Cases, controversies, the occasional water-cooler rant, and news about Cook County judges and judicial elections Feel free to browse here or on page two of this blog.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Illinois Judges Foundation plans April 3 Spring Reception
The Illinois Judges Foundation will host its Spring Reception on Wednesday, April 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Chicago Bar Association Building, 321 S. Plymouth Court, in Philip H. Corboy Hall.
Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will present the IJF's annual Harold Sullivan Scholarship Award. The $5,000 award is given to a law student in good standing attending one of the nine Illinois law schools. Judge James F. Holderman, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, will also provide remarks, including an original poem.
The IJF will also confer the Justice for All Award on Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride. The award is meant in appreciation for the commitment of Kilbride and the the Supreme Court as a whole to promoting equal access to justice, especially for the poor and vulnerable, particularly in the Illinois civil courts and administrative agencies. During Chief Justice Kilbride's term the Illinois Supreme Court has established the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice to further these goals.
The IJF hopes to provide more than just public appreciation for these efforts: The IJF plans to earmark a substantial amount of the proceeds of the April 3 fundraiser to fund an externship for an Illinois law student to work with the Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, to assist with the work of the Commission, and to raise awareness among the future lawyers of this state of the importance of equal access to justice for all.
Tickets for the IJF fundraiser are $100 each and sponsorships are available (Bronze Sponsor, $ 250.00; Silver Sponsor, $ 400.00; Gold Sponsor, $ 500.00; or Platinum Sponsor, $ 1,000.00). To purchase tickets or to help sponsor for the event, click on this link. For questions, call any of the numbers in the flyer shown above or email ijf@chicagobar.org.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
New 41st Ward recycling location, electronics collection announced
No, we don't yet have blue carts. But 41st Ward Ald. Mary O'Connor has announced a new drop-off recycling location for cans, glass, papers and plastics at the old 41st Ward yard, 6453 W. Higgins.
There are two other drop-off locations in the 41st Ward, at Chevalier Woods, 5530 N. East River Road, and the (almost always overflowing) location at Milwaukee and Devon. If you're in another part of the City, click here to see a map of other City drop-off locations.
On April 6, from 9:00 to noon, the 41st Ward will conduct its annual Electronics Recycling Day. This year, the event will be held at Immaculate Conception School, 7263 W. Talcott. In addition to electronics, clothing will be collected (with proceeds going to the Epilepsy Foundation), and aluminum cans (with proceeds going to IC School). Paper shredding will be offered by AT&T -- and folks can also drop off their old newspapers in the collection bins now relocated to the same west parking lot of the school where the April 6 drive will take place.
For those who like to plan ahead, Chicago's citywide Clean and Green Volunteer Clean-Up will take place April 20. Registration closes April 12 (click on the link for more information).
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Who sits where -- early, early 2014 edition
Updated and corrected 3/12/13
What follows is not a comprehensive list of Cook County judicial vacancies, but rather a list of vacancies that have been filled by Supreme Court appointment. There may be (and often are) vacancies which the Supreme Court has not filled. There will be additional vacancies, and additional appointments between now and late fall when the Illinois State Board of Elections posts an authoritative list of judicial vacancies in anticipation of the 2014 primary.
As always, errors or omissions in this list are mine alone and I am grateful for additions and corrections provided.
---------------------------------------------------
* This vacancy was created by the resignation of Judge Susan J. McDunn and assigned to the 11th Subcircuit. This was initially reported as a 10th Subcircuit vacancy, but that error was corrected by the Court.
** Judge Kenneth L. Fletcher was appointed to this vacancy, but that appointment expired on December 31, 2012.
What follows is not a comprehensive list of Cook County judicial vacancies, but rather a list of vacancies that have been filled by Supreme Court appointment. There may be (and often are) vacancies which the Supreme Court has not filled. There will be additional vacancies, and additional appointments between now and late fall when the Illinois State Board of Elections posts an authoritative list of judicial vacancies in anticipation of the 2014 primary.
As always, errors or omissions in this list are mine alone and I am grateful for additions and corrections provided.
Appellate Court Vacancies
Vacancy of the Hon. Joseph Gordon -- William H. Taylor
Vacancy of the Hon. Michael J. Murphy -- John B. Simon
Vacancy of the Hon. John O. Steele -- Sheldon A. Harris
Vacancy of the Hon. Joseph Gordon -- William H. Taylor
Vacancy of the Hon. Michael J. Murphy -- John B. Simon
Vacancy of the Hon. John O. Steele -- Sheldon A. Harris
Countywide Vacancies
Vacancy of the Hon. Nancy J. Arnold -- Alfred M. Swanson, Jr.
