Judicial ratings go from 0 to 100
By Kara Spak
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Published March 1, 2006They're all attorneys. They're all eager. They all say despite their various legal backgrounds they would, as judges, be fair to both sides.
The Alliance of Bar Associations, a composite of 10 different groups including those representing Hispanic, Black, gay and lesbian and Asian American lawyers, on Tuesday released their ratings of candidates running for judgeships in the March 21 primary election.
Each bar association rated the candidate as qualified or not qualified, recommended or not recommended, then the ratings were put together for a composite score that could not exceed 100 percent.
James Tatooles and Steve Goebel, both running on the Republican ballot for the Richard Siebel vacancy in the 12th judicial subcircuit, received a perfect 100 percent composite score.
The 12th judicial subcircuit represents parts of Wheeling, Elk Grove, Maine, New Trier and Northfield townships. Three seats are open, two created by retiring judges and one is a new judicial seat created this year.
In the Republican race for the new seat, assistant Illinois Attorney General Richard Schwind was the only candidate to garner a perfect approval rating.
"I'm pleased," Schwind said. "I think it validates and reinforces the fact that I am the most qualified candidate."
Ron Nelson, an attorney from Arlington Heights, got a 67 percent composite score from the bar alliance. Three groups - the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago - said Nelson was not recommended. He could not be reached for comment.
Republican candidates for the new seat, Giuseppe Papavero and John Lartz, were both found not qualified or not recommended by all 10 participating bar associations.
Lartz said he believes there may be misunderstanding about his job as a prosecutor with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. An attorney, he works through a process that is similar, > but not a part of, the circuit courts.
He also said he believes the process for evaluating candidates is flawed.
"They seek judge candidates to have at least 12 years of experience," Lartz said. "Those evaluating have less than that."
Don Sampen was the only candidate of the four Republicans running for the John Madden vacancy to be found 100 percent qualified.
Curtis Edlund received an 89 percent score, and Richard Craig received 30 percent.
Edlund said he believes he didn't get a recommendation from the Chicago Council of Lawyers because of his pro-death penalty views.
"I think there are definitely people out there that don't belong on this earth," he said of those on death row.
Michaela Ryan did not receive any recommendations and was not found qualified by any of the 10 participating bar associations.
Papavero, Craig, Ryan and Sampen could not be reached for comment.
On the Democratic ballot, Grace G. Dickler, who received a 100 percent composite score, is running unopposed for Siebel's seat. Mary Katherine Rochford, running as a Democrat unopposed for the Madden vacancy, also received a 100 percent.
Democrat Ellen Flannigan is also running unopposed for the new judgeship. She received a composite score of 20 percent.
Copyright © 2006, Daily Herald
