Illinois Judge Recommendations as Legal Groups Evaluate Supreme Court Races

The Illinois Supreme Court underwent a dramatic transformation this year, and amid those significant changes, voters will be asked to weigh in on the current construction of the state’s highest court.

The state’s Supreme Court is made up of seven justices representing five different districts. The first district, which includes Cook County, elects three justices, while the remaining four districts have one justice apiece.

Justices are elected to 10-year terms, then face retention votes for new 10-year terms, requiring a 60% vote to remain on the bench. If a justice retires, a replacement is named by the remaining justices, and a two-party election is then called to determine whether that replacement will receive a full 10-year term.

In 2022, the borders of Illinois’ five judicial districts were changed for the first time since they were established in 1964, according to officials.

While Cook County still represents the first district, the second district now includes McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties. Previously, the district had included 13 northern Illinois counties, but most of the western portion of district two is now represented by the fourth district.

Similarly, the third district now includes fewer counties, including Bureau, LaSalle, Grundy, DuPage, Will, Kankakee and Iroquois counties.

Most of the western portion of the third district has also been folded into the fourth district, while southeastern portions of that district were folded into the fifth district.

While voters in specific counties will have to evaluate which judges to vote for in their given elections, the Illinois State Bar Association and the DuPage County Bar Association both release recommendations for races in the upcoming elections. A third group, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, offers recommendations for races in the first district.

Here’s a bit more information about the three groups.

Illinois State Bar Association

The organization uses three different ratings for judges: not recommended, recommended, and highly recommended.

The ISBA has candidates fill out a questionnaire, and also interviews lawyers familiar with candidates. A committee then rates them based on 12 criteria, including experience, legal knowledge, integrity and diligence, among other factors.

DuPage County Bar Association

This organization solicits written applications from candidates. A random member then interviews references and the candidates themselves, and the committee investigates the backgrounds of the candidates.

Chicago Council of Lawyers

The council evaluates candidates on criteria that include fairness, diligence, impartiality, temperament, professional conduct and character.

The council uses four ratings, including “not qualified,” “qualified,” “well qualified,” and “highly qualified” in its evaluations.

Here is what the groups had to say about the candidates in the retention ballot in Cook County, as well as the two other Supreme Court races in Illinois.

Supreme Court 1^st District

Justice Mary Jane Theis

Illinois State Bar Association – Yes for retention

Chicago Council of Lawyers  – Highly qualified for retention

You can read more on the ISBA's recommendation here, and you can see the Chicago Council of Lawyers' full list of recommendations on their website.

Supreme Court 2^nd District

Judge Elizabeth Rochford

Illinois State Bar Association – Highly Recommended

DuPage County Bar Association – Highly Recommended

Mark Curran

Illinois State Bar Association – Not Recommended

DuPage County Bar Association – Did Not Participate

You can read the ISBA’s rationale behind their evaluations on their website.

You can also find more information on DCBA’s methodology on their website.

Supreme Court 3^rd District

Judge Mary K. O’Brien

Illinois State Bar Association – Recommended

DuPage County Bar Association – Highly Recommended

Justice Michael Burke

Illinois State Bar Association – Highly Recommended

DuPage County Bar Association – Highly Recommended

You can read the ISBA’s rationale behind their evaluations on their website.