Jarrett Knox: In his own words

Jarrett Knox is a candidate for the Meyerson vacancy in the 11th Subcircuit. His punch number is 141.

I am Jarrett Knox, and I am running for judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, 11th Subcircuit. For nearly 18 years, I have been a public servant in the courtroom, working on behalf of survivors of domestic violence, senior citizens, and children who have been abused or neglected. I currently work for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, where I prosecute civil petitions filed on behalf of abused, neglected, or dependent children. Before joining the State’s Attorney’s Office I worked from 2011-2018 for the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian where I represented children involved in the child welfare system as both attorney and guardian ad litem.

My commitment to child welfare extends beyond my professional work. My wife and I have been licensed foster parents with Hephzibah Children’s Association for over 15 years, opening our home to children in and around Cook County for varying lengths of time, depending on need.

I am deeply committed to ensuring equal access to justice for all. Right out of law school, I worked as an Equal Justice Works Fellow with the Legal Aid Society, where I worked on a Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse project, representing survivors in obtaining civil orders of protection, filing for divorce, and litigating eviction proceedings. I went on to work for another legal aid organization in Chicago before my long career in child welfare.

I bring extensive courtroom experience to this race as a legal aid attorney, Assistant Public Guardian, and Assistant State’s Attorney. Beyond my experience as an advocate in the courtroom, I served as a Supervising Administrative Law Judge with the Illinois Department of Human Services from 2018-2019, where I presided over hearings involving administration of public benefits, like SNAP and Long Term Care. I have been found Qualified or Recommended by all of the evaluating bar associations, and I am honored to be supported in this race by the Cook County Democratic Party, Senate President Don Harmon, and Democratic organizations across the subcircuit. I’m also honored to be endorsed by organizations like Personal PAC.

My commitment to service in Cook County extends beyond the courtroom. I have volunteered for over a decade in the Chicago Bar Association’s Lawyers in the Classroom program, helping elementary and middle school students better understand the U.S. Constitution and its impact on their everyday lives. I am also active in my community, volunteering with a hunger relief program in Oak Park and coaching kids’ sports teams.

I am seeking to serve as a judge because my career has been dedicated to helping children, families, and individuals at some of the most challenging moments in their lives. As both a courtroom attorney and as a foster parent, I have seen firsthand the importance of judges who approach each case with fairness, patience, and a deep understanding of the law’s impact on real people. Those experiences in court have reinforced for me that decisions made in the courtroom aren’t just legal but are profoundly human, with lifelong consequences. I want to bring my experience, my commitment to fairness, and my compassion to the bench to ensure that every child, family, and litigant who comes to court is treated with dignity, heard fully, and given a fair and thoughtful decision.

I ask for your vote on March 17 (punch #141) for judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. My career has been devoted to public service, protecting vulnerable families, and upholding the rule of law with fairness and integrity. I will bring experience, compassion, and impartiality to the bench, and I would be honored to serve the people of Cook County.