Vacancy of the Hon. Dennis J. Burke -- Michael F. Otto
Vacancy of the Hon. Maureen E. Connors -- Peter J. Vilkelis
Vacancy of the Hon. James D. Egan -- Daniel J. Kubasiak
Vacancy of the Hon. Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr. -- Caroline K. Moreland
Vacancy of the Hon. Barbara A. McDonald -- Cynthia Y. Cobbs
Vacancy of the Hon. P. Scott Neville -- Gregory Emmett Ahern, Jr.
Vacancy of the Hon. Jesse Reyes -- Jean Margaret Cocozza
Vacancy of the Hon. Nancy J. Arnold -- Alfred M. Swanson, Jr.
Vacancy of the Hon. Dennis J. Burke -- Michael F. Otto
Vacancy of the Hon. Maureen E. Connors -- Peter J. Vilkelis
Vacancy of the Hon. James D. Egan -- Daniel J. Kubasiak
Vacancy of the Hon. Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr. -- Caroline K. Moreland
Vacancy of the Hon. Barbara A. McDonald -- Cynthia Y. Cobbs
Vacancy of the Hon. P. Scott Neville -- Gregory Emmett Ahern, Jr.
Vacancy of the Hon. Jesse Reyes -- Jean Margaret Cocozza
Subcircuit Vacancies
4th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Richard J. Billik, Jr. -- Daniel L. Peters
7th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. William H. Taylor II -- Freddrenna M. Lyle
10th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Daniel J. Sullivan -- Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos
11th Subcircuit
"A" Vacancy* -- vacant**
12th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Edward R. Jordan -- James L. Kaplan
13th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Anthony A. Iosco -- Lauretta Higgins Wolfson
15th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. John T. Doody, Jr. -- Diana L. Embil
4th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Richard J. Billik, Jr. -- Daniel L. Peters
7th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. William H. Taylor II -- Freddrenna M. Lyle
10th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Daniel J. Sullivan -- Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos
11th Subcircuit
"A" Vacancy* -- vacant**
12th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Edward R. Jordan -- James L. Kaplan
13th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. Anthony A. Iosco -- Lauretta Higgins Wolfson
15th Subcircuit
Vacancy of the Hon. John T. Doody, Jr. -- Diana L. Embil
---------------------------------------------------
* This vacancy was created by the resignation of Judge Susan J. McDunn and assigned to the 11th Subcircuit. This was initially reported as a 10th Subcircuit vacancy, but that error was corrected by the Court.
** Judge Kenneth L. Fletcher was appointed to this vacancy, but that appointment expired on December 31, 2012.
Friday, March 08, 2013
List of Cook County Associate Judge applicants made public, public comments sought
Updated and corrected 3/11/13
By my count, the new list of applicants for Cook County Associate Judge includes 12 judges currently sitting by Supreme Court appointment, including the jurist most recently appointed, Judge Jean M. Cocozza. Nine former judges are also seeking to return to the bench.
A total of 277 persons reportedly applied. One has since withdrawn. A complete list of the 276 remaining applicants follows.
The precise number of vacancies available has not been publicized. Under Supreme Court Rule 39, there had to be at least five associate judge vacancies before applications for a new class could be sought. The number of vacancies may increase before this list is pared down to two finalists for each vacancy -- but, for example, there were only nine vacancies when the last group of associate judges was chosen in April 2012 (and applications for that class closed in November 2010).
The Circuit Court of Cook County is inviting "anyone with relevant information regarding any associate judge candidate to communicate by letter to the Circuit Court of Cook County Nominating Committee, c/o Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, 50 West Washington Street, Room 2600, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, Illinois 60602."
By my count, the new list of applicants for Cook County Associate Judge includes 12 judges currently sitting by Supreme Court appointment, including the jurist most recently appointed, Judge Jean M. Cocozza. Nine former judges are also seeking to return to the bench.
A total of 277 persons reportedly applied. One has since withdrawn. A complete list of the 276 remaining applicants follows.
The precise number of vacancies available has not been publicized. Under Supreme Court Rule 39, there had to be at least five associate judge vacancies before applications for a new class could be sought. The number of vacancies may increase before this list is pared down to two finalists for each vacancy -- but, for example, there were only nine vacancies when the last group of associate judges was chosen in April 2012 (and applications for that class closed in November 2010).
