Legal groups make judicial recommendations

by Trudy Ring

Following are the ratings and endorsements in Cook County judicial races by a variety of groups, including the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Chicago Council of Lawyers (CCL), Cook County Bar Association (CCBA), Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC), Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), IMPACT and Personal PAC. Some candidates have been endorsed by other groups as well.

Candidates are unopposed Democrats unless otherwise noted. Retention candidates are not listed under a party. Some organizations endorse or give ratings only in contested races, or only for retentions.

Appellate Court, 1st Judicial Circuit

Manning vacancy: Patrick J. Quinn, rated qualified by CBA.

McCormick vacancy: Anne M. Burke, rated qualified by CBA; recommended by CCBA; highly recommended by WBAI; endorsed by IMPACT.

Scariano vacancy: Leslie Elaine South, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI.

Cook County Circuit Court

Arkiss vacancy: Gay-Lloyd Lott, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI.

Ashman vacancy: Openly gay candidate Sebastian T. Patti, rated qualified by CBA; recommended by CCBA; highly recommended by WBAI; endorsed by IMPACT, Personal PAC, Victory Fund, The Committee.

Bieschke vacancy: Democrat-Kathleen M. McGury, rated qualified by CBA and ISBA and endorsed by IMPACT; Republican-Richard C. Moenning, not recommended by CBA or ISBA; both recommended by WBAI.

Bosco vacancy: James P. O'Malley, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Cawley vacancy: Diane Gordon Cannon, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI.

Comerford vacancy: Democrat-Lynn Marie Egan, rated qualified by CBA, well qualified by ISBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; Republican-Roy Pechous, rated qualified by CBA and ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by Personal PAC, but not recommended by CCBA.

Crilly vacancy: Carol Pearce McCarthy, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI; not recommended by CCBA.

Hoffman vacancy: Shelley Lynn Sutker-Dermer, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT and Personal PAC.

Kowalski vacancy: Mary Ellen Coghlan, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA, highly recommended by WBAI.

Sbarboro vacancy: Republican-Charles M. Travis, not recommended by CBA or ISBA, but recommended by CCBA and WBAI and endorsed by IMPACT and Personal PAC.

Stein vacancy: Michele Francene Lowrance, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Theis vacancy: Evelyn B. Clay, not recommended by CBA, but recommended by WBAI and endorsed by IMPACT.

Zafiratos vacancy: Barbara Ann McDonald, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI; not recommended by CCBA.

1ST SUBCIRCUIT, judgeship A: Sharon Johnson Coleman, not recommended by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Wilbur E. Crooks, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA; C: Vanessa A. Hopkins, not recommended by CBA or CCBA.

2ND SUBCIRCUIT, A: James L. Rhodes, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA, endorsed by IMPACT and Personal PAC; B: Marjorie C. Laws, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI.

3RD SUBCIRCUIT, A: Daniel P. Darcy, B: David Riley Donnersberger, C: Kenneth J. Wadas, all rated qualified by CBA and recommended by CCBA; Donnersberger also rated highly qualified by WBAI.

4TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Democrat-James K. Jenks II, not recommended by CBA, CCL, CCBA or ISBA, and Republican-James J. Gavin, not recommended by CBA or ISBA, rated not qualified by CCL, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Democrat-Bettina R. Gembala, not recommended by CBA, CCL, CCBA or ISBA, Republican-James Gerard Riley, rated qualified by CBA, CCL and ISBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; C: Democrat-Mary A. Mulhern, and Republican-Susan Marie Coleman, both rated qualified by CBA, CCL and ISBA, recommended by WBAI; Coleman also recommended by CCBA.

5TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Jane Louise Stuart, not recommended by CBA, recommended by CCBA; B: Rickey Jones, not recommended by CBA or CCBA; C: Shelli D. Williams, not recommended by CBA, recommended by CCBA.

6TH SUBCIRCUIT: A: James J. Jorzak, not recommended by CBA or CCBA; B: Edmund Ponce de Leon, not recommended by CBA, recommended by CCBA.

