Commentary, Elections, Local, Opinion, Park Forest, Politics

Bar Associations Say Don’t Vote for These Judges


Justice gavel by Tori Rector, don't vote for these judges
Justice gavel by Tori Rector on Flickr.

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- As we have in the past, we share information on which judges to vote for and which to NOT vote for in Cook County. Please do not vote for the judges in our first list below. Our information comes directly from VoteForJudges.org. Vote for Judges gathers information from the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening (referred to hereafter as “Alliance”).

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 28, 2022. The General Election will be November 8, 2022.

Through the years, we have heard, and agree, that members of the public are least informed on the performance of judges.

The Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening is comprised of the following bar associations:

  • AABAR: Arab American Bar Association
  • AABA: Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area
  • BWLA: Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago
  • CCL: Chicago Council of Lawyers
  • CCBA: Cook County Bar Association
  • DSL: Decalogue Society of Lawyers
  • HBA: Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois
  • HLAI: Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois
  • ISBA: Illinois State Bar Association
  • LAGBAC: Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association
  • PRBA: Puerto Rican Bar Association
  • WBAI: Women’s Bar Association of Illinois

The Alliance of Bar Associations works collaboratively to screen judicial candidates in Cook County. Judicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by each candidate, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate.

The ratings reflect the Alliance’s opinion of whether candidates have the necessary qualifications for judicial service or ascension to a higher office and are not a reflection of the candidates’ abilities as lawyers or judges.

The rating key follows:

HQHighly Qualified
WQWell Qualified
QQualified
NQNot Qualified
HRHighly Recommended
RRecommended
NRNot Recommended
1Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate

Candidates not participating in the Alliance’s evaluation process are rated “NR.”

Please do not vote for these judges:

If you’re seeking a short list, these candidates are rated Not Qualified or Not Recommended by at least one bar association and you should NOT vote for them. Either they are not qualified for office or did not bother to fill out forms and submit to a background check and interview by one or more bar associations. Either way, they should NOT receive your vote in this primary election.

  • Ubi O. O’Neal: NR by all bar associations.
  • Monica G. Somerville: NQ by the ISBA and NR by WBAI.
  • Mable Taylor: NQ or NR by all but two bar associations.
  • Yolanda Harris: NQ by the ISBA.
  • Wende Williams: NR by all.
  • Deidre Baumann: NQ by the ISBA
  • Chelsey Renece Robinson: NQ by the ISBA
  • Jacqueline Marie Griffin: NR by DSL and ISBA.
  • Dan Balanoff: NQ or NE by SEVEN bar associations.
  • Claudia Silva-Hernandez: NR by all bar associations.
  • Meredith Vanae Hammer: NR by all bar associations.
  • Maria M. Barlow: NR by all.
  • Amanda Moira Pillsbury: NQ by CCL, HLAI, ISBA; NR by BWLA, CCBA.
  • ShawnTe Raines-Welch: NR by AABA, NQ by ISBA.
  • Patrick Campanelli: NQ by CCL, HLAI, ISBA, NR by all others except CCBA which is blank in this case.

    Continuing the List

  • Judie Lyn Smith: NQ by ISBA, NR by LAGBAC.
  • Tivvany N. Brooks: NQ by CCL, HLAI, ISBA, NR by AABA, DSL, LAGBAC.
  • Jackie Marie Portman-Brown: NQ by ISBA, NR by six Alliance members.
  • Pat Casey: NQ by AABA, CCL, ISBA; NR by CCBA, DSL, LAGBAC, WBAI.
  • John Fritchey: NQ by ISBA, NR by BWLA, HBA, WBAI.
  • Ann Buran-Vongher: NQ by HLAI, ISBA, NR by LAGBAC.
  • Chris Taliaferro: NQ by CCL, HLAI, ISBA, NR by five members.
  • Christine Svenson: NR from LAGBAC
  • Iris Y. Chavira: NR by all but is running unopposed.
  • Viviana Martinez: NQ by ISBA, NR by AABA, CCBA.
  • Jorge V. Cazares, NQ by CCL, ISBA; NR by four.
  • Jim Gleffe: NQ by CCL, ISBA; NR by four Alliance members.

