Rosa Silva
Rosa Silva
Patrick D. John
Patrick D. John
Mable Taylor
Mable Taylor
Jennifer Ballard
Jennifer Ballard
Christopher J. Stuart
Christopher J. Stuart

In the days leading up to the March 15 primary election, the Daily Law Bulletin will publish responses to questionnaires sent to candidates in all contested Cook County judicial races. Campaign finance information comes from Illinois State Board of Elections reports.


Name: Patricia “Pat” S. Spratt

Age: 66

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago

Current position and employer: Cook County circuit judge (appointment effective Sept. 8, 2015)

Past legal experience: Partner, Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP (formerly Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.), 1995-2015; associate, Shefsky & Froelich, 1995-99; associate, Nisen & Elliott LLC, 1992-95; law clerk to 7th Circuit Judge William J. Bauer, 1991-92.

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $90,570.16

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $57,945.65

Chicago Bar Association finding: Qualified

Law school: Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 1991.

Campaign website: sprattforjudge.com

Family: Husband, William J. Bauer

Hobbies/interests: Reading, knitting, gardening, performing volunteer services at BUILD Chicago and performing volunteer services at PAWS Chicago.

Have you ever run for office before?

Yes. I was a candidate in the March 2014 Democratic primary for the Neville vacancy in the Cook County Circuit Court.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

Having spent 22 years working in the courts before becoming a lawyer and 24 years since focusing on complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, I am the candidate to fill the Rivkin-Carothers vacancy with the most experience in the legal system and the only candidate with judicial experience.

From my collective 46 years of experience, I have developed all of the professional skills required of a good judge, i.e., active listening, identifying relevant facts, finding the applicable law, formulating and writing a well-reasoned argument or decision based on the law as applied to the facts of the case.

Those same 46 years of experience, which exposed me to extraordinary people who have nurtured and guided my own personal and professional development, provided me with the human qualities desirable in a good judge, i.e., the ability to reach a fair and just decision with respect and dignity toward the process and its participants.

Along the way, I have earned the respect of my colleagues, opposing counsel and judges before whom I have appeared. This respect has earned me the highest bar ratings of any candidate for the Rivkin-Carothers vacancy.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I am a judge — on Sept. 8, 2015, I was sworn in by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Freeman as a Cook County circuit judge. Every day I am mindful of the lessons I learned working in the courts, which lessons caused me to set my goals high and to continually contribute more in aid of the equal application of the law across all sectors of society.

To that end I have contributed to the education of members of the legal profession on a number of Continuing Legal Education panels; have contributed to the education of law students as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law; have contributed to the education of high school students as the attorney-coach for a high school team for eight years in the annual Chicago Coalition for Law Related Education Mock Trial Competition; have contributed pro bono legal services for PAWS Chicago Inc.; and, most importantly, have contributed many volunteer hours working with young people on the West Side of Chicago at BUILD Chicago Inc. to aid in their achievement of their educational and career goals.

Now, as a judge (a job I would very much like to keep), I am in a position to contribute more to society directly and positively by treating all who appear before me with dignity and respect and reaching a decision based both on the law and on common sense.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

Sooner or later, every lawyer becomes vested in every case on which she works, so it is most difficult to weigh one case against another to arrive at one that was the most interesting. The case I handled that presented the most interesting legal issues was one that involved a dispute between adjacent commercial landowners regarding ownership of an abandoned railroad right of way that bisected our client’s property and over which our client claimed three prescriptive easements.

Two legal issues in the case that proved to be personally very interesting were (1) the interpretation of an 1880 grant of a 30-foot strip of land for use by a railroad for the benefit of adjacent landowners in the Chicago Central Manufacturing District; and (2) whether under the facts, our client established all of the elements required to be entitled to a declaration that it possessed the three prescriptive easements alleged.

I handled the case from the day the client first walked through my door until, through the favorable judgment at trial, and through the favorable opinion of the 1st District Appellate Court affirming the trial court’s judgment in favor of my client.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

Being appointed a judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County by the Illinois Supreme Court is my life’s greatest accomplishment. My greatest career accomplishment as a practicing lawyer was as a member of the legal team that defended the city of Chicago against a lawsuit brought by a local builder’s association challenging the city’s minority and women business enterprise ordinance as in violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

I met individually with a large number of minority and women business owners to obtain from them anecdotal evidence of existing discrimination that proved barriers to their ability to compete in the local construction industry for municipal construction contracts.

