Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Judge Payne to switch seats

The Supreme Court entered an order yesterday appointing Judge Litricia P. Payne to a First Subcircuit vacancy that will open up when Judge Orville E. Hambright, Jr. retires on August 4.

Judge Payne's appointment is effective August 7 and expires December 3, 2018.

Payne is currently serving on the bench pursuant to a December 2016 appointment to the countywide Brewer vacancy. The Brewer vacancy will be unfilled again... for now, anyway.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

SO IS THE COUNTYWIDE SEAT THE VACANCY OF HON EILEEN MARY BREWER OR THE VACANCY OF HON LATRICIA PAYNE???

Anonymous said...

Why couldn't the Supreme Court just let Payne run in the First and then have an open seat countywide? This will end up looking like the Supreme Court giving a leg up to the party's preferred Countywide candidate when he is appointed. If everyone involved isn't careful, we'll get to the point where 40.01% of the people get sick of the whole process and do like Governor Rauner & vote No on every retention judge. Then we'll be screwed royally.

Jack Leyhane said...

@ALLCAPS -- Check with your election lawyer before getting petitions printed -- something everyone should do, no matter what seat is being sought -- but I'm virtually positive the countywide vacancy remains the Brewer vacancy.

@Anon 7/26 @ 2:56 -- I'm quite certain the political priorities of the Supreme Court's Cook County members and those of the Cook County Democratic Party, or of its leaders, sometimes intersect. To the extent that incumbency has some advantage and the party was going to slate this person or that anyway, I can see where the court might agree to appoint someone sooner rather than later -- but only someone who was already on the court's radar as a person to be appointed. I very much doubt that the court would be inclined to elevate someone entirely unknown to any of the court's Cook County members to the Circuit Court as a favor to one or more, or even a large group of, committeemen.

I am pretty sure this has happened in the past -- actually, I'm pretty sure I can think of some instances where it might have happened -- and I doubt I know the half of it -- but I kind of doubt it's going on now. Again, that does not mean that the court is above politics -- no human institution is -- only that it has its own priorities AND, unlike perhaps in years past, the court does not consider itself subordinate to the directives of other political powers.

Of course, my opinion (and $2.25) will get you a ride on the El if you wish....

Anonymous said...

Oran Whiting was appointed to the Brewer countywide seat today. I heard it was a deal put together by E.P.

Anonymous said...

Jesus Christ !?!?!? Would the Supreme Court please have the decency to wait until these appointed Judges lose their election before they get appointed twice? I am really getting tired of this garbage from 160 North LaSalle Street.

Anonymous said...

I am running in the 1st for the Hambright vacancy. I do not care one iota that the Supreme Court is playing games. In fact, it motivates me even more to campaign really hard. I am not stuck in traffic court from 9am to ?pm. I will be out getting votes.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon 3:36, rest assured the judges aren't stuck in traffic court past 2:00. But presumably you have a practice that requires you to make money, so good luck with that campaign.