How lawyers rate judicial candidates
January 28, 2010
Each year, judicial candidates are rated by the member bars of the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening 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 and are not a reflection of the candidates’ abilities as lawyers.
Candidates who do not participate in the process are found either “not qualified” or “not recommended”.
The composite rating is the percentage of positive ratings based on number of reviewing Alliance bars.
Key
HQ: Highly Qualified.
WQ: Well-Qualified.
Q: Qualified.
NQ: Not Qualified.
WQ: Well-Qualified.
Q: Qualified.
NQ: Not Qualified.
HR: Highly Recommended.
R: Recommended.
NR: Not Recommended.
NE: Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate
R: Recommended.
NR: Not Recommended.
NE: Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate
Lawyers Organizations
AABA: Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area.
BWLA: Black Women’s Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago.
CCL: Chicago Council of Lawyers.
CCBA: Cook County Bar Association.
DSL: Decalogue Society of Lawyers.
BWLA: Black Women’s Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago.
CCL: Chicago Council of Lawyers.
CCBA: Cook County Bar Association.
DSL: Decalogue Society of Lawyers.
HBA: Hellenic Bar Association.
ISBA: Illinois State Bar Association
LAGBAC: Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
PRBA: Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois
WBAI: Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
ISBA: Illinois State Bar Association
LAGBAC: Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
PRBA: Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois
WBAI: Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
| AABA | BWLA | CCL | CCBA | DSL | HBA | ISBA | LAGBAC | PRBA | WBAI | CBA | COMPOSITE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appellate Court – 1st District | ||||||||||||
| (To fill vacancy of Hon. Jill K. McNulty) | ||||||||||||
| Arnette R. Hubbard | R | R | NQ | HR | NR | R | Q | NR | Q | R | Q | 73% |
| Ellen L. Flannigan | NQ | R | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| Jim Ryan | NR | R | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| James Epstein | R | R | WQ | R | HR | R | HQ | HR | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Kathleen G. Kennedy | R | R | Q | HR | HR | R | HQ | R | Q | R | HQ | 100% |
| (To fill vacancy of the Hon. Denise M. O’Malley) | ||||||||||||
| Thomas Lee Hogan | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | HQ | R | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Pamela E. Hill Veal | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Frank Edward Gardner | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Aurelia Marie Pucinski | NR | R | NQ | NR | NR | R | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 18% |
| Don R. Sampen | Q | R | WQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| (To fill vacancy of the Hon. Leslie E. South) | ||||||||||||
| Mary Katherine Rochford | R | R | WQ | R | HR | R | Q | HR | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Sebastian T. Patti | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | HR | HQ | HR | Q | 100% |
| Kevin Rogers | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| William D. O’Neal | R | R | NQ | R | R | R | NQ | NR | Q | R | NR | 64% |
| Anthony Lynn Burrell | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| AABA | BWLA | CCL | CCBA | DSL | HBA | ISBA | LAGBAC | PRBA | WBAI | CBA | COMPOSITE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court - Cook County | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Richard B. Berland) | ||||||||||||
| William H. Hooks | Q | R | WQ | HR | HR | R | HQ | R | HQ | R | HQ | 100% |
| Deidre Baumann | Q | R | NQ | R | R | NE | NQ | NR | Q | R | NR | 55% |
| William Burnett Raines | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Philip L. Bronstein) | ||||||||||||
| Terry MacCarthy | Q | R | WQ | R | HR | R | Q | HR | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Diann Karen Marsalek | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 91% |
| Sharon Finegan Patterson | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | HQ | HR | Q | 100% |
| Thomas William Flannigan | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | HQ | R | NR | 91% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Francis J. Dolan) | ||||||||||||
| Susan Kennedy Sullivan | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Linda J. Pauel | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | Q | HR | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Kevin J. Murphy | NQ | R | NQ | R | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 18% |
| Ubi O’Neal | NQ | R | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Marsha D. Hayes) | ||||||||||||
| Raymond W. Mitchell | Q | R | Q | HR | HR | R | HQ | R | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Bonnie Carol McGrath | Q | R | NQ | NQ | NR | NE | NQ | NR | NQ | R | NR | 30% |
| Carl B. Boyd | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Daniel J. Kelley) | ||||||||||||
| John Patrick Callahan, Jr. | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Joanne F. Fehn | Q | R | NQ | NR | R | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 18% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Carol Pearce McCarthy) | ||||||||||||
| Daniel J. Gallagher | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. James P. O’Malley) | ||||||||||||
| Thomas J. Lyons II | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | Q | R | Q | HR | Q | 100% |
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Ronald C. Riley) | ||||||||||||
| Sandra G. Ramos | Q | R | NQ | R | NR | NE | Q | NR | Q | R | NR | 60% |
| Russell W. Hartigan | Q | NE | Q | R | HR | R | HQ | HR | Q | R | HQ | 100% |
| James Michael Bailey | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| John Patrick Nyhan | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Edmund Paul Michalowski | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Marvin W. Gray | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | NR | Q | R | NR | 90% |
| Tracey J. Stokes | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | HQ | 100% |
| AABA | BWLA | CCL | CCBA | DSL | HBA | ISBA | LAGBAC | PRBA | WBAI | CBA | COMPOSITE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman) | ||||||||||||
