James Leonard Allegretti, Alison C. Conlon, Richard C. Cooke, Eulalia De La Rosa, Daniel Patrick Duffy, Jerry Esrig, Rossana Patricia Fernandez, Carolyn J. Gallagher, Aleksandra Gillespie, Carrie Hamilton, Maureen O’Donoghue Hannon, D. Renee Jackson, Marianne Jackson, Daryl Jones, Edward J. King, Steven A. Kozicki, Matthew Link, Anna Loftus, John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr., Freddrenna M. Lyle, Mary Kathleen McHugh, Leonard Murray, Brendan A. O’Brien, Kevin Michael O’Donnell, Susana L. Ortiz, Jesse Outlaw, Patrick Joseph Powers, Marguerite Ann Quinn, Catherine Ann Schneider, Patricia S. Spratt, and William B. Sullivan were all sworn in today as Cook County Circuit Court judges.
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and 7th Circuit Senior Judge William J. Bauer administered the oath. (Judge Eve Marie Reilly, who was also elected in November, was unable to attend today's ceremony.) Nearly half of the new class was already serving in the judiciary before today, either pursuant to Supreme Court appointment or as an Associate Judge.
Several politicians and bar presidents were present to witness the occasion. Of those in the front row, above, only Cook County Commissioner John Daley did not speak. From left, the Rev. Marvin E. Wiley of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Maywood gave the invocation, while the Rev. Mr. Daniel G. Welter, a Roman Catholic Deacon (and former associate judge) gave the convocation. To Mr. Daley's right are Cook County Public Defender Amy P. Campanelli and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Both Campanelli and Madigan offered congratulations and advice to the new jurists.
Also speaking at today's ceremony were Judge Bauer, Chief Judge Reuben Castillo of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and Illinois Supreme Court Justices Thomas L. Kilbride and Mary Jane Theis. Judge Moshe Jacobius, who is the Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division, and the Secretary of the Circuit Court, called the roll of today's inductees.
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Part I
EXCLUSIVE TO FWIW:
A packed auditorium at the James R. Thompson Center was the site of this special swearing-in occasion. From my brief tour of the building before the ceremony, it would seem that the facility was named for the governor who was in office the last time the bathrooms were cleaned. And unlike swearing-in ceremonies of Supreme Court justices at the White House where a chef prepared lunch follows in the East Room, the event at the Thompson Center was marred by wafting smells of culinary delights at the neighboring Panda Express and an out-of-service bariatric restroom at the Secretary of State drivers’ license facility.
A mix of judges, politicians, families and friends were in attendance, as well as a bewildered WLS TV weatherman Jerry Taft, who had gotten lost in the pedway and thought he was attending a going away party for Linda Yu.
In conformity with the Continuity of Promised Appointments Act of 1984, one of the three Supreme Court Justices from Chicago was sequestered down state to ensure that promised judicial appointments would still be made in the event of a catastrophe. Readers may recall the 1982 incident that nearly wiped out the Cook County judiciary when a grease fire broke out at the food court's Robinson's Ribs and thick smoke forced the evacuation of the auditorium. Panic ensued, not because of the dangers from the fire, but because more than two dozen Bridgeport and Beverly lawyers had been promised appointments by the three Chicago justices who were attendance and temporarily overcome by smoke. Mike Madigan promptly called legislators back to Springfield and passed the Continuity of Promised Appointments Act. Astute Cook County judicial historians will also remember that the Robinson’s Ribs fire caused a bit of a scandal. The smoke from the fire rendered judicial robes unwearable, and rather than washing them, the county entered into a six-figure no-bid contract to have them cleaned. Cook County Board President George Dunne denied any ownership interest in 42nd Ward Cleaners, whose only known client was Cook County government.
Part II
As can be seen from the photo of the presiding judges at the swearing-in, the event was less than captivating. One judge from criminal court was later heard saying that the only thing that makes him fall asleep faster than a swearing-in ceremony is pro se habeas petition day at the courthouse.
Things did become substantially more lively when the crowd was treated to a special appearance by U.S. Appellate Court Senior Justice William Bauer. Bauer talked about the palpable fear present for many in the room regarding the impending presidency of Donald Trump, ands waxed nostalgic for a time when the words "integrity" and "honesty" were synonymous with the Presidency, such as when he was appointed by Richard Nixon in 1971.
Justice Bauer, who is a brilliant legal scholar, shared a story about the first trial he presided over as a judge. The justice described a very complex case involving antitrust violations, securities fraud, RICO and the Voting Rights Act. To make matters more difficult, Bauer said the case came down to application of the principles of comity, interpretation of plenary powers and whether ancillary jurisdiction applied. Bauer asked the new judges to tell him the most important principles of comity. One judge said, “good timing.” At that moment, Bauer seemed to realize that this event was unlike the conversations at “C-SPAN and the Courts” night at Richard Posner’s house. Fearing Bauer would continue to grill the new judges about the law, one panicked newly sworn-in judge could be heard saying, "Siri, who is Rico?" A discouraged looking Bauer departed from his prepared comments and said, "So, in closing, I remind you all that you can turn right on a red light in Illinois. Good luck with your judicial careers and God save the judiciary."
The new judges were escorted to a secure floor at the Daley Center that can be only be accessed by a special elevator utilizing retina scan technology. They were shown the lap pool, sushi bar, mani/pedi station, fitness center, and zen massage studio.
Later that evening, this reporter crashed many of the invitation-only after-hours celebrations that went on late into the night all over the county. While democrats had raucous events with dancing, drinking and bawdy limericks, the newly elected republican judges gathered at Wilmette Golf Club and spoke of novel ways to nullify collective bargaining agreements while assigned to traffic court.
The only sad part of the evening occurred around 1:30 a.m., when a newly appointed subcircuit judge was seen speaking with rather large fellows wearing “Friends of duh 13th Ward” t-shirts and could later be heard on his cell phone asking a directory assistance operator for the telephone number of Sister Helen Prejean.
THE TRIBUNE IS HAPPY. THEY POP THE CHAMPAGNE WHENEVER HISPANICS GET THE SHAFT. ONLY 3 OUT OF THE 100+ JUDGES SWORN IN WERE LATINAS
2018 Vacancies To-Date
Countywide:
Jean Prendergast-Rooney
Michelle Jordan
Sheila McGinnis
Eileen Brewer
Subcircuits:
2 -- Bertina Lampkin
2 -- Majorie Laws (yes, her retirement party was last week, so it's coming)
2 -- Valerie Turner (you know it's got to be coming)
3 -- Maureen Delehanty
4 - James Riley
6 -- Gloria Chevere
8 -- Laura Liu
8 -- Sheryl Pethers
8 -- Candace Fabri
10 -- Eileen O'Neill Burke
10 -- Donald Suriano
11 -- Kathleen Kennedy
15 -- George Scully
And depending on the outcome of her criminal prosecution and ARDC trial:
1st Subcircuit -- Hon. Rhonda "On Second Thought, No I Am Not a Traffic Court Judge" Crawford
ALSO LOPEZ CEPERO IN THE 6TH
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