It was that evidence that convinced the trial judge that widespread discriminatory practices continued in the Chicago area, which practices required remediation through a minority and women business enterprise ordinance that was narrowly tailored to address that discrimination.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

As stated above, I possess all of the skills that are present in the very best judges. I also possess certain human qualities, qualities I was exposed to early in life as exhibited by my parents, who were highly intelligent, open-minded persons possessed of a strong sense of equality and fairness who freely dispensed practical wisdom to guide their children’s development.

Once in the workforce, my exposure to those very same human qualities continued as I worked (while I completed my education at night) for a judge whose unfailing ability to reach a decision that is legally sound, inherently fair, often humorous, but always devoid of sharp or unkind remarks, was a unique learning experience. Exposure to all of these extraordinary persons — who served as role models and mentors — has instilled in me all of those same qualities, which I have brought with me to the bench.

 


 

Name: Christopher J. Stuart

Age: 55

Party: Democratic

Current residence: River Forest

Current position: Managing partner, Law Offices of Christopher J. Stuart

Past legal experience with years of each job: Law Office of Christopher J. Stuart, 2009-present; Korein, Tillery LLC, 2015; Wexler, Wallace LLP, 2007-09; Epiq Systems, 2006-07; Much, Shelist, Freed, Denenberg, Ament & Rubenstein P.C., 1987-2006; Lawrence, Kamin, Saunders & Uhlenhop P.C., 1985-87

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $3,700

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $4,180.11

Chicago Bar Association finding: Qualified

Law school, year graduated: University of Illinois College of Law, 1985

Campaign website: ElectStuart.com

Family: Married, 19 years

Hobbies/interests: History, hiking, camping, my work for Housing Forward (formerly PADS), an organization that provides temporary housing and transitioning assistance to the homeless. And, of course, my two dogs and parakeet.

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

My 30 years as a trial lawyer makes me the most experienced candidate in this race. A legal career dedicated to fighting abuse of power and representing people often denied access to court.

My trial and litigation experience covers almost every area of law, antitrust, banking, bankruptcy, consumer rights, contracts, labor rights, financial fraud, insurance, real estate, securities fraud and, yes, even traffic court.

Every judicial candidate claims they will be fair and work to serve the people of Cook County; I back this with a legal career that has done just that.

Why do you want to be a judge?

First, the defining quality of my work has been its judicial temperament, a willingness to recognize and understand arguments available to each side.

After 30 years, I want to use that temperament on the bench to make the correct ruling rather than the one I’m hired to argue.

Second, I’ve been privileged to appear before some truly exemplary judges, judges who excelled in their demeanor, management and work ethic and demanded the same from the lawyers who appeared before them. They made me a better lawyer. I aspire to the same type of courtroom.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

The one that concluded just before I began this campaign. I was a member of a trial lawyer team who represented a federal agency to recover money lost by this nation’s credit unions during the 2008 mortgage and financial crisis.

The case was enormous in scope, demanded knowledge and use of almost every civil procedure and evidentiary rule there is and an in-depth knowledge of this country’s mortgage markets. We recovered $1.75 billion for the American taxpayer from some of the world’s largest investment banks.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

A case I tried early in my career: My co-counsel and I were brought into a financial fraud case that was already behind the eight ball when we took over. We represented 4,000 mostly retired investors who had lost much of their savings in an alleged Ponzi scheme.

The substantive areas of law in that one case required knowledge of anti-corruption, bank regulation, bankruptcy, corporate finance, employment, equipment leasing, contracts, insurance, probate, real estate, securities, and, finally, alternative dispute resolution.

The case was hard-fought and required several trips to an appeals court, but we recovered a substantial portion of the money lost. It’s very satisfying to salvage retirements that many thought were gone.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

The judges I mentioned above each embodied a simple judicial philosophy: Provide every person a full and impartial hearing, treat them with respect and let them know their grievance has been heard by someone who has taken the time to learn the facts and apply the law accordingly.

