I’ve waited extra time this cycle for authoritative assessments of Cook County judges running for retention, Our usual source, the Alliance of Bar Associations, has been very slow to publish their findings. I’m still waiting. That’s the source that “Vote for Judges” (https://www.voteforjudges.org/) uses, so they, too, have been hamstrung while early voting has begun.
Injustice Watch (https://interactives.injusticewatch.org/judicial-election-guide/2024-general/en/) has created their own guide for the November 2024 Cook County judicial retention election. I am posting the link to their site (see above) and some additional information on how to use it.
Injustice Watch tells us that 75 circuit (and subcircuit) court judges and two appellate judges are seeking retention in the Cook County court system. To be retained, a judge must receive 60% “yes” votes.
Injustice watch will report on the recommendations of the bar associations as soon as they have them, just as I will.
In the interim, the Injustice Watch list looks at retention candidates from several angles and after what they say is significant investigative reporting.
The first two candidates are the Appellate Court judges running for retention (10-year terms). They are Thomas E Hoffman and David We. Ellis. The following is drawn from Injustice Watch’s reporting..
Thomas E. Hoffman
- Age 76
- Judge since 1984 (Cook County Associate Judge)
- Elected as circuit judge, 1988
- On the Appellate Court since 1993, elected to his first term in 1994; this would be his 4th term
- In 2011 wrote opinion ruling Rahm Emanuel ineligible to run for mayor of Chicago because he had failed to retain residency in Chicago when he served as Pres. Obama’s chief of staff. Overturned three days later with a “scathing decision” from 5 of 7 Illinois Supreme Court justices. The other two concurred, but called the majority opinion “inflammatory.”
- Hoffman did not respond to Injustice Watch’s survey.
David W. Ellis
- Age 57
- Elected to appellate court 2014; this would be his 2nd term.
- One of two appellate judges in the first district who lacked prior judicial experience prior to joining the appellate court.
- Was chief counsel to Speaker Mike Madigan
- Was lead prosecutor at Illinois Senate impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich
- Is “an award-winning author of more than a dozen crime fiction novels over the past two decades, including nine co-written with bestselling author James Patterson. His most recent novel, ‘The Best Lies,’ was released this summer” according to Injustice Watch.
- Was called to testify in the “ComEd Four” trial; said he “had no involvement in political or campaign work for Madigan while working as his chief legal counsel.”
- Ellis did not respond to Injustice Watch’s survey.
Again, I refer you to the Injustice Watch site on judicial elections (https://interactives.injusticewatch.org/judicial-election-guide/2024-general/en/) for details on each of the candidates. They use a system of icons to indicate specific things about candidates. They also provide a useful glossary of terms.
Also scroll down to the section about contested elections. Injustice Watch notes that “There are five contested races for open circuit court seats — one for a countywide vacancy; three in the 12th subcircuit, which extends west from Northbrook to Inverness in the northwest suburbs; and one in the 18th subcircuit, which includes the northwest suburbs of Des Plaines, Mt. Prospect, and Elk Grove Village, and parts of Niles.” The section provides a way to choose your subcircuit to see if one of these applies to you.
Finally, they provide a way to print a report to take with you to your polling station or to have in front of you when you vote by mail.
Edmund J. McDevitt
October 8, 2024