The headline-grabber is the appointment of Judge Erica L. Reddick to head the Criminal Division of the Cook County Circuit Court. Reddick succeeds Judge Leroy K. Martin, Jr., recently assigned to the Appellate Court (replacing Justice Robert E. Gordon, who was appointed to the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Shelvin Louise Marie Hall).
But Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans also announced yesterday that newly-appointed Circuit Court Judge Sanjay T. Tailor will become the acting presiding judge of the County Division, replacing Judge Sharon Sullivan, who has retired. Also, Judge Diann K. Marsalek, who had been Supervising Judge of the First Municipal District's Traffic Court, has been appointed to the newly-created position of "acting presiding judge over all traffic judges in Cook County."
Judge Reddick, the first woman to head the Court's Criminal Division, was appointed to the Circuit bench in 2010, elected to a countywide vacancy in 2012, and retained in 2018. Licensed as an attorney in Illinois since 1991, Reddick spent her pre-judicial career in the Public Defender's office, serving "in a number of leadership positions, including deputy chief of the felony trial division, acting chief of the Third District and attorney supervisor of the felony trial division," according to the Chief Judge's announcement.
According to the Chief Judge's Office, Judge Tailor will be the first Asian-American to serve as a presiding judge in the history of the State of Illinois. An associate judge since 2003, Tailor had served in the Chancery Division since 2015.
Judge Marsalek was first appointed to the Circuit Court in 2011; she was elected to a countywide vacancy in 2012 and retained in 2018. Since becoming Supervising Judge of the First Municipal District Traffic Court, Marsalek has "trained approximately 150 new judges," according to the announcement from the Chief Judge's Office.
Evans and Theis clearly trying to pass around goodies to keep the 2022 Retention Class under control. Move these pieces and other pieces can fall into place. Who gets Taylor's spot in Chancery? Dollars to donuts it is a Theis pet. Perhaps somebody whose last name rhymes with "squish."
ReplyDeleteDon't worry those of you who didn't get yours. Once COVID-19 passes and the buildings reopen, there will be mass retirements and Evans will have to pass out favors to solidify his vote count for the 2021 Chief Judge race. Ann D. can promise you anything, but Evans can deliver now.
Just do what Harold Washington used to advise voters to do when Byrne offered them goodies for votes: take his favor (Evans) and then vote for the other person (Ann D.?).
Then again, circuits are mindless sheep so they will do whatever Evans tells them to do.
Svengali
Marsalek “trained” 150 new judges? Ha! Micro-managed and tried to dictate her will. People can’t escape that assignment or that supervisor fast enough. A made-up Division similar to the one that Hall occupies. Once she retires that Division will mysteriously disappear too.
ReplyDeleteTraffic is its own Division again? Really. Apparently Evans has forgotten what happened the last time Traffic was its own Division. How long before people start passing bags of money to get their DUI’s kicked
ReplyDeleteSo what.
ReplyDelete