Illinois judges have had enough of campaign attacks

Posted on October 12, 2022
Illinois judges – and judicial candidates – have had enough of campaign attacks. (WJBC file photo)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – They’re no Founding Fathers, but Illinois judges and lawyers are signing onto their own Declaration of Independence – judicial independence!

Since they really cannot campaign on issues, they want to do more to set themselves apart from the mudslinging of other races – something that’s not happening now.

“These partisan-driven agendas are designed to intimidate judges for their role as neutral arbitrators of the law,” said Illinois Appellate Justice Eileen O’Neill Burke, president of the Illinois Judges Association.

“It’s incumbent on the bar associations on an annual basis – sometimes more than once a year – to issue accurate findings” to help voters make up their own minds objectively, said Chicago Bar Association president Tim Tomasik.

https://www.isba.org/judicialevaluations

https://www.chicagobar.org/chicagobar/CBA/Vote_Judges/CBA/JEC/Judicial_Voters_Guide.aspx?hkey=e1e62dd6-d6be-4588-811a-b7360d961

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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