Monday, May 21, 2018

Sixteen new associate judges named in Cook County

The third time proved to be the charm for Sanju Oomen Green. A finalist for associate judge in 2014 and 2016, Green is among the 16 new Cook County associate judges announced today by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.

The only other 2016 finalist to make this year's 'short list,' Lisette Catherine Mojica, was also selected.

Five of the nine Cook County Circuit Court judges sitting pursuant to Supreme Court appointment were also selected, Charles "Charlie" Beach, Gerald Cleary, Myron Mackoff, Stephanie Miller, and Patrick Stanton.

Joan Marie G. Kubalanza, who previously served as an associate judge, will again serve in that capacity.

Here is the complete list of the 16 new associate judges announced today:
  • Charles Stanley Beach
  • Joel David Buikema
  • Jeffery George Chrones
  • Gerald Vernon Patrick Cleary, III
  • Jean Mary Golden
  • Sanju Oommen Green
  • James Edward Hanlon, Jr.
  • Joan Marie G. Kubalanza
  • Myron Franklin Mackoff
  • Stephanie Kathryn Miller
  • Lisette Catherine Mojica
  • Margaret Mary Ogarek
  • Lori Michele Rosen
  • Patrick Thomas Stanton
  • Daniel Alexander Trevino
  • William Yu
There were no successful write-in candidacies this time -- but there was a tie.

Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39(b)(6)(i), there will be a runoff between Levander Smith, Jr. and James Adolph Wright for the 17th and final spot in this year's associate judge class.

The press release announcing these results is available here.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Things just got very, VERY real for the 2018, 2020 and 2022 retention classes of Circuit Judges. Somebody called Carrie Austin, Michelle Harris and Toni Preckwinkle to relate this unfortunate news and they are going to be pushing a "Vote No" for the entire retention class. Ya'll about to get a real lesson in proximate causation.

Why do you think that Toni sent that notice earlier this year about submitting credentials to the party for retention slating. Yep, bingo, THIS right here, is why she did it. Toni cannot reform the Cook County Courts by just electing a State's Attorney. Nope, she needs to move on with the judges -- ALL OF THEM!

Don't believe me? Ask any older Circuit Judge about the Associate Judge Classes (plural) of 1988 -- the first (all white) class and the SECOND (all black) class. Yep, the racist circuits didn't elect anyone black on the first go around and John "when black people had spines" Stroger said "hell no!" He picked up the phone and told Lyons and Company that their jobs were over unless they elected some black judges and the next thing you know, 5 more vacancies suddenly occurred and the rest was history. Just ask former Circuit/Associate Judge Jackie Cox (now a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge) and she will tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.


Tim -- you better get another short list out and I mean quick or else you are out as Chief come 2019. Because this, right here, IS REAL! And Toni will make certain that your kids are immediately removed from the payroll once you are bounces.

If Tim can't get us some black associate judges, then Toni will. No, the color of your skin will NOT protect you. If you are a sitting black judge who was too disorganized to elect more than a single black associate judge (and couldn't even do it without a run-off), then perhaps it's time to elect some better organized Brothers and Sisters, because you are too trifling to wear that robe. I would call you out by name . . . but Jack doesn't like it when we do that because it contravenes his plea for civility. Well, except for Tim, he is always fair game because heavy is the head that wears the crown.


Best move fast Tim because the clock is ticking . . . . . And if Tim goes, then so does his whole Executive Committee -- Flannery, Martin (Leroy), Martin (Patricia), Sullivan, Brewer, Wright, Sutker-Dermer, Jacobius, Hall, Tooomin, Dickler, Cheyrl, Jagielski.


Oh yes, we are calling Maze Jackson and the Defender! You racist SOB's are going down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Anonymous said...

Wait, you mean the Burke and Madigan candidate LOST? And the guy who challenged Madigan's guy in the third subcircuit WON? M-U-T-I-N-Y!

Anonymous said...

