CBA releases narrative explanations of its ratings of countywide judicial candidates

The Chicago Bar Association has released narrative explanations of its ratings of candidates seeking judicial vacancies in the 2026 Cook County Democratic Primary.

The CBA has not released any narratives for judicial candidates in the 2026 Cook County Republican Primary because there are no candidates seeking judicial office in Cook County via the Republican primary.

In this post, FWIW looks at the CBA's evaluations of countywide judicial candidates. Subsequent posts will look at the CBA's evaluations of judicial candidates in Subcircuits 1 to 11 and Subcircuits 13 to 20.

We begin here with the CBA's evaluation of the only Appellate Court candidate:

JUDITH C. RICE - QUALIFIED

Judge C. Judith Rice is "Qualified" for the office of Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. Judge Rice was admitted to practice law in 1988. She has been a judge since 2014. Judge Rice is the Acting Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Division. Prior to becoming a judge, she served in executive positions at BMO Harris Bank, was the Chicago City Treasurer, served as an assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago, and as a prosecutor with the Cook County State's Attorney's office. Judge Rice is well regarded for her integrity, temperament, work ethic and diligence.

Countywide Vacancies

Burke Vacancy

Steven Q. McKenzie – Qualified

Steven Q. McKenzie is “Qualified” for the office of circuit court judge. Mr. Mckenzie was admitted to practice law in illinois in 1997. Since 2006, he has been a supervising assistant corporation counsel, primarily dealing with housing and building code issues. He has also been involved in writing proposed legislation regarding those issues. His references were uniformly positive, noting that as a prosecutor he focused less on technical violations and more on achieving remedies that promoted public safety. Although the majority of his professional experience has been in a niche area of practice, we find that he possesses the requisite qualifications to serve as Circuit Court Judge.

Cobbs Vacancy

LIZ MARIA TOLEDO - QUALIFIED

Luz Toledo is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. Toledo was admitted to practice in 2006. She is an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney assigned to the Real Estate and Tax Litigation Division. She previously served in the Appeals Division and spent 12 years prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases. Ms. Toledo is well-respected for her legal knowledge and ability, as well as her calm temperament and demeanor.

LINDA SACKEY - QUALIFIED

Judge Linda Sackey is "Qualified" for the office of circuit court judge. Judge Sackey was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2006 and has served on the bench since January 2025. Prior to her appointment, she had a diverse array of legal experience including in private practice and in the Illinois attorney general's office. Immediately prior to her judicial appointment, she clerked for Illinois supreme court justice Mary Jane Theis. Judge Sackey is well regarded for her legal knowledge and ability and her excellent demeanor and calm temperament.

Coghlan Vacancy

ASHONTA C. RICE - QUALIFIED

Ashonta C. Rice is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. Rice was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2005. She began her career in the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office where she served for three years. For the last 18 years, she has been in private practice primarily in the areas of family law, child protection litigation, and guardianship. She possesses the litigation experience along with the temperament and demeanor necessary to serve effectively as a Circuit Court Judge.

MICHAEL CABONARGI - QUALIFIED

Michael Carbonargi is "Qualified" for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Carbonargi was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2001. He has a broad range of high-level legal experience and is currently serving as Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Mr. Carbonargi is well respected for his legal knowledge, his calm and professional demeanor and his integrity. He possesses the requisite qualifications to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.

Hooks Vacancy

AVA GEORGE STEWART - QUALIFIED

Pursuant to Section 34 of The Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee’s Governing Resolution, The Executive Committee has voted to issue a “Qualified” rating for [Stewart's] current Circuit Court Judge candidacy.

Karkula Vacancy

D’ANTHONY “TONY” THEDFORD - HIGHLY QUALIFIED

(This rating was issued before Judge Thedford's appointment to the bench in late 2024 -- Ed.) D'Anthony “Tony” Thedford is "Highly Qualified" for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Thedford was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1997. Mr. Thedford began his practice as a Cook County Public Defender and is currently in private practice. He has extensive experience in both criminal and civil litigation. He has demonstrated strong legal experience in his trial work as well as the variety of substantive legal areas he has litigated. Mr. Thedford is well regarded for his knowledge of the law, work ethic, diligence, and fine demeanor.