Judicial Conduct Archives

Cook County Circuit Court Judge pleads not guilty to financial fraud charges

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jessica A. O’Brien plead not guilty Wednesday morning at the arraignment for the federal financial fraud charges brought against her.

by Emily Hoerner April 26, 2017January 31, 2024

Judicial Conduct

Cook County judge Jessica O’Brien indicted on federal financial fraud charges

The U.S. Attorney’s office has indicted a Cook County judge on charges of mortgage fraud. The charges accuse Jessica A. O’Brien of deceiving lenders to obtain inflated loans to buy properties and maintain them, during a time when O’Brien worked as an Special Assistant Attorney General while also working part time a loan officer.

by Emily Hoerner April 12, 2017January 31, 2024

Judicial Conduct

Illinois appellate judge accuses colleagues of stifling dissent

In a strikingly personal tone, Appellate Justice Michael Hyman complains his colleagues refused his request to publish the opinion in Illinois court decisions: signaling that his dissent was unimportant. The opinion calls on the Illinois Supreme Court to change the rule so dissent is not stifled.

by Rick Tulsky February 2, 2017December 5, 2023

Bad Judgment

Sparse money leaves discipline unlikely for wayward Illinois judges

Members of the Illinois Courts Commission, one of two bodies created by the Illinois Constitution to police judicial conduct, have nothing to do. After the commission issued a censure last month to Cook County Circuit Judge Beatriz Santiago, that left it with no outstanding complaints against any of the roughly 950 trial and appellate court judges across Illinois.

by Emily Hoerner September 7, 2016February 1, 2024

Judicial Conduct

Cook County judge receives rare censure over false mortgage statement

Circuit Court Judge Beatriz Santiago was formally censured by the Illinois courts on Thursday, the first Cook County judge to be formally disciplined in more than two years.

by Emily Hoerner August 18, 2016December 5, 2023

Bad Judgment

Fighting for her job, Cook County judge says she didn’t mean to mislead

Cook County Judge Beatriz Santiago pleaded for her job Tuesday, saying she had not intentionally deceived her mortgage lender on sworn documents.

by Emily Hoerner and Zoë Rosenbaum February 9, 2016December 5, 2023

Bad Judgment

In Illinois, punishment is slow and lenient for errant judges

It commonly takes years to act against judges who violate the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, and the punishment seldom is more than a public reprimand, Injustice Watch’s first investigation found.

by Emily Hoerner and Zoë Rosenbaum December 4, 2015April 2, 2024

Bad Judgment

Marriage Court: Cook County’s $180,000 judicial rubber room

As judicial misconduct investigations drag on, judges in limbo outside courtrooms — with pay.

by Emily Hoerner December 1, 2015January 31, 2024

Bad Judgment

Illinois Courts Commission: A look at the lengths and results of the cases

Of the few cases that appear before the Courts Commission, punishment is slow and seldom more than a public reprimand.

by Sam Hart November 22, 2015February 1, 2024

Bad Judgment

Illinois Courts Commission: What Makes for a Serious Case

The Courts Commission is the seven-member body that decides on what, if any, discipline to impose for judicial misconduct, once it is charged by the Judicial Inquiry Board.

by Injustice Watch Staff November 22, 2015January 31, 2024

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