Judge Cooke resigns

Judge Richard C. Cooke has resigned from the 6th Subcircuit seat to which he was elected just last November.

This morning, the Tribune reported that Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court Executive Committee had decided to refer Judge Cooke to the Judicial Inquiry Board on account of his 0alleged failure to serve as assigned. The Chief Judge's office summarized the allegations against Judge Cooke in an email to FWIW earlier today:

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans entered an order assigning Circuit Judge Richard C. Cooke to the First Municipal District. The order was entered on November 22, 2016, with an effective date of December 5, 2016.

Upon receipt of that assignment, Judge E. Kenneth Wright Jr., presiding judge of the First Municipal District, assigned Judge Cooke to the Traffic Section on December 6, 2016.

After the initial observation and training period, Judge Cooke did not report to his assignment to the Traffic Section and has been presiding over marriage ceremonies since January 20, 2017.

Chief Judge Evans referred Judge Cooke’s noncompliance with his judicial assignment to the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

On Tuesday, the Executive Committee referred the noncompliance with his judicial assignment to the Judicial Inquiry Board.

FWIW reached out to Judge Cooke for comment but, for the record, Cooke would only confirm that he has resigned and that he may have additional comments to make about this matter at a later date.

But not today.