Who Ruled that Rahm Couldn’t Run?
Whenever big political decisions come before little known judges, all eyes are on the bench. Since 1970, the Chicago Council for Lawyers (Chicago Appleseed’s partner organization), has been reviewing the performance of judges serving on Cook County Circuit Courts, as well as 1st District Candidates for the Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supreme Court. The purpose is offer an unbiased opinion to Illinois voters as to a the qualification of those judges seeking retention on the court. Here is the complete 2009 Directory of State Judges (pdf) , which includes all Chicago Council evaluations. The directory, along with additional materials, can also be found at the Chicago Council of Lawyers’ website.
On Monday, January 25, an Illinois Appellate Court, comprised of Judges Bertina Lampkin, Shelvin Hall, and Thomas Hoffman, ruled that Rahm Emmanuel did not meet the residency requirements of a Chicago mayoral candidate, and thus was ineligible to run in the upcoming election. Who are these judges? Various publications have addressed that question. Additional answers may be found in the following excerpts from each judge’s Chicago Council of Lawyers evaluation.
Bertina Lampkin
Hon. Bertina Lampkin was elected to the Circuit Court in 1992. Judges Lampkin is considered to have good legal ability and is reported to be an exceptionally hard-working jurist. Prior to joining the Appellate court, her written materials included approximately 100 opinions from cases she heard at the courthouse at 26th Street and California, including findings on post-conviction petitions and motions to quash and suppress. Additionally, she has been on the Supreme Court criminal pattern jury instructions committee for fifteen years, the last five as chair of the committee. She has taught in the area of death penalty litigation, as well as the new judge classes and she has written practice guides for new judges. Judge Lampkin has demonstrated that she meets the higher standards that the Council uses in evaluating candidates for the Appellate Court. The Council finds Judge Lampkin Qualified for the Appellate Court.
Shelvin Hall
Judge Shelvin Hall was appointed to the Appellate Court in 1999, and presently sits in the First District, First Division. She was appointed as a Circuit Court Judge in 1991 and served in the Domestic Relations and Law Divisions of the Circuit Court. Prior to her election to the bench, Justice Hall was an attorney and General Counsel with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Judge Shelvin Hall is considered to be a diligent, hard-working Appellate Court judge with a very good temperament. She is exceptionally active in community affairs. Most lawyers say that she is active in oral argument and that her written decisions are well-reasoned. There are some lawyers who question the clarity and consistency of her rulings. On balance the Council finds her Qualified for the Appellate Court.
Thomas E. Hoffman
Thomas E. Hoffman was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in January 1993 to sit on the Illinois Appellate Court. He first took the bench as an Associate Judge in 1984 and was assigned to the Law Division in 1985, where he presided until becoming an Appellate Court Justice.
Judge Hoffman distinguished himself as a judge and administrator in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Through his administrative abilities, he greatly reduced the case backlog in the Law Division. He was instrumental in implementing an experimental program in the Law Division in which selected judges are given individual calendars. As a Circuit Judge, he was considered to be among the hardest working judges and his legal ability was considered to be excellent.
As an Appellate Court Justice, he is considered to be fair, intelligent, and hard working. He is said to be always prepared. The Council finds him Well Qualified for the Appellate Court.