I pledge to follow this philosophy, to make my courtroom accessible to everyone and demand that attorneys use the intelligence and work ethic that brought them to the law in the first place. Judges and attorneys are in the court room to serve both the law and the public.

 


 

Name: Jennifer Ballard

Age: 33

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago

Current position: Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Past legal experience: Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, 2008-present

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $26,773.60

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $3,951.84

Chicago Bar Association finding: Did not participate in evaluation process, automatically considered “Not Recommended.”

Law school: Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2008

Campaign website: jenniferballardforjudge.com

Family: Husband Cory A. Croft, dog Keyser (a 6-year-old boxer)

Hobbies/interests: Photography, boxing, conditioning, yoga

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

My supporters recognize that our system of jurisprudence is founded on well-defined principles, but it is also human and must be responsive to changing ideas and a changing world.

Courts touch people’s lives in many different and fundamental ways: liberty, employment, property, marriage, personal injury, etc., so it is imperative that the judiciary is as dynamic and diverse as our communities.

I have the litigation experience, discernment and temperament to serve in the capacity of judge. In addition, my personal experiences and background have given me a balanced perspective on many different walks of life so that I am well-equipped to ensure that the courtroom is a fair and neutral forum in which to resolve disputes.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I have always aspired to be a judge because judges are essential to an effective democratic government and society. Judges lead a legal system that sets us apart from other countries — one that values equality and fair treatment and protects the rights of political, religious and ethnic minorities. Becoming a judge to me is a continuation of my commitment to the law and my commitment to serve the community.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

I pride myself on being one of the first attorneys in my firm to explore the impact of social media within the employment text. For years there was not well-defined guidance for employers on this issue. I took it upon myself to become the “social media expert” at my firm and I have closely monitored, authored articles, given presentations and advised my clients on the rapidly changing legal developments in this area.

I find it tremendously rewarding and intellectually stimulating to be at the forefront of the discussion of social media law as it relates not only to employees’ rights guaranteed by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, but also intellectual property, confidentiality and ethics considerations.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

I am very proud of all of my work, including significant trial and dispositive motion victories, but I am particularly proud of my efforts to avoid a labor strike and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that was a turning point with respect to the de-escalation of a historically contentious relationship between the employer and union leaders. The success of that contract negotiation has resulted in a more respectful, enjoyable and productive work environment.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I will bring fairness, impartiality and the highest ethical standards to the bench so that all parties, whether plaintiffs or defendants, represented or pro se, will have equal opportunity to have their day in court.

I am committed to never losing sight of the fact that no matter how big or small the controversy, the rulings rendered in the courtroom are monumental and life-altering to the parties.

To that end, I will fully consider all arguments brought before me and carefully explain the basis for my decisions. I am also committed to implementing consistent and efficient courtroom processes and procedures.

 


 

Name: Mable Taylor

Age: 65

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago

Current position and employer: Self-employed

Past legal experience: I have more than 40 years of civil and criminal legal experience, including 21 years in private practice, 19 years as an arbitrator for the Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program, six years as a law editor at a well-respected publishing house and 13 years as an adjunct professor and volunteer attorney.

I have also worked on several community boards and participated in several nonprofit organizations. In addition, I have spent numerous years championing civil rights causes, including equal rights for members of the LGBT community and justice for all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Moreover, I have a vast experience working alone and in a team environment with other attorneys.

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: No recent reports filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: No recent reports filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Chicago Bar Association finding: Did not participate in evaluation process, automatically considered “Not Recommended.”

Law school, year graduated: DePaul University College of Law, 1975.

Campaign website: mabletaylor4judge.com

Family: Four adult children: Three sons and one daughter

Hobbies/interests: Photography, karate, playing the guitar, sewing, cooking and interior decorating.

Have you ever run for office before?

Yes, I ran for judge and state representative.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I believe that voters should support my candidacy for circuit judge not solely because of my advanced education, diverse legal experience or deep understanding and respect for the law; rather I believe they should support my quest to become Cook County’s 7th Judicial Subcircuit judge because of my strong sense of justice and fairness and my rational, non-biased view of the world.

