A Beachwood Guide to the Primaries: Judging Not

Less than half of the lawyers running for Cook County Circuit Court judgeships are qualified, according to the Chicago Council of Lawyers.

Many of them, as they always do, will win seats on the bench. We have an incapable judiciary.

Our judges are even less qualified than our aldermen.

What kind of place are we living in?

[See also: A Beachwood Guide to the Primaries: Governor and Cook County President; A Beachwood Guide to the Primaries: Congress & You.]

To twist an old William F. Buckley saying, I'd rather be judged by the first 36 names in the Chicago phone book than by the 36 judicial candidates "Not Recommended" by the Chicago Bar Association.

And that's just the Cook County courts. That doesn't count the numbskulls running for, say, the Illinois Appellate Court.

Such as Cassandra Lewis, Christine Patricia Curran, and Barbara Ann Riley. All three are rated unqualified by the CBA.

[NOTE: An informed reader explains that "the CBA is part of the Bar Alliance, of which the Chicago Council of Lawyers is also a member. The Alliance coordinates the interviews of judicial candidates for the bar groups; each bar issues their own evaluations, but the interviews are coordinated by the Alliance to make it easier for all of the bars to meet with all of the (willing) candidates.]

For a more comprehensive look at judicial candidates, including those in your area, go here.

Here are the rest of the judicial candidates the CBA doesn't recommend. They are almost all Democrats.

Cook County Circuit Court (various seats)
Joanne Guillemette (D)
George Sarolas (D)
Sharon Finegan Patterson (D)
Pamela E. Hill Veal (D)
Thomas "TJ" Loftus (D)
Susan Mary Matyus (D)
Phyllis F. Ringer-Taylor (D)

Margaret Ann Carey (D) is deemed "Qualified" by the CBA, but we don't like her because she appeared in one of those O'Brien's Restaurant ads in the Sun-Times shilling for herself.

Subcircuit 1
Bonita Coleman-John (D)

Subcircuit 2A
Alzetta L. Bozeman Martin (D)
Jack L. Genius (D)
Marc M. Hamilton (D)
Carl B. Boyd (D)

Subcircuit 5
Andre Martin Thapedi (D)
Stephen Stern (D)

Subcircuit 6
Edward J. Lechowicz (D)
Roxanne L. Rochester (D)

Subcircuit 6A
Gloria Chevere (D)

Subcircuit 7A
Melanie Rose Nuby (D)
Leopold "Leo" Lastre (D)
Kenneth K. McNiel (D)

Subcircuit 10
John Joseph Pembroke (D)
David Michael Barry (D)

Subcircuit 11A
Lawrence Andolino (D)

Subcircuit 12
Michaela Nolan Ryan (R)

Subcircuit 12A
Ellen L. Flannigan (D)
Giuseppe R. "Joe" Papavero (R)
John A. Lartz (R)

Subcircuit 13
Cary J. Collins (R)
Jill C. Marisie (R)

Subcircuit 15
Daniel Patrick Brennan (D)
Mary Beth Duffy (D)
Arthur D. Sutton (D)
Angelo J. Toscas (R)

The chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party is Thomas G. Lyons, whose judicial slate makes him unqualified for his job, too.

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