Cook County Circuit Court Judges
Since 1848, Illinois judges have been chosen through partisan elections. Around one-third of Cook County circuit judges are elected countywide. The other two-thirds of judicial seats are distributed among 20 geographic subcircuits. Only candidates who live in that subcircuit can run for an open seat, and only voters who live there can vote for them. Once elected, all Illinois judges will run for “retention” in the general election, which means they don’t face challengers after six years. Voters choose yes or no, and the judge has to get 60% yes votes to remain on the bench.
Candidates
Navigating judicial ratings can be daunting. To help voters elect and retain qualified judges, 13 local and state bar associations have comprehensively reviewed and assessed judicial candidates in a nonpartisan manner. WTTW News simplified those evaluations to help you make informed decisions at the polls.
In the below tables, we condensed the ratings to note whether candidates were unanimously determined to be qualified, unanimously determined to be unqualified or received mixed ratings. The associations take a variety of approaches to rating descriptions. Hover/tap an icon to see the exact ratings from each bar association with their own rating designations noted.
Countywide
Vacancy of the
Hon. Kathleen Marie Burke (all ballots)
Association
| Candidate | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Q. McKenzie | Mixed | Recommended | Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate | Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Not Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
Vacancy of the
Hon. Cynthia Y. Cobbs (all ballots)
Association
| Candidate | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luz Maria Toledo | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
Vacancy of the
Hon. Mary Ellen Coghlan (all ballots)
Association
| Candidate | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashonta C. Rice | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
Vacancy of the
Hon. William Hooks (all ballots)
Association
| Candidate | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ava George Stewart | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Highly Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Qualified | Highly Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
Vacancy of the
Hon. Paul Karkula (all ballots)
Association
| Candidate | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D'Anthony "Tony" Thedford | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Qualified | Qualified | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
Retention
Shall each of the persons listed be retained in office as Judge of the Cook Circuit Court?
Association
| Judge | OverallJudicial candidates are rated by the Alliance members based on detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators, and interviews of each candidate. 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. | AABARArab American Bar Association | AABAAsian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | BMLABlack Men Lawyers’ Association | BWLABlack Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago | CCLChicago Council of Lawyers | CCBACook County Bar Association | DSLDecalogue Society of Lawyers | HBAHellenic Bar Association of Illinois | HLAIHispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | ISBAIllinois State Bar Association | LAGBACChicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association | PRBAPuerto Rican Bar Association | WBAIWomen’s Bar Association of Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Nixon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kerry M. Kennedy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Joan E. Powell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maureen Ward Kirby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Edward A. Arce | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thomas J. Byrne | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Diana L. Kenworthy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kristyna Colleen Ryan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ursula Walowski | Yes | Yes | Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate | Yes | Yes | Yes | No Opinion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Caroline Kate Moreland | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thomas J. Carroll | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Andrea M. Buford | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| John Michael Allegretti | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kristal Rivers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steven G. Watkins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Abbey Fishman Romanek | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Judith C. Rice | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Patrick Kevin Coughlin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Megan Elizabeth Goldish | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anjana M. J. Hansen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Robert D. Kuzas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maritza Martinez | Yes | Yes | No Opinion | No Opinion | Yes | Yes | No Opinion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Terrence J. McGuire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bridget Anne Mitchell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| James P. Pieczonka | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Patricia O’Brien Sheahan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Michael A. Forti | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nichole C. Patton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sondra Nicole Denmark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gerardo Tristan, Jr. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lynn Weaver Boyle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Daniel Edward Maloney | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thomas M. Cushing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| John G. Mulroe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tyria B. Walton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Erin Haggerty Antonietti | Mixed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Teresa Molina-Gonzalez | Mixed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Patricia M. Fallon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sheree Desiree Henry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Celestia L. Mays | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Levander Smith, Jr. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Julie Bess Aimen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Laura Ayala-Gonzalez | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Krista D. Butler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maire Aileen Dempsey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jamie Guerra Dickler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jonathan Clark Green | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mary Catherine Marubio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Regina Ann Mescall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lorraine Mary Murphy | Mixed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Eileen Marie O’Connor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jill Rose Quinn | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pamela Reaves-Harris | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tiesha L. Smith | Mixed | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Chris Stacey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Perla Tirado | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Elizabeth Anne Walsh | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maura McMahon Zeller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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