Tribune Endorsements: For The Appellate, Circuit Courts
From the Chicago Tribune
Let's begin by acknowledging that Illinois' system for electing judges is deeply flawed. Money and politics have an enormous influence on the courts, particularly in Cook County.
Many of the shortcomings of this system are evident on the March 18 primary ballot.
Voters have no choice in five of the 11 countywide races for Cook County Circuit Court and one of three races in the county for the Illinois Appellate Court. In those races, the Democratic Party's slated candidates are unopposed. Republicans fielded no candidates in any of the countywide races, so a win in the Democratic primary guarantees election in November.
Some candidates are highly qualified for the job, some are simply loyal Democrats, and some are quite unprepared lawyers who hope an appealing ballot name will get them a cushy job on the bench. How can voters tell them apart? Local bar groups perform an enormous public service by screening and rating judicial candidates. The Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Council of Lawyers do particularly thorough evaluations.
Those evaluations factor significantly in the Tribune's endorsements, along with information provided by the candidates and interviews we conduct with judges and attorneys who have experience with the candidates.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Tribune
Let's begin by acknowledging that Illinois' system for electing judges is deeply flawed. Money and politics have an enormous influence on the courts, particularly in Cook County.
Many of the shortcomings of this system are evident on the March 18 primary ballot.
Voters have no choice in five of the 11 countywide races for Cook County Circuit Court and one of three races in the county for the Illinois Appellate Court. In those races, the Democratic Party's slated candidates are unopposed. Republicans fielded no candidates in any of the countywide races, so a win in the Democratic primary guarantees election in November.
Some candidates are highly qualified for the job, some are simply loyal Democrats, and some are quite unprepared lawyers who hope an appealing ballot name will get them a cushy job on the bench. How can voters tell them apart? Local bar groups perform an enormous public service by screening and rating judicial candidates. The Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Council of Lawyers do particularly thorough evaluations.
Those evaluations factor significantly in the Tribune's endorsements, along with information provided by the candidates and interviews we conduct with judges and attorneys who have experience with the candidates.
Read more in our daily News Update...