* Petrella at the Tribune…
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, a Republican who two decades ago became only the second woman to sit on the state’s highest court and later was the second woman to serve as chief justice, will retire in July, the court announced Monday.
Garman, who was appointed to the seven-member court in 2001 to replace retiring Justice Benjamin Miller and then was elected the following year, would have been up a for a once-a-decade retention vote in November. Instead, with Garman’s retirement effective July 7, a little more than a week after the primary election, the court will appoint a replacement to fill the seat until the 2024 election.
Her departure comes at a moment of upheaval for the court, which in 2020 saw a sitting justice, Democrat Thomas Kilbride, rejected for retention by voters — the first time that’s happened since retention elections were adopted in 1964.
The Democratic-controlled legislature, in an effort to protect the party’s 4-3 majority on the high court, subsequently redrew the boundaries of the state’s judicial districts and instituted new campaign finance restrictions for those running for the bench.
Rarely is the game played straight when it comes to the Supreme Court. Appointments are the norm, and the redistricting, while long overdue, was obviously political.
* Release from Justice Garman…
Trailblazing Justice Rita B. Garman has announced her retirement from the Illinois Supreme Court effective July 7, 2022. Justice Garman, 78, has served on the Supreme Court since 2001 and retires as the longest serving judge in Illinois. She served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 2013 to 2016. Justice Garman’s full statement on her retirement is available here.
“There is no doubt that I have had the role of a lifetime, a privilege to serve the people of the state of Illinois as a member of the court system at every level,” Justice Garman said. “But this is the right time for me to step back from my public role and allow someone else to assume this all- important position. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Illinois.”
The Supreme Court has constitutional authority to fill interim judicial vacancies and has appointed another trailblazing justice, Fourth District Appellate Justice Lisa Holder White, to fill Justice Garman’s seat.
“Rita has been my close friend, mentor, and role model since I joined the bench in 2006. I have so much gratitude for her service to the Illinois judiciary,” Chief Justice Anne M. Burke said. “No words can describe her loss. However, she has provided hope for the future by nominating for her replacement a wonderful woman who will be able to step right into her shoes. It is a pleasure to welcome Justice Holder White to the Court.”
Justice Holder White, whose term is effective July 8, 2022, through December 2, 2024, will be the first Black woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court.
“Being appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court is the honor of a lifetime. I am humbled by the confidence Justice Rita B. Garman and the entire Court have placed in me,” Justice Holder White said. “My service to the judiciary for the past 21 years has helped prepare me for this historic moment. I look forward to the privilege of resolving matters my fellow citizens bring before the Court.”
After her appointment to the appellate court, Justice White ran unopposed as a Republican in the 2014 primary.
Interesting times. It’s possible that Illinois could elect its first Black governor this year, who is also running as a Republican.
* Meanwhile, in other Supreme Court news, here’s a press release excerpt…
Judge Elizabeth Rochford announced today that the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) rates her as ‘Highly Recommended’ for the office of Justice of the Supreme Court. As the premier legal association in the state, the ISBA represents approximately 30,000 Illinois lawyers.
“I am honored to receive the highest recommendation possible from the Illinois State Bar Association, which includes the most respected lawyers in Illinois. It means so much that my colleagues have faith that I am the right person for this seat on the bench. As a member of the Illinois Supreme Court, I will carry forward the ISBA’s commitment to legal excellence for the people of Illinois,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford.
The ISBA ranks candidates using a comprehensive Judicial Evaluation process. These evaluations are initiated by the candidate’s submission of a thorough written application, and then followed by a detailed background investigation by members of the ISBA Judicial Evaluations Committee (JEC) and an in-person interview of the candidate. The JEC then rates the candidate or judge: Recommended, Highly Recommended or Not Recommended. Judge Elizabeth Rochford received the highest recommendation possible in receiving ‘Highly Recommended.’
The ratings are here.
Fellow Democratic candidate René Cruz was given a “Recommended” rating. Republican Daniel B. Shanes was also given a “Highly Recommended” rating, but fellow Republican John Noverini was given a “Not Recommended” score.
The three candidates who were removed from the ballot (Rotering, Curran and Hurchinson) were not rated, but will be if their names are restored. They’re appealing.
In the 3rd District, Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke was given a “Highly Recommended” rating and Democratic appellate court justice Mary K. O’Brien was given a “Recommended” rating.
...Adding… Press release…
Illinois Chamber of Commerce PAC Announces Endorsements of Judge Daniel Shanes and Justice Michael Burke for Illinois Supreme Court
(Springfield) – The political arm of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce announces its endorsement of two outstanding candidates to fill new positions on the state’s highest court.
Representing thousands of Illinois small, medium, and large employers, the Chamber of Commerce advocates for the election of candidates that understand the impact of government decisions and legal precedents on a healthy economy. Judge Shanes, running in the newly drawn 2nd district and Justice Burke, running in the new 3rd district, are just the kind of judges all Illinoisans concerned with our future prosperity should support.
“The Chamber Board considered impartiality and fairness, knowledge and experience, and unquestioned integrity as the hallmarks of judicial candidates worthy of job-creators’ endorsement. Judge Shanes and Justice Burke represent the best choices for voters in all three areas,” said Todd Maisch, President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
- Not So Innocent Bystander - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 10:32 am:
Justice White is an excellent appellate jurist, and will serve admirably on the Illinois Supreme Court. But, it looks like she will have to move in the very near future. According to her bio on the court’s website, she comes from Macon County which, as a result of last year’s redistricting bill, is no longer in the Fourth Judicial District, and is now in the Fifth.
