PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bar evaluation process announced for 2002 associate judge process

Released On 04/02/2002

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening have advised him that they have opted to not conduct joint evaluations for the current associate judge selection process. The Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, comprised of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Cook County Bar Association, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, the Puerto Rican Bar Association and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois, will conduct independent screenings of associate judge applicants. Associate judge applicants who have been evaluated within the last two years will not be evaluated by the Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance.

"I am grateful to the Alliance members and the Chicago Bar Association for their continued willingness to participate in the associate judge selection process," said Chief Judge Evans. "A knowledgeable and diversified pool of evaluations results in expanded information and a broader range of perspectives about the applicants. Ultimately this benefits not only the judges involved in the associate judge selection process but also the public whom we serve."

Two hundred and thirty nine applicants initially provided their applications to the Office of the Chief Judge and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts for the current seven associate judge vacancies. To date there have been two withdrawals. All 237 applicants will be interviewed and evaluated by the Circuit Court of Cook County Nominating Committee. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39, ". . . the chief judge of each circuit and at least two but not more than ten additional circuit judges . . ." shall serve as a Nominating Committee. Chief Judge Evans will announce the membership of the Circuit Court of Cook County Nominating Committee following the conclusion of the bar evaluation process by the bar associations.