For nearly 25 years, I've stood beside people during some of the hardest moments of their lives—when a loved one passes and the family is overwhelmed, when a parent is declining and difficult decisions must be made, when a job is lost and foreclosure threatens the roof over a family's head. I know what's at stake when people walk into a courtroom: their safety, their stability, their dignity, and sometimes their future. That's why I'm running—to bring experience, compassion, and steady, independent judgment to the bench.
I'm licensed to practice law in Illinois, Indiana, and the District of Columbia. I'm the CEO of The Hammer Legal Group, and my practice includes probate, trust and estate planning, foreclosure defense, commercial litigation, and labor and employment law. I've helped individuals and small business owners resolve disputes—not just through litigation, but more often by finding common ground through negotiation, mediation, and settlement. Because the best outcome isn't always a "win"—it's a fair resolution that lets people move forward.
Public service has been at the heart of my career. I've served as legal counsel to the last three Clerks of the Circuit Court, working to expand access to Cook County's courts and to make our courts easier for everyday people to navigate. I also served as Supervising Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Department of Employment Security, managing 12 Administrative Law Judges and ensuring cases were handled with consistency, fairness, and respect.
In 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed me to the ARDC Hearing Board, and I've been reappointed each year since. In that volunteer role, we hold attorneys accountable to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct—because integrity isn't just a value I talk about; it's a standard I must live by, especially in the justice system.
My perspective is also shaped by my education and professional range. I earned my undergraduate degree from Purdue University in Computer Science and Software Development, which helped prepare me to serve as a lead negotiator for Computer Associates, a $4 billion software company. I understand how systems work—and how to improve them—so they serve people better.
I currently serve as legal counsel to the Coalition of African American Leaders (COAL). I'm a past board member of IMANI Community Development Corporation and former State Chair of Independent Voters of Illinois–Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO). I've led estate-planning workshops across Cook County, served as a panelist on former County Clerk Karen Yarbrough's Property After Death seminars, and volunteered with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services through the Probate Court Assistance Program—because people shouldn't need wealth or connections to get help and be heard.
I believe our courts have a duty to meet the needs of the community. Now more than ever, we need judges who are qualified and experienced, but also compassionate - judges with integrity who will make decisions based on the law and the facts, not outside pressure. Our courts serve the most vulnerable among us: abused children, survivors of domestic violence, people living with mental illness, families facing addiction, seniors with dementia who can no longer care for themselves, and young people caught up in the system. These aren't case numbers. These are human beings—and they deserve a court that treats them that way.
My platform is Access to Justice Reform. The COVID-19 pandemic forced our courts to adapt, and it proved something important: we can do better. We can use technology to make justice more accessible—through expanded remote proceedings when appropriate (especially in probate), and by fully leveraging the Odyssey case management system to help judges and staff manage thousands of cases more efficiently in the nation's second-largest court system. That means less waiting, less confusion, and less cost for families and taxpayers.
I've also worked toward criminal justice reform. As counsel to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, I worked with court partners to help hundreds of people expunge eligible records so they could get a real second chance—access to good jobs, better housing, and services that can change lives. I've participated in Restorative Justice Courts and Peace Circles, which focus on accountability, healing, and repairing harm—because we can be firm, fair, and still believe in redemption.
Judges serve the people. If you elect me as Judge in the 17th Subcircuit, I will work tirelessly—every day—to serve the people of Cook County with fairness, respect, and independence.
I'm Meridth Hammer, candidate for Judge in the 17th Subcircuit. My punch number is 142. Remember: It's Hammer Time!
I’m proud to be endorsed by the following:
- Chicago Federation of Labor
- Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore (4th District)
- Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller (6th District)
- Alderman Greg Mitchell (Chicago 7th Ward)
- Mayor Robert Polk (Burnham)
- Mayor James Ford (Country Club Hills)
- Mayor Jason House (Dolton)
- Mayor Jada Curry (Lynwood)
- Mayor Roger Agpawa (Markham)
- Mayor Terry Wells (Phoenix)
- Mayor Darren Bryant (Robbins)
- Vernard Alsberry (Bremen Township Committeeman)
- Senator Elgie Sims (17th District)
- State Representative Marcus Evans (33rd District)
- Alderwoman Monet S. Wilson (Calumet City 2nd Ward)
- Alderman Ramonde D. Williams (Calumet City 4th Ward)
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