There are more than 400 circuit court judges in Cook County. Their decisions on the bench touch many aspects of life, from traffic tickets to orders of protection, civil lawsuits to criminal cases, and evictions to estates. Our reporting focuses on how judges are chosen and the power they have over people’s lives.
Judicial election guide
Injustice Watch’s comprehensive, nonpartisan guide to the 2024 Cook County judicial primary elections.
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We investigated the broken system of accountability for judges in Illinois, which often takes years to play out and rarely leads to serious discipline.
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In a hyper-local judicial race, questions about what counts as community representation
Judicial subcircuits were created to increase community representation. 30 years later, it is still unclear what representation means.
Where to find a print copy of our March 2024 Cook County judicial election guide
We printed 120,000 copies of our judicial election guide and are partnering with other newsrooms, community organizations, local businesses, and civic do-gooders to distribute them across Cook County.
A notorious Chicago cop wants to become a Cook County judge
Chicago Police Lt. John D. Poulos is running for Cook County judge. Standing in his way is a tarnished track record that experts say calls his credibility into question.
High-ranking Cook County prosecutor jumps into race for judge
Among the candidates for Cook County Circuit Court judge — mostly obscure outside courthouses and bar associations — Risa Lanier stands out. As second-in-command to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Lanier has been central to the operations of an office known for its progressive approach to justice and its fumbling of heater cases that exploded…
Questions of race and ethnicity in Illinois Supreme Court race highlight diversity of the Latinx experience
The race is showcasing ideological differences within the Latinx community about what it means to be Latinx and what it looks like to have representation in the judiciary.
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