- OneMan - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 10:50 am:
John Noverini, now that is a name I haven’t heard in a little while. Back in 2008, he appears to have been a Democrat.
https://www.kanecountyclerk.org/Elections/Election%20Documents/2008-11-04/PrecinctsByContest/DU11.aspx
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 10:58 am:
Dear Mayor Rotering: stop your appeal. do you think you will get a Highly Recommended rating from the ISBA as Liz Rochford has? with no experience as a judge, it is highly unlikely that you will.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 11:08 am:
=Rarely is the game played straight when it comes to the Supreme Court.=
I know it isn’t Illinois but just ask Mitch McConnell about “playing it straight”. No legit complaints from the ILGOP.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 11:29 am:
Congratulations to Justice Garman on your retirement.
Congratulations to Justice Lisa Holder White on her appointment.
What’s so very tasty to the idea of “manipulation” to seats, elections, appointments, one needs to look at the embarrassment that was the Thomas Kilbride race, and being so ignorant to timing, the remap came at the perfect time to take down a win on the board and showing what a waste that was, and now it could hamper more than just one seat.
Politics is an odd game, one day you win, the next you get pummeled and lose almost two fold.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 11:34 am:
== fellow Republican John Noverini was given a “Not Recommended” score. ==
He can deflect this with his previous claims of being bullied by the bar assoc for refusing to fill out their questionnaire.
However, it looks like the Chamber of Commerce didn’t want to touch him as a judicial candidate either. He can’t make up an excuse for that nearly as easily.
- Google Is Your Friend - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 11:46 am:
More on Justice Holder White
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/sixth-judicial-circuits-first-black-judge-we-must-stay-firm-in-who-we-are/article_90c0befa-87ba-5591-b694-5538e9fc54fe.html
- duck duck goose - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 11:52 am:
Garman has long been my favorite justice. She is always measured and reasoned, and her opinions are always well written. Most importantly, she doesn’t come across as playing politics the way some other justices have in the past. I wish we had more judges like her.
- Levois J - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 12:14 pm:
2022 could be an historic year!
- SaulGoodman - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 12:30 pm:
**Dear Mayor Rotering: stop your appeal. do you think you will get a Highly Recommended rating from the ISBA as Liz Rochford has? with no experience as a judge, it is highly unlikely that you will.**
Pretty sure she’s not running for “highly recommended” — she’s running for Supreme Court.
- Notorious JMB - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 12:33 pm:
Congratulations to Justice Garman on her retirement.
What I haven’t seen in the news coverage is without a Garman on the court, how will they know what direction to go in? /snark
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 12:44 pm:
==John Noverini, now that is a name I haven’t heard in a little while. Back in 2008, he appears to have been a Democrat.==
Hey Tracy ran as a Democrat just a few years before that and look where he is now lol.
- exhausted - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 12:45 pm:
== What’s so very tasty to the idea of “manipulation” to seats, elections, appointments, one needs to look at the embarrassment that was the Thomas Kilbride race, and being so ignorant to timing, the remap came at the perfect time to take down a win on the board and showing what a waste that was, and now it could hamper more than just one seat.==
What on earth are you talking about? Tom Kilbride took one for the team. If he had retired, there would have been an election for that seat in 2020 and it most definitely would have gone to a Republican. The fact he chose to run for retention gave the Democrats a chance to redistrict the court.
- Socially DIstant watcher - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:01 pm:
@JS Mill: since the Republicans engineered this switcheroo, don’t look for them to complain.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:04 pm:
===What on earth are you talking about? Tom Kilbride took one for the team. If he had retired, there would have been an election for that seat in 2020 and it most definitely would have gone to a Republican===
(Sigh)
So he knew he was gonna lose? That was the plan? Lose a race in order to ===… The fact he chose to run for retention===
Huh.
This sounds a bit “revisionists”, but, lol
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:05 pm:
=== The fact he chose to run for retention gave the Democrats a chance to redistrict the court.===
Win or lose, they coulda redistricted.
Correct?
- froganon - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:10 pm:
Judg Noverini started as a Republican, became a Democrat for his election to his current position and moved back to the Republican Party to run for the Supreme Court. Although he has switched parties, he has never wavered form his conservative principles. He is staunchly conservative and very staunchly pro-life. The pro-life community has rallied behind him. He has strong ties to the Hispanic community through his wife and strong ties to the evangelical community. He is a formidable campaigner and will work every one of his strengths to win.
- exhausted - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:10 pm:
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:05 pm:
=== Win or lose, they coulda redistricted. Correct? ==
Sure, but it would have had no impact. Because there were 2 vacancies that cover counties next to each other, they had the chance to alter the composition of the districts and create the possibility of two winnable seats.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 1:35 pm:
=Win or lose, they coulda redistricted.
Correct?=
They could’ve but a 4-3 Republican majority SC could’ve easily overturned it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 2:19 pm:
=== Sure, but===
I stopped there. Sorry,
The ILGA drew a 14-3 Congressional map, what makes anyone think they couldn’t or wouldn’t draw a favorable ILSC map.
Further?
===They could’ve but…===
Further, if you know how a 2020 Supreme Court race woulda went, in a presidential year, with Biden winning Illinois as well as he did, buy me AND you lottery tickets. You should be able to reap the crystal ball winnings too.
To a 4-3 GOP court rejecting, again, if you have the next 3-4 super bowl champions on that radar too…
I’m commenting on what *did* happen from the GOP side, by the by.
Going after Kilbride retention had zero upside, I said it since jump street. The safety valve was always a remap. It’s a gross miscalculation and they should be embarrassed how they got out-maneuvered.
- H-W - Tuesday, May 10, 22 @ 4:02 pm:
I knew Justice White when I was a professor at Millikin University. She was an excellent jurist then, and by all measures will serve the State of Illinois well. Congratulations, Justice White.