(R) next to a name denotes Republican candidates; all other candidates are Democrats.

Complete Evaluations

ILLINOISAPPELLATECOURT

AABAR

AABA

BWLA

CCL

CCBA

DSL

HBA

HLAI

ISBA

LAGBAC

PRBA

WBAI

Hon.ShelvinLouiseMarieHallVacancy

Debra B. Walker

R

R

R

WQ

R

R

R

Q

HQ

R

R

HR

Russell “Russ” Hartigan

R

R

R

Q

R

HR

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Dominique C. Ross

R

NR

R

NQ

R

R

R

NQ

NQ

 

R

 

Hon.SheldonA.HarrisVacancy

Raymond W. Mitchell

R

R

R

WQ

R

HR

R

Q

HQ

R

R

R

Devlin Joseph Schoop

R

R

R

Q

R

R

NR

NQ

NQ

R

R

R

John H. Ehrlich

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

NQ

HR

R

HR

CIRCUITCOURT,COUNTYWIDE

AABAR

AABA

BWLA

CCL

CCBA

DSL

HBA

HLAI

ISBA

LAGBAC

PRBA

WBAI

Hon.MargaretA.BrennanVacancy

Ubi O. O’Neal

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

Howard B. Brookins, Jr.

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

¹

Q

R

R

R

Lisa Michelle Taylor

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Hon. JohnP.Callahan,Jr. Vacancy

Mary Bernadette McMahon

R

R

R

Q

 

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Suzanne Therese McEneely

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

HR

R

R

Tracie Porter

R

R

R

Q

HR

HR

R

HQ

Q

HR

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT,COUNTYWIDE

AABAR

AABA

BWLA

CCL

CCBA

DSL

HBA

HLAI

ISBA

LAGBAC

PRBA

WBAI

Hon. Diane GordonCannon Vacancy

Monica G. Somerville

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

NQ

R

R

NR

Mable Taylor

¹

NR

R

NQ

 

NR

NR

NQ

NQ

NR

NR

NR

Diana López

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Hon. Michael B. Hyman Vacancy

Thomas E. Nowinski

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Carmen Migdalia Quinones

NR

Q

R

NQ

R

NR

NR

NQ

NQ

NR

R

NR

Hon. CheyrlIngram Vacancy

Elizabeth “Beth” Ryan

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Yolanda Harris Sayre

R

¹

R

Q

R

R

R

R

NQ

R

R

R

Hon. Pamela M. Leeming Vacancy

Wende Williams

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

Rena Marie Van Tine

R

Q

R

WQ

R

HR

R

HR

HQ

HQ

HR

R

Hon.DanielLynchVacancy

Paul Joyce

R

R

R

Q

R

HR

R

Q

Q

HR

R

R

Deidre Baumann

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

NQ

R

R

R

Michael Weaver

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

HR

R

R

Hon. Kathleen M. McGury Vacancy

Chelsey Renece Robinson

R

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

NQ

R

R

R

Ruth Isabel Gudino

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

Q

HQ

Q

HR

HR

R

Hon. Joan M. O’Brien Vacancy

Jacqueline Marie Griffin

R

Q

R

Q

R

NR

R

Q

Q

NR

R

R

Araceli Reyes De La Cruz

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

HR

R

R

Dan Balanoff

¹

¹

NR

NQ

R

NR

R

NR

NQ

NR

R

NR

Hon.SharonM.SullivanVacancy

Claudia Silva-Hernandez

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

Thomas More Donnelly

R

R

R

WQ

R

HR

R

HQ

HQ

HR

R

HR

Meridth Vanae Hammer

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

CIRCUITCOURT, 1STSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon. SharonO.Johnson Vacancy

John W. Wilson

R

R

R

WQ

R

R

R

Q

HQ

HR

R

R

Maria M. Barlow

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

CIRCUITCOURT, 4THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon. James Gavin Vacancy

