Press Release |
The nine-member Associate Judge Nominating Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County today announced the names of the 22 candidates whose names will be on the ballot from which the circuit judges will select the new 11 associate judges. The Committee is comprised of the following individuals:
| Honorable Donald P. O'Connell | Chief Judge of the Circuit Court |
| Honorable Henry A. Budzinski | Presiding Judge of the Probate Division |
| Honorable Jacqueline P. Cox | Presiding Judge of the First Municipal District |
| Honorable Timothy C. Evans | Presiding Judge of the Law Division |
| Honorable Albert Green | Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division |
| Honorable Sophia H. Hall | Administrative Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Resource Section |
| Honorable Patricia Martin Bishop | Presiding Judge of the Child Protection Division |
| Honorable Anthony S. Montelione | Presiding Judge of the Fifth Municipal District |
| Honorable Michael J. Murphy | Presiding Judge of the County Division |
The 22 finalists were chosen from a total of 214 applicants. For the first time, the Chicago Bar Association pooled resources with the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, comprised of 10 bar associations, to evaluate those associate judge candidates who had not been screened within the past two years. The evaluation process included background examinations and interviews of candidates. Bar associations included in the Alliance are the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Cook County Bar Association, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Chicago, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois.
Each bar association issued its own ratings for individual associate judge candidates.
Under Supreme Court Rule 39, the nominating committee must select twice as many names of qualified candidates as there are vacancies to be filled. The Chief Judge has certified the 22 names announced today to the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Within 14 days after the names are certified, the Director mails a secret ballot comprised of the names of each candidate to each circuit judge. The judges then vote for one candidate for each vacancy to be filled. The judges must return the ballot to the Director within 14 days of the date the ballots were distributed. The Director then counts the ballots which are accompanied by a signed signature card, tabulates the results and certifies them to the Chief Judge.
Chief Judge Donald P. O'Connell praised the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening and the Chicago Bar Association for their untiring efforts and for their diligence and commitment in evaluating the candidates. The Chief Judge also praised the Circuit Court Associate Judge Nominating Committee for its dedication and hard work throughout the interview process.
In releasing the names of the 22 candidates, the Chief Judge stated that the final slate of names was a unanimous decision of the Circuit Court Associate Judge Nominating Committee. Chief Judge O'Connell said, "Long hard consideration was given to critical factors such as diversity, city versus suburban practices, government service, private practice and legal community involvement." The Chief Judge further stated, "The committee was grateful to have the benefit of choosing from so many highly qualified candidates." The following is the list of the 22 candidates chosen by the Circuit Court Associate Judge Nominating Committee to be certified to Joseph Schillaci, the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts:
| Feerick, Maureen Patricia | Nixon, Lewis |
| Flood, Lawrence Edward | Panici, Luciano "Lou" |
| Ginex, Gregory Robert | Riebman, Hyman I. |
| Hyland, Colleen Ann | Simmons, Michele M. |
| Johnson, Moira Susan | Smith, Terence Blair |
| Lenane, Pamela Ann | Statza, Gerald Raymond |
| Longwell, Marilyn Kay | Stevens, Richard Anthony |
| Lustig, Patrick Foran | Stewart, Roma Jones |
| Minella, Mary Regina | Van Tine, Rena Marie |
| Myles, Raymond | Vega, Raul |
| Nicolau, Mary Terese | Washington, Edward II |
To facilitate the selection process, the Circuit Court Associate Judge Nominating Committee has established receptions for the candidates to meet the circuit judges. The receptions will be held at the following times and locations:
| Tuesday, April 24, 2001, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Criminal Court Administration Building Jury Assembly Room, Third Floor 2650 South California Avenue Chicago, Illinois Wednesday, April 25, 2001, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Chicago Bar Association Philip H. Corboy Hall, Second Floor 321 South Plymouth Court Chicago, Illinois Thursday, May 3, 2001, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Cook County Juvenile Center Ground level reception area (adjacent to Children's Advocacy Room) 1100 South Hamilton Avenue Chicago, Illinois |
2001 ASSOCIATE JUDGE APPLICANTS
Number of Associate Judge vacancies: 11
Total number of applicants: 214
Women account for 32.7% or 70 of the total number of applicants.
Men account for 67.3% or 144 of the total number of applicants.
Caucasians account for 85.5% or 183 of the total number of applicants.
African Americans account for 8.9% or 19 of the total number of applicants.
Hispanics account for 3.3% or 7 of the total number of applicants.
Asian Americans account for 1.9% or 4 of the total number of applicants.
Native Americans account for .5% or 1 of the total number of applicants.
Number of applicants interviewed by the Chicago Bar Association: 214
Number of applicants found qualified/recommended: 173
Number of applicants found not recommended: 41
Number of applicants interviewed by the Asian American Bar Association: 214
Number of applicants found recommended: 189
Number of applicants found not recommended: 25
Number of applicants interviewed by the Black Women Lawyer's Association: 210
Number of applicants found recommended/qualified: 162
Number of applicants found not recommended: 48
Number of applicants interviewed by the Chicago Council of Lawyers: 214
Number of applicants found recommended: 74
Number of applicants found not recommended/not qualified: 140
Number of applicants interviewed by the Cook County Bar Association: 212
Number of applicants found recommended/qualified: 161
Number of applicants found not recommended: 51
Number of applicants interviewed by the Decalogue Society of Lawyers: 197
Number of applicants found highly recommended: 56
Number of applicants found recommended: 115
Number of applicants found not recommended: 26
Number of applicants interviewed by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois and
the Puerto Rican Bar Association: 173
Number of applicants found recommended: 152
Number of applicants found not recommended: 21
Number of applicants interviewed by the Illinois State Bar Association: 214
Number of applicants found highly recommended: 74
Number of applicants found recommended: 113
Number of applicants found not recommended: 27
Number of applicants interviewed by the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago: 213
Number of applicants found highly recommended: 49
Number of applicants found recommended/qualified: 96
Number of applicants found not recommended: 68
Number of applicants interviewed by the Women's Bar Association of Illinois: 214
Number of applicants found highly recommended: 53
Number of applicants found recommended: 130
Number of applicants found not recommended: 31
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