One of my strongest assets is that I can be trusted, without a doubt, to follow the law and protect the citizens of Cook County, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. My goal is to use my values of integrity, improvement and impartiality to secure justice for Cook County’s citizens.

In fact, during my last two decades as a private-practice attorney, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that Cook County’s residents receive the rights and freedoms they are entitled to as American citizens.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I want to be a judge because I feel that I have amassed the diverse legal experience and judicial characteristics, traits and skills needed to become a highly effective jurist.

Although I have run for circuit judge in the past, I strongly believe that I am more equipped than ever to handle the new and challenging responsibilities of becoming Cook County’s next circuit judge. In fact, I welcome the opportunity, as a Cook County judge, to ensure the integrity and impartiality of our judiciary system.

I find the new changes that have been implemented, over the last few years, to improve the judicial process in Cook County inspiring. I want to be a part of these innovative changes, so that is why I want to be Cook County’s next circuit court judge.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

The most interesting case I’ve handled as a lawyer is the Crane High School murder case, involving a 15-year-old who had been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of an 18-year-old male. The victim was gunned down outside the school. I represented the defendant, a 15-year-old boy with no prior record. This case highlighted the ever-increasing violence and gang activity that is slowly destroying Cook Country’s youth.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

My greatest career accomplishment does not solely consist of one case or moment in time; rather my greatest career accomplishment consists of numerous occasions, where I have been able to help those, who desperately needed my representation.

I am most grateful for my law degree, which has provided me with an opportunity to be a devoted public servant, whose primary goal is to help people, who cannot afford legal counsel.

My law degree has also given me an opportunity to work with the Chicago Legal Advocacy program, helping incarcerated mothers at the Cook County Jail better understand the law. In addition, I have been able to work with the First Defense 24-Hour Legal Assistance Program to ensure that the constitutional rights of those in jail on felony charges are respected.

Moreover, without my law degree and the diverse experiences I have been afforded, I would not have been able to become a volunteer at the Foreclosure Mediation Program, helping people obtain mortgage modifications or Dorothy A. Brown‘s Expungement Summit helping people expunge their records.

So, in summary, some of my greatest career accomplishments include helping those who needed legal counsel, providing a legal internship for senior law students and volunteering to judge moot trial and moot court competitions.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

Aside from my 40 years of legal experience, 21 of which have been in private practice, 19 of which have been as an arbitrator and adjunct professor, the judicial qualities that I would bring to the bench include: a sound intellect, a tolerance that comes from maturity and diverse experiences, a keen analytical ability, fairness, patience, impartiality, the ability to make wise decisions, exemplary organizational skills, sensitivity to the needs of others, a caring demeanor and the ability to actively listen.

I possess both a wisdom and “balance,” which I believe are qualities that are essential for an effective judge. In addition, my personal experiences as a parent, daughter, community participant, congregational member, friend and advocate have given me the patience and understanding needed to listen to and really understand and appreciate the challenges that people face.

I am a consummate researcher, who consistently stays abreast of new developments in the legal field, which is an essential skill for a successful judge.

 


 

Name: Patrick D. John

Age: 47

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago (Austin neighborhood)

Legal Experience: The Barclay Law Group, eight years; Evans, Loewenstein, Shimanovsky & Moscardini Ltd., nine years

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $10,641

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $10,390

Chicago Bar Association finding: Did not participate in evaluation process, automatically considered “Not Recommended.”

Law school: IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1997.

Campaign website: Facebook page is facebook.com/Patrick-D-John-For-Judge-637398006412410

Family: Married

Hobbies/Interest: Jazz and good movies

Have you ever run for office before?

This is my first time running for judge, however, I ran for ward committeeman in 2012.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

In addition to my 17 years of legal experience representing mostly working-class people, I would bring an uncommon appreciation for racial and cultural diversity to the bench.

I’m originally from Guyana in South America, a nation of incredible racial and religious diversity. Guyana celebrates the major holidays of Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Most of Guyana is East Indian and black, yet Guyana’s past presidents have included an Asian and a white Jewish woman from Chicago — Janet Jagan.

