Pursuant to action taken Tuesday by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Judge Jessica A. O’Brien has been reassigned to administrative duties in the office of the Presiding Judge of the First Municipal District, Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr.
The assignment is effective until further notice.
The Executive Committee’s decision to reassign Judge O’Brien followed a meeting of the Circuit Court of Cook County Executive Committee convened Tuesday by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.
The committee is aware that a federal grand jury indicted Judge O’Brien on April 12, and she is accused of fraudulently obtaining loans related to the purchase, maintenance and sale of properties in Chicago. That same day, on April 12, Judge Wright reassigned Judge O’Brien to administrative duties until the Executive Committee could consider the matter.
The members of the Executive Committee who participated in the meeting are as follows:
Honorable Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge and Committee Chair
Honorable Mary Ellen Coghlan, Presiding Judge, Probate Division
Honorable Grace G. Dickler, Presiding Judge, Domestic Relations Division
Honorable James P. Flannery, Jr., Presiding Judge, Law Division
Honorable Moshe Jacobius, Presiding Judge, Chancery Division
Honorable LeRoy K. Martin, Jr., Presiding Judge, Criminal Division
Honorable Patricia M. Martin, Presiding Judge, Child Protection Division
Honorable Sebastian T. Patti, Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division
Honorable Sharon M. Sullivan, Presiding Judge, County Division
Honorable Michael P. Toomin, Presiding Judge, Juvenile Justice Division
Honorable E. Kenneth Wright, Jr., Presiding Judge, First Municipal District
Honorable Shelley Sutker-Dermer, Presiding Judge, Second Municipal District
Honorable William O. Maki, Presiding Judge, Third Municipal District
Honorable Cheyrl D. Ingram, Presiding Judge, Fourth Municipal District
Honorable Raymond L. Jagielski, Presiding Judge, Fifth Municipal District
Honorable Tommy Brewer, Acting Presiding Judge, Sixth Municipal District
A judge may be temporarily reassigned to restricted or other than judicial duties whenever there are charges or implications of improper conduct, depending on the severity and nature, under “Illinois Supreme Court Rule 56. Temporary Assignment to Other Duties.” In the Circuit Court of Cook County, administrative duties can include conducting marriage ceremonies and reviewing petitions for reduced court-filing fees for indigent parties.
Regarding any questions directed to the Office of the Chief Judge about any case in any court system, Illinois Supreme Court Rule 63 states: “A judge should abstain from public comment about a pending or impending proceeding in any court, and should require similar abstention on the part of court personnel subject to the judge’s direction and control.”
Special Order No.: 2017-60 Assignment of Judge
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