ISBA releases narrative explanations of its ratings in countywide Circuit Court races

The Illinois State Bar Association has published explanations for its ratings of Cook County judicial candidates on its website. To access these narratives, interested persons can click on the Judicial Evaulations and Advisory Polls by County page, then click on the Cook County link. (Just clicking on the Cook County link works as well.)

However one arrives, once on the Cook County page, one will find a candidate list, by office, first in ballot order and, then, in subcircuit order. One must click on the "read evaluation" link in order to read any narrative.

An ISBA spokesperson said that this format is supposed to make accessing the ISBA's information easier by phone and, therefore, since voters are allowed to carry their phones into the polling booth, that much more helpful to voters.

In this post, FWIW looks at the narratives released by the ISBA in contested races for countywide seats on the Cook County County Circuit Court. Click here for the ISBA narratives in contested races for the Appellate and Supreme Courts. The ISBA's narratives in contested subcircuit Circuit Court races will be covered in another post.

Countywide Vacancies

Flannery Vacancy

Chelsey Renece Robinson -- Not Qualified
Ms. Chelsey R. Robinson has been licensed since 1996. She is a founding partner of Owens & Robinson, a general practice handling both criminal and civil matters. She was also a legal consultant to the Judge Mathis television program. She is a member of some bar associations, a volunteer at the Juvenile Detention Center and is active with other community organizations. She has limited jury and bench trial activities and limited experience with complex matters.

While she is considered to be ethical and honest, attorneys gave mixed comments as to the depth and breadth of her overall legal experience. ISBA finds Chelsey R. Robinson not qualified to be elected as Judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Pablo F. deCastro -- Qualified
Mr. Pablo deCastro has been licensed since 1994. Since 2012 he has been a sole practitioner focusing on criminal defense. From 1994-2000 he was an assistant public defender, and before opening his own practice he was in the private sector also focusing on criminal defense. He has substantial criminal jury trial experience and civil bench trials as well as federal experience. He teaches at the University of Chicago Law School Intensive Trial Practice program, is a member of several bar associations, and currently serves on the Panel Attorney Selection Committee for the Federal Defender’s Office Panel Attorney Program.

Respondents generally described him as being very smart and capable, a zealous advocate who knows the rules of evidence. He is known to be very committed to diversity, professional and calm. ISBA finds Pablo F. deCastro qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Mitchell Vacancy

Neil Cohen -- Qualified
Hon. Neil Cohen has been licensed in Illinois since 1976. After a career as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, he was selected as an associate judge in 2009. In September 2022 he was appointed to the circuit court. He has been assigned to the Chancery Division since 2011; previous assignments include the Traffic Division and the Fourth Municipal District (Maywood). He serves on several Illinois Supreme Court Committees, including the Illinois Judicial College, and is president of the Jewish Judges Association. He is a member of various bar associations and received the Distinguished Service Award from the Decalogue Society in 2022.

Attorneys all praised his legal knowledge, pointing out that he handles a variety of complex issues in Chancery. While a few acknowledged that he could be impatient at times, all praised his impartiality, integrity, and diligence. ISBA finds Judge Neil Cohen qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Wende Williams -- Not Recommended
Ms. Wende Williams declined to participate in the judicial evaluation process. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Ms. Wende Williams is not recommended to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Muprhy Vacancy

Edward Joseph Underhill -- Qualified
Hon. Edward Joseph Underhill was appointed to fill the At-Large vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Timothy P. Murphy effective December 5, 2022. The appointment was effective June 8th, 2023, and will continue through December 2, 2024, following the November 2024 general election. Mr. Underhill was a senior partner and chair of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group at Masuda, Funai & Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd., where he had worked for parts of five decades since 1984. In this role he represented clients in complex and basic commercial litigation, commercial transactions, and Article 9 (“UCC”) disputes and served as lead-counsel in federal and state court proceedings, among other duties. He had also served in the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Judge Underhill is praised for his professional and courteous judicial temperament. He is reported to rule in a fair, impartial and unbiased manner. ISBA finds Judge Edward Joseph Underhill qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Lori Ann Roper -- Not Recommended
Ms. Lori Ann Roper declined to participate in the judicial evaluation process. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Ms. Roper is not recommended to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Propes Vacancy

Debjani "Deb" Desai -- Qualified
Hon. Debjani Desai was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2008 and recently appointed to fill the At- Large vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Lorna E. Propes. The appointment is effective July 14, 2023, and will conclude December 2, 2024, following the November 2024 general election. Judge Desai had served since 2020 as General Counsel for the Illinois Office of Comptroller where she was the Chief Legal Officer leading a team of attorneys in Chicago and Springfield to provide legal and subject matter expertise on legislation, finance, operations, compliance, labor, and employment. She had also served since 2020 as a Special Prosecutor for Cook County in contested Juvenile Court proceedings and as an Adjunct Professor of Counseling & Negotiations at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. From 2008 to 2014 she was an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County.

Attorneys reported that she has good legal ability, is knowledgeable and had successfully learned a variety of areas of law during her career. She is reported to have a good temperament and is professional and respectful. ISBA finds Judge Debjani Desai qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Russ Hartigan -- Highly Qualified
Hon. Russell Hartigan (ret.) was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1976. He was appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court in 2010 and then elected in 2012. His assignments included First Municipal and the Fifth District (Bridgeview). In 2017 he resigned from the bench upon being elected president of the Illinois State Bar Association. From 1976 until his appointment in 2010 he concentrated on civil litigation for several different firms, as a partner, owner, and being Hartigan and O’Connor. He teaches at The Marshall Law School, speaks statewide on legal topics, and writes articles. As a judge, he spent much of his career at the Fifth Municipal District (Bridgeview) hearing a variety of cases.

Attorneys have a high regard for his legal knowledge, preparedness, and approachable demeanor. ISBA finds Judge Russell W. Hartigan (ret.) highly qualified to be elected as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.