AmandaMoiraPillsbury

R

Q

NR

NQ

NR

R

R

NQ

NQ

R

R

R

Nick Kantas

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 4THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.PatrickT.RogersVacancy

Chloe Georgianna Pedersen

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

ShawnTe Raines-Welch

R

NR

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

NQ

R

R

R

Jerry Barrido

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Patrick Campanelli

NR

NR

NR

NQ

 

NR

NR

NQ

NQ

NR

NR

NR

CIRCUITCOURT, 5THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.JackiePortman-BrownVacancy

David L. Kelly

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

HR

R

Jenetia Marshall

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Hon. Diane Shelley Vacancy

Timothy W. Wright III

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Judie Lyn Smith

R

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

NQ

NR

R

R

Tiffany N. Brooks

¹

NR

R

NQ

R

NR

R

NQ

NQ

NR

R

R

Jackie Marie Portman-Brown

NR

Q

R

Q

R

NR

NR

NR

NQ

NR

R

NR

CIRCUITCOURT, 6THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.MauricioAraujoVacancy

Charles “Charlie” Beach

R

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Hon.RaulVegaVacancy

David S. Rodriguez

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

¹

R

R

Kerrie Maloney Laytin

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 7THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.PatriciaMartinVacancy

Marcia O’Brien Conway

R

¹

R

WQ

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

HR

R

Owens “Joe” Shelby

R

¹

R

Q

R

R

R

¹

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 8THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.RobertE.GordonVacancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat Casey

R

NQ

R

NQ

NR

NR

R

R

NQ

NR

R

NR

Bradley R. Trowbridge

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

John Fritchey

R

¹

NR

Q

R

R

NR

Q

NQ

R

R

NR

Hon.ThomasJ. LipscombVacancy

Stephen Swedlow

R

R

R

WQ

R

HR

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Jennifer Bae

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 9THSUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.JeanneClevelandBernsteinVacancy

Sanjay Tailor

R

R

R

WQ

R

HR

R

HQ

HQ

R

HR

R

Ann Buran-Vongher

¹

R

R

Q

 

R

R

NQ

NQ

NR

R

R

Hon.MosheJacobiusVacancy

Don R. Sampen

¹

Q

R

WQ

R

R

R

Q

Q

HR

R

R

Torrick Alan Ward

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

HR

R

R

Barry Goldberg

R

R

R

Q

R

HR

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Basileios “Bill” John Foutris

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

¹

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 11TH SUBCIRCUIT

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.DennisM.McGuireVacancy

Chris Taliaferro

NR

NR

R

NQ

R

NR

R

NQ

NQ

NR

R

NR

Aileen Bhandari

R

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

HR

HR

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 13TH SUBCIRCUIT

 

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon.SusanneM.GroebnerVacancy

Christine Svenson

R

R

Q

R

Q

 

R

R

Q

Q

NR

R

R

Gary William Seyring

R

¹

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Dominic J. Buttitta, Jr. R

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

HR

R

R

James Costello

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

¹

Q

R

R

R

Joe Gump

R

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

CIRCUITCOURT, 14TH SUBCIRCUIT

 

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon. James R. Brown Vacancy

Iris Y. Chavira

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

NR

Hon.RaymondL.JagielskiVacancy

Viviana Martinez

R

NR

R

Q

R

NR

R

Q

NQ

R

R

R

Steve Demitro

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

¹

Q

R

R

R

Jorge V. Cazares

¹

NR

R

Q

NR

R

R

¹

NQ

NR

R

NR

CIRCUITCOURT, 15TH SUBCIRCUIT

 

 

AABAR

 

AABA

 

BWLA

 

CCL

 

CCBA

 

DSL

 

HBA

 

HLAI

 

ISBA

 

LAGBAC

 

PRBA

 

WBAI

Hon. ChristopherLawler Vacancy

Bernadette Barrett

R

R

R

Q

R

R

R

Q

Q

R

R

R

Jim Gleffe

¹

NR

R

NQ

 

NR

R

Q

NQ

NR

R

NR

 

Complete evaluations are here in PDF format for downloading and printing (click the DOWN ARROR to download):


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