Additionally, I’m a military veteran (seven years in the Coast Guard, where one of my duties was to serve as my unit’s civil rights officer), and the military has ironically been better at providing equal opportunity to its members that the larger civilian society.

I received my undergrad degree from the City College of New York (Gen. Colin Powell’s alma mater) in urban legal studies — a major whose focus was teaching the ways the law can be used to help minority communities. Cook County is sorely in need of judges who can understand the reality of various forms of discrimination and manage diversity. My formal education, military experience and immigrant experience have prepared me well to do just that.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I would like to be a judge because I would like to have the ability to facilitate justice being served. As an attorney, I must take the positions that my clients want me to take, regardless of the position’s merit or efficacy. As a judge, I would be bound by the law, but not by any particular litigant’s obstinacy.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

I can’t say that any single case was the most interesting, but one of the most interesting cases I handled involved vacating a divorce. My client, the ex-wife, obtained a divorce from her estranged husband whom she hadn’t seen or talked to for many years and with whom she had no children. She obtained her divorce through notice by publication. A few years later she learned that her ex-husband was dead at the time the divorce judgment was entered. The divorce made her ineligible to receive survivor benefits from his employer. I vacated the divorce so she could get survivor benefits, i.e. a pension.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

There are several cases that I feel proud of because I was able to help clients who were in desperate need of legal help. Family law is my single largest practice area, but I’ve also done Social Security disability cases. It’s been very rewarding to help disabled clients get Social Security disability benefits after an initial denial.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I think the good qualities I bring to the bench are: intellectual integrity/honesty, patience, introspection and a willingness to do what I think the law requires even if I personally disagree with the outcome.

 


 

Name: Rosa Silva

Age: 43

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago

Current position and employer: Cook County assistant public defender assigned to the homicide task division

Past legal experience with years of each job: Cook County Public Defender’s office, 2003-present; Will County Public Defender’s office, 2002-03; Villalobos & Associates, 2001-02

Campaign funds available,July 1 to Dec. 31: $9,399.85

Campaign funds spent,July 1 to Dec. 31: $5,441.07

Chicago Bar Association finding: Qualified

Law school: IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2001

Campaign website: silvaforjudge.com

Family: Husband, 45; Daughter, 2

Hobbies/interests: Photography

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I am a candidate that has spent her legal career in a courtroom representing hundreds of individuals from diverse backgrounds. As an attorney who has appeared before many judges, I am highly familiar with how an efficient courtroom is run and the type of difficult decisions a judge must face on a daily basis.

I will treat all parties that appear in front of the court equally and with respect. I have been found qualified or recommended by the bar associations. Along with my duties to my job and clients, I have still found time to be active in the legal community and the community as a whole and will continue to do so as a judge.

Why do you want to be a judge?

To make a difference in people’s lives, to deliver justice and to make sure individuals leave court feeling that they were treated equally and with dignity and respect. I will strive to always remain cognizant that this is not just another routine court date. On the contrary, for many it’s their right to drive, their right to be compensated for their injuries or the right to be free.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

I have a former client who calls me every year to thank me and to share updates of his life. He was charged with a Class X felony in which he faced six to 30 years in prison. Extensive investigation into my client’s version of events, his family, the complaining witnesses and the police reports were done. A great deal of legal research was also done on issues which presented themselves in the case.

After many months, the case went to trial and due to the investigative work and analysis that I did, my client was found not guilty of all the charges. My client and his family were very grateful. Making a difference in a person’s life is what makes me proud of my work.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

When I was promoted to the highest department in my office, homicide task force. This is a specialized division of the Cook County Public Defender’s office. Lawyers in this division represent indigent people who are accused of first-degree murder.

Lawyers in this division are promoted based on their experience, trial skills, education and training. Clients are represented by attorneys in this division from the beginning of the case at the indictment stage through any post-trial motions, that may take place.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I will bring extensive experience in complex legal issues and extensive courtroom experience to the bench. We need judges who are qualified, unbiased and committed to reviewing the law carefully.

Furthermore, I possess other qualities which make for a good judge. In my personal and professional life, I am a careful listener. I research and look at all perspectives before making a decision. I am careful not to rush to judgments or allow emotions to interfere with making the most rational, unbiased decisions.