Jamie Guerra Dickler

Name: Jamie Guerra Dickler

Age (as of Election Day): 41

Party: Democratic

Residence: Ukrainian Village

Current position: Cook County assistant state’s attorney, first chair Felony Trial Division

Past legal experience: Cook County state’s attorney’s office, Felony Trial Division, 2013-present; Preliminary Hearings and Grand Jury Sex Homicide Unit, 2012-13; Felony Review Unit, 2010-12; Misdemeanor and Domestic Violence Unit 2005-10; judicial extern, U.S. District Judge Wayne R. Anderson, 2005

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $78,190

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $37,830.93

Law school: DePaul University College of Law, 2005

Campaign website: jamieguerradickler.com

Family: N/A

Hobbies/interests: Making jewelry, participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters and serving on the junior board of The Chicago Lighthouse

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I have a lot of experience from my time in the state’s attorney’s office; and in that time I’ve been able to hone my legal skills, and I’ve had the opportunity to observe many judges as I’ve been in a courtroom nearly every day.

The judges that I’ve respected the most have been even-keeled and maintained their composure no matter what’s happening in the courtroom. In that vein, I treat everyone with respect and I always follow the law, which both are so important for judges to do from the bench.

When I was in law school, I tried to figure out how I could best give back, and I thought that working for the state’s attorney’s office could really give me that opportunity so I could ensure that victims who often don’t have a voice are heard. I’m also in this position to ensure defendants’ rights are protected and everyone is treated fairly.

Since I was a child, I’ve been dedicated to public service and giving back. I’ve lived out of the country, in Mexico, twice. I did a private-sector Peace Corps program when I was in high school. I was teaching people how to treat and prevent diseases and building latrines in the middle of nowhere.

I come from a family of immigrants. Both sets of my grandparents came to this country with not much more than the shirts on their backs. Their experiences really showed me the importance of hard work and giving back to the community, which is what I’ve tried to do my whole life.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I think that is a way to progress all of the public service that I’ve done for my whole life. I think the administration of justice is critical to our society, and I have that skill set to administer justice fairly.

While I’ve been an assistant state’s attorney, I’ve had the opportunity to weigh and evaluate evidence. I really think that my experience and qualifications as an assistant state’s attorney have given me the ability to act fairly and calmly and these are the qualities I most admire in the judges I’ve appeared before.

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

One of the cases that has always stood out in my head is fairly early in my career when I was assigned to the domestic violence unit.

The police charged the defendant with a misdemeanor case instead of felony sexual assault. When I got the case, I read the facts and I thought I could prove the case; and I did not think it was appropriately charged — I thought there could be some sexual abuse charge with it.

I was able to find a charge of sexual exploitation of a child, and I added that complaint to the case. In addition to domestic battery, there was a sexual exploitation of a child, and I was able to secure a verdict of guilty on all charges.

I still think about that little girl. For years afterward I was checking in with the family. At the end of the case, I was pleased that we were able to get justice for the little girl who was abused.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

Becoming a first chair in the Felony Trial Division. I really worked hard to hone all of my skills, and my supervisor saw that and I was promoted, starting from misdemeanor all the way up to first chair.

I am now in charge of managing a courtroom, making offers or deciding whether to proceed with a case at all. I’m also in charge of training new attorneys and law clerks.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I will be calm and I will always show respect to everyone. I think that when people go into the courtroom, it’s the worst day of somebody’s life.

I think that the sign of a good judge is when even the party that loses the hearing realizes that they have received a fair hearing, and that’s accomplished through showing respect to everybody, following the law and acting calmly during any court hearing.