| Thaddeus L. Wilson | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Linnae Bryant | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| First Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. John O. Steele) | ||||||||||||
| Sharon Dolores Oden-Johnson | NQ | NR | NQ | R | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| Michelle Hugghis Flagg | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Jesse Outlaw | Q | R | Q | R | R | NR | Q | NR | NQ | R | NR | 64% |
| Joseph Chico | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Theodore “Ted” London | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| First Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill additional judgeship A) | ||||||||||||
| Bonita Coleman-John | NQ | R | NQ | R | NR | NE | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 20% |
| Third Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Thomas F. Carmody, Jr.) | ||||||||||||
| Allen F. Murphy | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Peter M. Kramer | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Thomas G. O’Brien | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Steven G. Watkins | Q | R | Q | R | NR | R | NQ | R | Q | NR | Q | 73% |
| Charles Francis Fitzgerald | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 91% |
| Daniela Silaides | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Third Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Daniel P. Darcy) | ||||||||||||
| Edward S. Harmening | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | HR | Q | 100% |
| James Patrick Doran | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Thomas J. Murphy | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| David J. Coleman | Q | R | WQ | R | R | R | Q | HR | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Third Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill Additional Judgeship A) | ||||||||||||
| Daniel Malone | R | R | Q | R | R | R | HQ | HR | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Ronald Joseph Hurley | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Mary McNamara | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Bernadette McNicholas | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | HR | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Pamela Cotten | Q | R | NQ | R | NR | NR | Q | NR | Q | R | NR | 55% |
| Ninth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill the vacancy of the Hon. Sandra R. Otaka) | ||||||||||||
| Abbey Fishman Romanek | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Yehuda Lebovits | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 91% |
| Geary W. Kull | Q | R | WQ | R | HR | R | Q | R | HQ | HR | HQ | 100% |
| Dennis Michael Fleming | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| AABA | BWLA | CCL | CCBA | DSL | HBA | ISBA | LAGBAC | PRBA | WBAI | CBA | COMPOSITE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill Additional Judgeship A) | ||||||||||||
| Steven James “Steve” Bernstein | Q | R | NQ | NR | R | NR | Q | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 36% |
| Michael Ian Bender | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | HR | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Jeffrey Dov Greenspan | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | HQ | R | Q | 91% |
| William Joseph Luby | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Scott Bagnall | NQ | R | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| Mary Susan Trew | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | HQ | HR | Q | HR | Q | 100% |
| Eleventh Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Barbara Ann Riley) | ||||||||||||
| Steve Fruth | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Maritza Martinez | Q | R | Q | R | NR | NR | Q | NR | Q | NR | Q | 64% |
| Ann Finley Collins | Q | R | WQ | R | HR | R | Q | R | Q | R | HQ | 100% |
| Pamela McLean Meyerson | Q | R | Q | R | HR | R | Q | HR | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| John Michael Lagattuta | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Pamela M. Leeming | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 91% |
| Thomas David Bilyk | Q | Q | NR | NR | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 73% | |
| Lisa A. Marino | Q | R | Q | R | NR | R | Q | NR | Q | R | Q | 82% |
| Eugene Joseph Berkes | Q | R | NQ | NR | R | R | Q | NR | Q | R | Q | 82% |
| Kim R. Kardas | Q | R | WQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| John W. Chwarzynski | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Fourteenth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill Additional Judgeship A) | ||||||||||||
| Daniel J. Pierce | R | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | HQ | 100% |
| AABA | BWLA | CCL | CCBA | DSL | HBA | ISBA | LAGBAC | PRBA | WBAI | CBA | COMPOSITE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fifteenth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Marcella C. Lipinski) | ||||||||||||
| Linzey D. Jones | Q | R | Q | HR | HR | R | HQ | R | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Frank James Ryan | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Pat Flanagan | Q | R | NQ | R | HR | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Nicholas W. Karas | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 0% |
| Richard G. Karwaczka | NQ | R | NQ | NR | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | NR | NR | 9% |
| Karla Marie Fiaoni | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Michael Brendan Barrett | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Joan Marie G. Kubalanza | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Fifteenth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. Thomas Paul Panichi) | ||||||||||||
| George F. Scully | R | R | Q | R | HR | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Mary Therese Quinn | Q | R | Q | R | HR | NE | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 100% |
| Michael T. Huguelet | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | 91% |
| Peter A. Fera | Q | R | NQ | R | R | R | Q | NR | Q | NE | Q | 80% |
| Fifteenth Subcircuit | ||||||||||||
| (to fill vacancy of the Hon. William Michael Phelan) | ||||||||||||
| John C. Griffin | R | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Carl Evans, Jr. | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | HQ | R | Q | 100% |
| Nichole C. Patton | Q | R | NQ | R | NR | NE | NQ | R | Q | R | NR | 55% |
| Thomas “TJ” Somer | Q | R | NQ | R | NR | NR | NQ | NR | NQ | R | Q | 45% |
| Mary Beth Kent Duffy | Q | R | Q | R | R | R | Q | R | Q | NE | NR | 91% |