar.) An Illinois attorney since 1980, Forti has been slated for this vacancy by the Cook County Democratic Party.

Forti's sole challenger (so far) is Jessica A. O'Brien. A former President of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, O'Brien is currently the Treasurer of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois. An Illinois attorney since 1998, O'Brien currently serves, according to the WBAI website, as "Special Assistant Attorney General with the Illinois Department of Revenue, litigating cases involving corporate, partnership, and individual income and sales taxation." The WBAI website also notes that O'Brien holds LLM degrees, in Tax Law and Employee Benefits. (Note to non-lawyers: Only in the law does the doctoral degree -- the J.D. -- come before a masters degree.) O'Brien filed for the countywide McCarthy vacancy in 2010, but withdrew her candidacy before the primary. If O'Brien has a campaign website, I have so far been unable to locate it.

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Related Posts:
Five file for Ward vacancy;
Five file for O'Brien vacancy;
No crowds in these races -- at least not yet;
Four file for countywide Stewart vacancy; and
Appointed judge vs. appointed judge in Subcircuit 4.