Application process underway for five Cook County judicial vacancies

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis has announced that applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on September 16 for temporary appointments to five Cook County judicial vacancies, one countywide, one in the 8th Subcircuit, one in the 16th Subcircuit, and two in the 20th Subcircuit. These appointments, once made, will expire on December 7, 2026 (the first Monday of December) following the 2026 elections.

Application forms are available at this page of the Suprme Court website. Attorneys in good standing seeking appointment from a subcircuit must be a resident of that subcircuit. Attorneys wishing to seek appointment to both the countywide vacancy and a subcircuit vacancy must fill out separate application forms. However, the Court will require only one application for either of the 20th Subcircuit vacancies. All applications must be submitted electronically.

All applicants will be subject to "an evaluation and screening process," according to a press release issued by the Supreme Court announcing the application process.

According to the Supreme Court, the countywide vacancy arises from the January retirement of Judge Paul Karkula.

The 8th Subcircuit vacancy was created when Judge Celia L. Gamrath was appointed to the Appellate Court.

Gamrath's appointment is effective this coming Friday and will expire on December 2. That's when she will be sworn into the Appellate Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Mathias W. Delort. Gamrath is the only candidate for that vacancy on the November ballot. She is now being appointed "to the position currently held by the Honorable Mary Ellen Coghlan, who is retiring from judicial service on August 31, 2024." However, Justice Coghlan, who had been serving on the Appellate Court pursuant to Supreme Court appointment since 2019, was reassigned to the Delort vacancy last August. The Court's press release about the Gamrath appointment is here.

The 16th Subcircuit vacancy was created by conversion of the associate judgeship of Patricia Mendoza upon her retirement. Mendoza had served as an associate judge since 2005 and was most recently retained just last year.

The 20th Subcircuit vacancies also arise from the conversion of associate judgeships, specifically, those of David E. Haracz and Stephanie K. Miller.

Judge Haracz was a classmate of Judge Mendoza. Mendoza and Haracz have left, or are leaving, judicial service; that's why their associate judgeships are being converted.

But not so with Judge Miller. Her associate judgeship was converted to a 20th Subcircuit vacancy upon her appointment to the Pierce vacancy in the 14th Subcircuit. She is the only candidate on the ballot for that vacancy in November. Miller was one of 12 unopposed Circuit Court candidates appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court earlier this year.