Cristin Keely McDonald Duffy
Name: Cristin Keely McDonald Duffy
Age (as of Election Day): 49
Current residence: River Forest
Current position: Deputy supervisor, Real Estate Tax Division, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, 2010-present
Past legal experience: Assistant state’s attorney, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, 1996-2010; law clerk, Corboy & Demetrio, 1993-96
Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $83,452.80
Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $62,769.33
Law school: Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 1995
Campaign website: duffyforjudge2020.com
Family: Married, three children
Hobbies/interests: Spend time with family and pets, workout, travel, cook and volunteer
Have you ever run for office before?
Yes. (Ran for village board in Roscoe Village in 1996, served for four years.)
Why should voters support your candidacy?
I’ve always wanted to be a judge in Cook County. Unlike my opponents, I have a variety of experience and considerably more trial experience than my opponents. I also have the legal knowledge to be a criminal or civil judge.
I spent my whole career advocating for people in Cook County and I would continue to support them on the bench. I also have higher bar ratings than either of my opponents.
Why do you want to be a judge?
I’ve loved my career being an assistant state’s attorney, having 14 years of criminal and nine years of civil experience. But, I’m ready to further my public service by joining the judiciary.
I’m a person who prides themselves in keeping calm in tense court proceedings, and I believe that’s something we need in our judiciary.
What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?
I’ve been very lucky to handle a lot of interesting cases, such as taxes that weren’t being paid by groups or ones that weren’t previously looked for. We brought an amusement tax against the Chicago Bears.
After the Bears, appealed I wrote our appellate brief and handled the appellate case. I also recently argued a case in the appellate court, Kelly v. Village of Kenilworth.
What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?
I like being in charge of the training of all of our new assistant state’s attorneys. I also have been lucky to have such a wide variety of experiences in my career.
What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?
I think I have a wide variety of legal knowledge. I am a fair person and am known to have an even temperament. I am empathetic and sympathetic and will give everyone their day in court and be fair and impartial.