Candidates are listed in the order that they appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary; no Republican filed for this vacancy. This post may be updated before the primary as new information becomes available.
Diana López - #167
Campaign Website
Candidate Statement
Bar Association Evaluation Narratives
The Chicago Bar Association says:
Judge Diana Lopez is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Judge Lopez was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2001. Prior to being appointed an Associate Judge in October 2021, she was in private practice representing clients in domestic relations and adoption cases. She also acted frequently as a Guardian ad Litem representing children. She is well respected for her legal knowledge, experience, work ethic, integrity, and temperament.The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
The Hon. Diana E. Lopez was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2001. She was elected by the Circuit Court to be an Associate Judge in 2021. Before becoming a judge, she was the Sole Shareholder and President of the Lopez Law Group, P.C., where she focused on civil litigation in both family law and adoption law. She also handled family law and adoption matters for Monteagudo, Lopez and Diaz, LLC, where between 2006 and 2010 she was an Attorney and Managing Partner. From 2001 to 2004, she served as an Assistant State’s Attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where she was assigned to the Child Support Enforcement Division and the Juvenile Protection Division, Abuse and Neglect. She has worked with the National Immigrant Justice Center as a volunteer pro bono attorney for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Predicate Orders and has also provided pro bono legal services through the Chicago Bar Association’s Call a Lawyer Program and its Lawyer Referral Service for Family Law. She is a member of a number of bar associations, including the Chicago Bar Association, where she sits on the Adoption Law Committee and the Domestic Relations Committee; the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, where she sits on the Latina Commission; the Illinois State Bar Association; and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.The Illinois State Bar Association says:
Judge Lopez is considered to have good legal ability. She is praised for her temperament and for litigation skills. She had substantial litigation experience before becoming a judge. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Diana López has been licensed since 2001. She was selected as an associate judge in 2021 and is currently assigned to the Traffic Division. Prior to her appointment, she had practiced with Lopez Law Group and other firms, handling mainly domestic and family law matters. She also served for three years as an assistant state’s attorney before entering private practice. She has taught as an adjunct professor at DePaul and served as Vice-Chair of the Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center there as well. She is a board members of Greenlight Family Services and has served on bar association committees.
She is considered to have excellent legal knowledge, and to be organized, knowledgeable, and balanced. Before being appointed to the bench, she had tried a considerable number of civil bench trials.
The Committee find Diana López qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Other Bar Association Evaluations
Arab American Bar Association: Recommended
Asian American Bar Association: Recommended
Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended
Cook County Bar Association: Recommended
Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended
Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago: Recommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended
Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended
Endorsements
Cook County Democratic Party
Chicago Federation of Labor
"Girl, I Guess" Voter's Guide
Indo-American Democratic Organization
United Hellenic Voters of America
AMVOTE PAC
Personal PAC
------------------------------------------------------Chicago Federation of Labor
"Girl, I Guess" Voter's Guide
Indo-American Democratic Organization
United Hellenic Voters of America
AMVOTE PAC
Personal PAC
Monica G. Somerville - #168
Campaign Website
Bar Association Evaluation Narratives
The Chicago Bar Association says:
Monica G. Somerville is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. Somerville was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1990. She has varied practice experience and service in the public sector. Ms. Somerville is well regarded for her legal knowledge, temperament, and diligence. She has the requisite experience to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
Monica Gail Somerville was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1990. From 2018 through January 2021, she served as Deputy Director of Accounts Receivable and Cost Recovery of the Department of Finance of the City of Chicago. She has also worked for City of Chicago’s Committee on Finance, where she served as Director of Workers’ Compensation, Police and Fire Claims (2013-2017); the Illinois Department of Employment Security, she served as an Administration Law Judge (2003-2007) and a Supervising Administrative Law Judge (2009-2013); the U.S. Postal Service Law Department, where she served as an Attorney (2007-2009); the City of Chicago’s Corporation Counsel’s Office, where she served as Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel (2000-2001) and Assistant Corporation Counsel (1989-1997); and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, where she served as Litigation Counsel (1997-2000). She is a member of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Cook County Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar of Illinois. She reports being lead counsel in 11 jury trials and 50 bench trials, mostly early in her career.The Illinois State Bar Association says:
Ms. Somerville is considered to have good legal ability. She is praised for her supervisor skills and for her ability to manage complex government programs. She has litigation experience. She is reported to have good temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Monica Somerville has been licensed since 1990. She has been employed by the City of Chicago since 2013 in various positions; in 2021 she was appointed Deputy Director of Citation Administration. Prior to joining the City she had worked for the United States Postal Service in its Law Department; as an Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Department of Employment Security; as Litigation Counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission; and as an assistant corporation counsel. She is a member of various bar associations and has been active as committee member/chair and speaker, including with mentoring through the Chicago Bar Association.
She does have some jury trial experience, though none since 2000. Attorneys reported that she is competent, professional and diligent. Concerns were raised about the depth and breadth of her overall legal experience and the lack of recent trial experience.
The Committee finds Monica Somerville not qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Other Bar Association Evaluations
Arab American Bar Association: Recommended
Asian American Bar Association: Recommended
Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended
Cook County Bar Association: Recommended
Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended
Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago: Recommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended
Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Not Recommended
Endorsements
IVI-IPO
Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7
Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7
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Mable Taylor - #169
Campaign Website
Bar Association Evaluation Narratives
The Chicago Bar Association says:
Mable Taylor declined to participate in the Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) screening process and, therefore, according to The Chicago Bar Association’s governing resolution for the JEC, is automatically found NOT RECOMMENDED.The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
Mable Taylor was admitted to practice in 1994. She is a sole practitioner doing both criminal and civil law matters. Some lawyers report that she is a good lawyer with good temperament. She has demonstrated her commitment to public service. However, while Ms. Taylor has litigation experience, the Council is concerned that she lacks sufficient experience in more complex matters, and there are reports that she has on occasion not followed proper court procedures. In addition, she showed questionable judgment during the evaluation process through her unwillingness to cooperate fully with the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening (which includes the Chicago Council of Lawyers) in its efforts to gather meaningful information about her record and candidacy. The Council finds her Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.The Illinois State Bar Association says:
Mable Taylor has been admitted to the Illinois bar since 1994. She has a general practice in a wide variety of areas with the Law Office of Mable Taylor. She has also been an arbitrator for Cook County for twenty-five years. She is a member of various bar associations, has taught at the college level, has done pro bono work and has been active with various west side community organizations.
While attorneys praised her commitment to minority women’s rights, they were split on her legal ability; some stated she had good legal knowledge, while others reported that she would zealously advocate positions that were legally incorrect and did not follow the law or proper court procedures. In addition, concerns were raised that while she reported having bench trial experience, most were from earlier in her career; she reported very limited jury trial experience, again none recently. Concerns about her diligence, as evidenced by numerous errors and omissions in her questionnaire and inadequately addressing those omissions in the interview.
The Committee finds Mable Taylor not qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Other Bar Association Evaluations
Arab American Bar Association: Not evaluated through no fault of the candidate
Asian American Bar Association: Not Recommended
Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended
Cook County Bar Association:
Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Not Recommended
Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Not Recommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Not Qualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago: Not Recommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Not Recommended
Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Not Recommended
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