Friday, September 13, 2019

And where is Michael Shakman on this


Jury’s in, and so is Evans: Chief judge wins race to extend record tenure running court system and 2,800 'non-patronage' jobs are intact. 

On a 143-to-102 vote, Evans beat back his second stiff challenge in consecutive elections, this one coming from Law Division Judge Lorna Propes.

By Mark Brown@MarkBrownCST Sep 12, 2019, 4:39pm CDT


Circuit Court Judge Lorna Propes, left, earlier this year; Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, right, in 2017-. File Photos.YouTube; Rich Hein/Chicago Sun-Times



Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, whose 18 years in the job is already a record, was re-elected Thursday by his fellow judges to a seventh three-year term.

On a 143-to-102 vote, Evans beat back his second stiff challenge in consecutive elections, this one coming from Law Division Judge Lorna Propes.

Three years ago, Evans defeated Judge Tom Allen, a former Chicago alderman like himself, 129 to 103.

The mild-mannered Evans, 76, who went on the bench in 1992 and became chief judge in 2001, ran on a steady-as-she-goes platform touting his accomplishments — including the expanded use of specialized courts such as drug court and veterans court

Then Ald. Timothy Evans (4th) in 1975. File Photo. Chicago Sun Times Archives.

Propes, 74, had sought to build on the lingering discontentment with Evans’ leadership that surfaced in the 2016 contest, arguing he had stayed in the job too long, causing “complacency and bureaucratic inertia.”

Propes promised if elected to enact a rule setting term limits on the chief judge and to aggressively defend judges against political attacks, including efforts to dump judges facing retentionDefense attorney Lorna Propes talks with reporters in 2007. File Photo. Richard A. Chapman/Chicago Sun-Times

The latter subject has been much on the minds of judges after a campaign last year that led to Matthew Coghlan becoming the first Cook County judge to be dumped in a retention vote since 1990.

Evans, the first African-American to serve as chief judge, served as Mayor Harold Washington’s floor leader on the City Council and later ran unsuccessfully for mayor after Washington’s death.


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The chief judge is one of the most important positions in county government, commanding a budget of $272 million and 2,400 employees. That doesn’t even include the 400 judges whose courtroom assignments the office controls.

Thursday’s election was conducted behind closed doors at the Daley Center in the room where Cook County residents normally report for jury duty. Judges voted by secret ballot after listening to short speeches from the candidates and their supporters.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous9/13/2019

    Tim Evans is doing a great job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9/13/2019

    I wanted Cynthia Brim as Chief Judge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9/16/2019

      Have you been drinking?

      Delete