Two veteran judges recalled to service

In separate orders entered yesterday, the Illinois Supreme Court extended the recall appointment of Judge Sidney A. Jones III and recalled former Associate Judge Joan M. Kubalanza to judicial service.

Judge Jones was serving pursuant to a 2010 recall order that was set to expire on November 30. His new recall appointment runs from December 1, 2013 to December 1, 2016.

Judge Kubalanza became an Associate Judge in 1998 but left the bench in 1999. She was previously recalled to judicial service in 2008 and again from December 1, 2009 through November 30, 2012. After leaving the bench last year, Judge Kubalanza worked as a partner in the Chicago office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. Judge Kubalanza previously ran for full Circuit Judge in the 15th Subcircuit (in 2010) and countywide (in 2012). Her new appointment runs from December 1, 2013 through December 4, 2016.

In case the Tribune is worried about it (see, for example, this post), even though Judge Kubalanza twice ran unsuccessfully for the Circuit Court, her recall at this time does not violate the Supreme Court's promise not to recall appointed judges defeated in primary elections. She has been recalled as an Associate Judge. Article VI, Section 15 of the 1970 Illinois Constitution expressly provides, in pertinent part, "Any retired Judge or Associate Judge, with his or her consent, may be assigned by the Supreme Court to judicial service for which he or she shall receive the applicable compensation in lieu of retirement benefits. A retired Associate Judge may be assigned only as an Associate Judge."