The elected Circuit Court Judges in Cook County have just signed their own letters of resignation; starting with the retention class of 2018. Allow me to introduce you to the Black Caucus of the City Council. All of their aldermen will be running and they will make your loss at the retention ballot a part of their platform. Yes, I know that they have no input on the associate judge short list. But their constituents (many of whom you bamboozled to get elected countywide or in a subcircuit) don't know that, but they will know that you didn't elect any black judges. If you got elected in 2012, you'll be out of a job come the first Monday in December, 2018. We have already called the Sun-Times, the Tribune and the Defender to let them know what your did. You dissed a Blacke female AUSA, the former head of IPRA and the former CCBA President, in addition to two (2) sitting black judges. You messed with the wrong ones this time! Remember, the retention ballot is a countywide ballot -- and black folks are done being dissed by the Circuit Court of Cook County.

To quote YOUR President -- "you're fired!"

Anonymous said...

Remember, please be civil.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Sanju and Mack!

Your friend from the 2014 class!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to read the comments on these election results.

Anonymous said...

So the two African Americans have to fight over the last spot? It's a sad day in our legal community.

Anonymous said...

Really? No comments, Jack. Were they all that bad. Or were they too honest for you to bear.

Anonymous said...

Dear Jack,

I have my own "short list." These are all of the circuit judges that I will be voting "no" for the upcoming retention cycle in honor of this nonsense result:


Maras
Marsalek
Reddick
Funderburk
Sheehan
Flanagan
Ramirez
Santiago
Anybody named O'Brien
Bellows
Anybody named Gallagher
Haberkorn
Wright
Hall
Brennan
Propes

Yep! Carrie, Michelle and Toni are going to fire all your butts and replace you with black women. Enjoy unemployment. And if you are a black woman, your skin color will not spare you.

Anonymous said...

Good blog post. I certainly love this website. Continue the good work!

Anonymous said...

I suspect there have been a lot of comments re: the politics of this process that you have chosen not to publish (given all that I have seen on this site over the last 17 months). But at the end of the day, each of the 16 chosen (and both of the tied-for-17th candidates) is well qualified to do the job.

Anonymous said...

"You can beg and plead for civility, but some just can't let their vitriol go!" Name that tune!

Anonymous said...

Black women swept the 2 subcircuit this year. Next year we are sweeping countywide. And then we are firing Evans. And we are taking down Griffin and Hyman too. The only thing stronger than Wakanda is the black women who birthed that nation. And we are coming for YOU!

Anonymous said...

Hispanic women have been ignored long enough. Rosa Silva proved we are the new power. We stand with EP and in voices united scream "!basta!"

Latinas Mujeres Unidos!

Anonymous said...

Maybe it was too much to see 6 vacancies get filled in the 2nd at one time. Yes, those vacancies are always held by African Americans but it has never been all at once. Those 6 plus the other 5 who won clearly ruffled some feathers. African Americans are only safe in 1,2,5, and 7(as long as no one decides to move to the west loop and run)

Anonymous said...

Oh please! I just had to verify who they backed other than the Countywide slate. If Alderman Austin or Harris can't get their endorsed candidates in their subcircuit elected, then I seriously doubt they will be able to make any difference with retention.

Anonymous said...

It seems AJ voting was influenced by the recent primary in which many African American women won. Also seems that the vote was diluted by the number of African Americans on the shortlist. There is no net loss of the number of African American judges on the bench. The primary balances out the AJ result.

Anonymous said...

Before comments are made about the “brothers and sisters” on the bench somehow being remiss in getting black candidates in associate judge positions, perhaps you should think then count the number of black circuit court judges who are able to vote. There are not enough of them to defeat a concerted effort not to select black associate judges.

Anonymous said...

There was no concerted effort to keep blacks from being associate judges. There were a lot of black candidates, which diluted support, and I don't know any full circuits who received a single phone call from black judges pushing their candidates. There is also the problem of some candidates getting robitis as soon as they are appointed.

Anonymous said...

