From the Belleville News-Democrat
One St. Clair County associate judge and five Madison County associate judges will be looking for new jobs come July 1.
The circuit judges who vote on whether to keep associate judges have voted out Laninya Cason, who serves on the bench in St. Clair County, and the following judges who serve in Madison County: Duane Bailey, Ben Beyers, Donald Flack, David Grounds and Elizabeth Levy.
Bailey and Beyers are the only two African-American judges on the bench in the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which is composed of Bond and Madison Counties.
Cason also is African-American. She’s the only associate judge who was not retained in the 20th Judicial Circuit, which covers St. Clair County. In recent years, Cason switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
Cason received a dismal score in the latest Illinois State Bar Association poll, a 45.83, in the overall category of “meets requirements of office.” In a recent interview, Cason said the poll of attorneys is a poor measure of a judge’s performance, and suggested that her party switch could be one factor for her score.
“I have been honored and blessed to have served the residents of St. Clair County with honor and integrity for 12 years,” Cason said Thursday. “My first priority has always been to be fair and impartial to the public I serve.”
One St. Clair County associate judge and five Madison County associate judges will be looking for new jobs come July 1.
The circuit judges who vote on whether to keep associate judges have voted out Laninya Cason, who serves on the bench in St. Clair County, and the following judges who serve in Madison County: Duane Bailey, Ben Beyers, Donald Flack, David Grounds and Elizabeth Levy.
Bailey and Beyers are the only two African-American judges on the bench in the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which is composed of Bond and Madison Counties.
Cason also is African-American. She’s the only associate judge who was not retained in the 20th Judicial Circuit, which covers St. Clair County. In recent years, Cason switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
Cason received a dismal score in the latest Illinois State Bar Association poll, a 45.83, in the overall category of “meets requirements of office.” In a recent interview, Cason said the poll of attorneys is a poor measure of a judge’s performance, and suggested that her party switch could be one factor for her score.
“I have been honored and blessed to have served the residents of St. Clair County with honor and integrity for 12 years,” Cason said Thursday. “My first priority has always been to be fair and impartial to the public I serve.”