The Circuit Court of Cook County is inviting "anyone with relevant information regarding any associate judge candidate to communicate by letter to the Circuit Court of Cook County Nominating Committee, c/o Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, 50 West Washington Street, Room 2600, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, Illinois 60602."
- Rishi Agrawal
- Magdalena Aguilar
- Gregory Emmett Ahern, Jr.
- Keith Najib Ahmad
- Julie Bess Aimen
- Joy Christine Airaudi
- Brian Edward Alexander
- John Michael Allegretti
- Arleen Anderson
- Louis George Apostal
- Kina N. Arnold
- Jennifer Eun Bae
- Brian T. Bailey
- Michael Brendan Barrett
- Edward J. Barron
- Austin William Bartlett
- Gideon Abraham Baum
- Deidre Baumann
- Charles Stanley Beach
- Michael Ian Bender
- Philip Louis Bernstein
- Thomas Francis Beisty
- Thomas David Bilyk
- Sandra Mary Blake
- Steven Paul Blonder
- Jeffrey S. Blumenthal
- Kevin Patrick Bolger
- Shauna Louise Boliker
- Karen J. Bowes
- Stuart Morris Brody
- Lloyd James Brooks
- Thomas David Brooks
- Joel David Buikema
- Alejandro Caffarelli
- George Louis Canellis, Jr.
- Matthew James Carmody
- James Robert Carroll
- Thomas Joseph Carroll
- Carol Anne Casey
- Theodore John Castanes
- Theresa Christine Ceko
- Sean Sohag Chaudhuri
- Vincenzo Chimera
- Steve Christophell
- Jeffrey George Chrones
- Joel Louis Chupack
- Uric Richard Clark
- Michael Gerard Clarke
- Robert Gerard Clarke
- Gerald Vernon Patrick Cleary
- Kellyn Doyle Coakley
- Jean Margaret Cocozza
- Michael Jeffry Cohen
- David Joseph Coleman
- H. Yvonne Coleman
- Christine Elizabeth Cook
- Gary Thomas Copp
- Cordelia Coppleson
- Pamela Ingersol Cotton
- Patrick Kevin Coughlin
- Daniel Thomas Coyne
- James Patrick Crawley
- Michael Friedric Crowe
- Kevin P. Cunningham
- Thomas Maloney Cushing
- Geraldine Ann D'Souza
- Andrew Robert Dalkin
- Colleen Reardon Daley
- Yolaine Marie Dauphin
- Gabriel Joseph DeMatteo
- Michael Joseph Dickman
- Karen Jane Dimond
- Mellisa Ann Dukin
- William Xavier Elward
- Thomas Edward Epach, Jr.
- Mark Andrew Ertler
- Dennis Frederick Esford
- Sherry Lynn Eshoo
- Carl Lauras Evans, Jr.
- William Nicholas Fahy
- Nina Jean Fain
- Daniel Eric Falb
- Charles A. Fanucchi
- Suzin Farber
- Laura Lechowicz Felicione
- Tiffany Mary Ferguson
- Rossana Patricia Fernandez
- Iris Gabrielle Ferosie
- Mark Vincent Ferrante
- Karla Marie Fiaoni
- Lester Wolfe Finkle
- Stephen Fiorentino
- John Louis Fioti
- Charles Francis Fitzgerald
- Dennis Michael Fleming
- Monica Ann Forte
- Michael Angelo Forti
- Kimberly Michelle Foxx
- Steven J. Fruth
- Nancy Arado Galassini
- Kulmeet Singh Galhotra
- Cheryl Wronkiewicz Galvin
- Veryl Lorraine Gambino
- Camela Annette Gardner
- Michael Perry Gerber
- Sheryl Rae Ghezzi
- Aleksandra Nikolich Gillespie
- Mauro Glorioso
- Megan Elizabeth Goldish
- David Bruce Goldman
- Jennifer Lynn Gonzalez
- Peter Michael Gonzalez
- Ricky Darnell Granderson
- Nicholas George Graspas
- Jonathan Clark Green
- Paula J. Green
- Theodore Nathaniel Green
- Robert Pawel Groszek
- James Edward Hanlon, Jr.
- Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon
- Anjana Molina Jain Hansen
- Sheila Janine Harrell
- Toya Tinette Harvey
- Ira Neil Helfgot
- David Christopher Herrera
- Michael James Hood
- Kevin William Horan
- Jamie Lynn Hull
- LaShonda Annette Hunt
- Matthew Alan Hurd
- Michael Jaskula
- Glenn J. Kahn
- James Lewis Kaplan
- Kim Richard Kardas
- Edward John King
- Gerald Allen Kirschbaum
- James John Knibbs
- Thomas Peter Kougias
- Scott Michael Kozicki
- Mitchell D. Kreiter
- Joan Marie G. Kubalanza
- Anthony Christ Kyriakopoulos
- David H. Latham
- Christopher Edward Lawler
- Kevin Thomas Lee
- Ellis Bernard Levin
- Lawrence Wolf Levin
- Lori Gail Levin
- Francis John Leyhane, III
- Denise Marie Loftus
- William Joseph Luby
- Ricardo Lugo
- Mercedes Luque-Rosales
- John Fitzgerald Lyke
- Irene Marie Lyons
- Sean Patrick MacCarthy
- Myron Franklin Mackoff
- Donna B. Makowski
- Alfredo Maldonado
- Edward James Maloney
- Jerome Frank Marconi
- James Ira Marcus
- Michael Jay Marovich
- Maritza Martinez
- Allan W. Masters
- Cornelius John McCauley
- John Wesley McNulty
- Adrienne Denise Mebane
- Ralph Eugene Meczyk
- Monique Michelle Medley
- Mary Alice Melchor
- Pamela McLean Meyerson
- Annette Lynn Milleville
- Martha A. Mills
- Gregory Tyrone Mitchell
- Lisette Catherine Mojica
- Ira Alexander Moltz
- Caroline Kate Moreland
- James Vincent Murphy, III
- James C. Murray, Jr.
- David R. Navarro
- Mary Terese Nicolau
- Brendan Alan O'Brien
- Patrick Halpin O'Connor
- Kevin John Ochalla
- Sanju David Oommen
- Jay Roman Orlowski
- Radusa Ostojic
- Michael Francis Otto
- Jesse Outlaw
- Sharon Finegan Patterson
- Linda Johanna Pauel
- Marian Emily Perkins
- Daniel Lawrence Peters
- Gina Angela Piemonte
- Gregory Gerard Plesha
- Paul Wil1iam Plotnick
- Carlo Ettore Pou
- William Burnett Raines
- Ronald Anthony Rascia
- Martin Douglas Reggi
- James Michael Reilly
- Judith Carol Rice
- Travis Richardson
- Steven Joseph Rizzi
- Robert Joseph Lane Robertson
- Edward N. Robles
- RoxAnne Lynn Rochester
- Joanne Marie Rogers
- Richard Benson Rogich
- Mary Katherine Roller
- Abbey Gail Romanek
- Lori Ann Roper
- Steven Jay Rosenblum
- Curtis Bennett Ross
- Eugene John Rudnik, Jr.
- Katherine Marie Ryan
- Rhonda Sallee
- Stephanie D. Saltouros
- Catherine Dorothy Sanders
- Devlin Joseph Schoop
- Bryan David Schultz
- Debra Ann Seaton
- Julie Ann Doherty Sebastian
- Karen Georgina Seimetz
- James Anthony Shapiro
- Letitia Spunar Sheats
- Robin Denise Shoffner
- Rosa Maria Silva
- Joel Barry Simberg
- Henry M. Singer
- Maol Murray Sloan
- Eugene Marlon Smith
- Mary Smith
- Joan Ellen Smuda
- Marc B. Stahl
- Denise Y. Staniec
- Gregory Joseph Steadman
- Ketki Shroff Steffen
- Brian Joseph Stephenson
- Stephen Stern
- Rodney Walter Stewart
- Sharon Elaine Strickland
- Michael Alan Strom
- James Michael Sullivan
- Marita Clare Sullivan
- William Bernard Sullivan
- Arthur Dale Sutton
- Alfred M. Swanson, Jr.
- Karin Elizabeth Swanson
- Shital Hasmukhbhai Thakkar
- Denise Marie Tomasek
- Bradley R. Trowbridge
- Stephen Louis Tyma
- Alma Learetta Tyson Walker
- George Mario Velcich
- Peter John Vilkelis
- Michael Joseph Vitale
- Alexander Vroustouris
- Linda Ann Walls
- Joseph A. Walsh
- James D. Wascher
- Steven Gregory Watkins
- Ruth Richardson Watson
- Susan Hovey Webster
- Tammy Lynn Wendt
- Arthur P. Wheatley
- John Francis Wilk
- Arthur Wesley Willis
- John Wellington Wilson
- Howard J. Wise
- Lauretta Higgins Wolfson
- James Adolph Wright
- Roger Zamparo, Jr.
- Robert Michael Zelek
- Alan H. Zenoff