7TH SUBCIRCUIT: A: Patricia M. Martin, B: Cheryl Hilliard, both not recommended by CBA or CCBA; Hilliard recommended by WBAI, endorsed by Personal PAC.

8TH SUBCIRCUIT: A: Nancy Drew Sheehan, not recommended by CBA or CCBA; B: Candace Jean Fabri, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by Personal PAC; C: John J. Fleming, qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA, WBAI.

9TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Judith Cohen, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA, highly recommended by WBAI; B: Andrew Berman, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT and Personal PAC; C: Gerald Bender, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI, not recommended by CCBA.

10TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Gregory J. Wojkowski, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Donald J. Suriano, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI.

11TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Kathleen G. Kennedy, not recommended by CBA or CCBA, but endorsed by IMPACT; B: Barbara Ann Riley, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI, not recommended by CCBA.

12TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Donald M. Devlin, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Veronica B. Mathein, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by WBAI, not recommended by CCBA; both Republicans.

13TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: James T. Ryan, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Edward Pietrucha, rated qualified by CBA, not recommended by CCBA; C: Clayton J. Crane, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA; all Republicans.

14TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: William G. Lacy, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA; B: Adrienne Geary, not recommended by CBA or CCBA; C: Rudy Garcia, rated qualified by CBA, recommended by CCBA.

15TH SUBCIRCUIT, A: Democrat Frank C. Zelezinski and Republican Lou Panici, both rated qualified by CBA, CCL and ISBA, Zelezinksi also recommended by CCBA and WBAI; B: Democrat Reginald H. Baker, rated well qualified by ISBA, qualified by CBA and CCL, recommended by CCBA, endorsed by Personal PAC; Republican David P. Sterba, rated qualified by CBA, CCL and ISBA, recommended by CCBA.

Retention candidates

All retention candidates were recommended by the Cook County Bar Association, and all except Judy Mitchell-Davis found qualified by the Chicago Bar Association. Mitchell-Davis was not recommended by the Chicago group. Chicago Council of Lawyers recommended the retention of all judges but Mitchell-Davis, David Cerda, Glynn Elliott Jr. and Willie Whiting.

LAGBAC rated candidates highly sensitive, sensitive or receptive to gay and lesbian concerns; certain judges did not participate in LAGBAC's survey or provided insufficient information. That group's and others' ratings and endorsements follow.

Peter Bakakos: rated receptive by LAGBAC, well qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI.

Robert Boharic: rated receptive by LAGBAC, found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Philip Bronstein: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Henry Budzinski: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

David Cerda: found well qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI; did not do LAGBAC survey.

Loretta Douglas: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Thomas Durkin: rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Glynn Elliott Jr.: found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, provided insufficient information to LAGBAC.

Richard Elrod: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Thomas Flanagan: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

James Flannery Jr.: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Michael Gallagher: rated receptive by LAGBAC, found exceptionally well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI.

Francis Glowacki: did not participate in LAGBAC survey, found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI.

Leonard Grazian: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

James Heyda: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

John Hourihane: rated receptive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Michael Jordan: rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Themis Karnezis: rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Daniel Kelley: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Leonard Levin: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Daniel Lynch: rated receptive by LAGBAC, found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Margaret Stanton McBride: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Judy Mitchell-Davis: not recommended by WBAI, but rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found qualified by ISBA, endorsed by IMPACT.

Anthony Montelione: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found exceptionally well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI.

Donald O'Connell (chief judge, Cook County Circuit Court): rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found exceptionally well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

William Prendergast: rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Frank Siracusa: rated sensitive by LAGBAC, found well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Harold Sullivan: found exceptionally well qualified by ISBA, WBAI evaluation pending; did not participate in LAGBAC survey.

Michael Toomin: rated highly sensitive by LAGBAC, found exceptionally well qualified by ISBA, highly recommended by WBAI, endorsed by IMPACT.

Willie Whiting: found qualified by ISBA, recommended by WBAI; did not participate in LAGBAC survey.