John Christopher Benson
John Christopher Benson

Name: John Christopher Benson

Party: Democratic

Current residence: Chicago

Current position: John C. Benson, Attorney at Law

Past legal experience: Civil rights/criminal defense, John C. Benson, Attorney at Law, seven years; director of criminal law program, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, seven years; Cook County assistant public defender, 14 years; American Peace Corps Volunteer, Yemen Arab Republic, two years

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $9,625.00

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $45.55

Law school: DePaul University College of Law, 1989

Campaign website: johnbensonforjudge.com

Family: Nicole Felician (wife), Junior (12-year-old foster son)

Hobbies/interests: rollerblading, hiking, reading

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I have been handling complex criminal and civil cases in both state and federal court for almost 30 years. I served as a Cook County assistant public defender for 14 years, during which time I saw firsthand the injustices suffered by minorities in the criminal justice system, and the long-term consequences that family structures suffer as a result. I left the Cook County Public Defender’s Office in 2003 to become director of criminal law at Cabrini Green Legal Aid because I felt that the best way to mitigate the impact of injustice on minority groups was to focus on individual clients who were innocent of the charges or who were minimally involved in the conduct that led to the charge, and who also had strong family, community, religious, or other support systems that made it unlikely that they would return to the criminal justice system. I am the most progressive candidate running in the 8th Subcircuit and the voters there share my views regarding criminal justice reform.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I want to serve as a Cook County Circuit Court judge because I love courts, and I believe in the mission of the court system — fair, impartial adjudication of a community’s disputes. I truly enjoy engaging with lawyers who are working through complicated disputes with devotion to both compassion and cause. I admire and want to be a lifelong participant in a disciplined system that takes complex, often emotional disputes, and through the disciplined work of dedicated professionals, seeks to resolve those disputes fairly. Finally, in speaking with many members of the public during the petition process, I believe that my diverse legal background aligns with the demands and perspectives of 8th Subcircuit voters.

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

I recently served on a federal civil rights team that represented four plaintiffs who each spent more than 15 years in prison for a rape and murder they did not commit (referred to as the “Englewood Four”). Although money cannot repair the psychological and social damage the Englewood Four plaintiffs suffered and will continue to suffer throughout their lives, our team recently settled that case with the City of Chicago for almost $32 million, ensuring that the plaintiffs have the financial support needed to rebuild their lives.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

I represented a 15-year-old boy charged as an adult with attempt murder and armed robbery, which carries a potential sentence of 31 years to natural life, for shooting a man in the back several times with a rifle and taking his wallet. My client knew the identity of the real shooter, but, thinking the court was going to somehow uncover the truth and release him, he refused to disclose the shooter’s identity. I finally convinced him he wasn’t going home unless he revealed the name of the shooter, which he did, but not before suffering through a jury trial during which he urinated on himself several times because he was so afraid.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

My personal and professional experiences have helped me to develop compassion, which I believe is necessary to serve as a fair adjudicator of disputes. For example, through my representation of clients in the criminal and child welfare systems, I have come to understand that individuals with mental health conditions and their families are hit hard on multiple fronts -- They often simultaneously navigate the underfunded mental health-care system, the child welfare system, and the criminal justice system. At the same time, victims of crimes committed by the mentally ill suffer greatly. Moreover, my past work in the American Peace Corps in the Yemen Arab Republic, as an assistant Cook County public defender, and at Cabrini Green Legal Aid, have fueled my passion for a fair legal system, accessible to all.