Jack. I agree that civility is needed for this blog. But you are your own devil. You let people vilify Turner and Crawford. Yet you intentionally did not allow any mention or comments about a recently indicted and convicted judge other than a 'link'. Now you probably won't print this because I think maybe you're too sensitive. But either have a blog with civility as a guideline but a blog nonetheless that has criticism that can sometimes be harsh. But what you're really concerned about is the racial overtones of this last AJ list and it was racist indeed. White people hate admitting race matters. Rumors and non-rumors abound. White judges did determine that there were too many blacks on the AJ list. The result was astounding and pathetic. And successful. They won. But make no mistake about this: there were some turncoat black judges who were intentionally complicit in this fiasco as well. That is the worst kind of pain. Black back stabbing pain. Reminds me of the stories of slaves beating other slaves at the behest of the "massa" and their whippings were longer and harder and everlasting. So what can we black people do? We can be vocal. We can inform our community about this. Many of these same white judges will be flooding the black churches to solicit votes and dropping checks in the collection plate. But when Harold Washington was asked what would he say to the blacks that took Jane Byrne's frozen turkeys; he responded take her turkey but vote for me. Well black preachers, take their checks but vote 'no' for retention. It's time to drain the swamp. Some will get swept up in the tide but so what. At some point there's got to be a lesson taught. Plus, to you black judges that turned on your own by not supporting them? We know who you are.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jack. Black Lady Who Reads is here. I never disappeared but your blog was fun at one time but then I found it to be boring. Well now it's not boring. Petty Jesus and I were going through this and we are shocked. PJ is so upset he's actually calling on the name of Real Jesus. You know RJ keeps shaking his finger at PJ asking him not to be so petty. But you know, RJ is so forgiving. So PJ keeps just it up. Anyway, my naturally curly hair just went straight. Time to pull out my temporary fix, aka, an afro wig. I need Harriet Tubman in my heart and James Brown on my mind. This section is causing me and PJ to do some more research but it seems that my people are mad because no black people were made judges. What's going on here? My people are qualified too or didn't anybody get the memo. I do understand what is at stake come election time so I am going to give this some hard thought. I do not like what I hear. And I am going to spread the news across the Mason Dixon line, aka, south and west side of Chicago. I am just another reader and voter and I want what is fair. Wait Jack. PJ just said if the judges don't act right and do right by us then he hopes they trip on their judicial robes when they enter the courtroom.

Jack Leyhane said...

Anon 5/22 @1:30 p.m. said:

Jack. I agree that civility is needed for this blog. But you are your own devil. You let people vilify Turner and Crawford.

I probably am my own devil. But you must have been reading some other blog.

Yet you intentionally did not allow any mention or comments about a recently indicted and convicted judge other than a 'link'.

Before her conviction, when she was entitled to a presumption of innocence, I did not publish the many comments the presupposed her guilt. I did provide factual information about the indictment. Wow, that was terrible of me.

Now you probably won't print this because I think maybe you're too sensitive.

I was always sensitive. Now, I'm just angry.

So I'll stop here rather than speak from anger.

Anonymous said...

Jack:

The white racists are at it again with their double standards. They impliedly attacked one or both of the Black sitting judges -- either this short list or last short list -- suggesting that they didn't win because they have "robitis." Racist. Damn near all of the white judges have robitis but that doesn't stop their white colleagues from sparing them from the unemployment line. THAT's implicit bias. Vote NO RETENTION 2018 and send all of their behinds packing in 2018.

Bet that caught their attention.

Anonymous said...

I too was surprised that two good sitting black judges lost their seats, Robin Shoffner and Travis Richardson.

Anonymous said...

There will be a surprise candidate running for the Freeman seat in 2020. The person is not a sitting judge but has instant name recognition and money to back her candidacy. She won't need party slating or nonsense preachers. And she will win.

Anonymous said...

So this is what I signed up for? I had no idea.

Signed,
Judge Elect 2018

Albert said...

If anyone has access to reliable historical lists of AJ applicants, short lists and winners along with their race/ethnicity, I’d be glad to go through them and prepare a proper historical/statistical analysis of trends in the selection process over time. Would be very helpful to take a long-term look at the process and see what the hard numbers reveal.