March 27th, 2026
The Circuit Court of Cook County has announced 14 finalists for seven associate judge vacancies, following a competitive selection process led by Chief Judge Charles S. Beach II and the court’s Nominating Committee.
The Committee reviewed 100 applications, interviewed 74 candidates, and unanimously approved a final slate of 14 individuals. These candidates will now be considered by the circuit judges, who will vote to fill the open positions in accordance with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 39.
The announcement comes as the court continues to address a shortage of judges, making the timely appointment of qualified candidates especially critical. The selection process included evaluations conducted by the Chicago Bar Association and the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, which includes the Chicago Council of Lawyers and several other bar organizations.
Circuit judges will receive ballots and have 14 days to cast their votes. In the coming weeks, finalists will present their credentials through written materials and meetings with judges before the final selections are made.
March 18th, 2026
Preliminary results from the March 2026 Cook County judicial primary elections are now available. In a cycle marked by a high number of uncontested races and several candidates advancing despite mixed or negative bar ratings, these results offer an early look at how voters responded to this year’s judicial slate.
Learn more from Injustice Watch here: https://www.injusticewatch.org/judges/judicial-elections/2026-primary/2026/judicial-election-results-preliminary/
