The Kane County Bar Association has completed its evaluation of candidates for the open Associate Judge position in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit. The findings of the Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee, reported to the Chief Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Applicant Rating
Erin Brady Recommended
Nicholas Catizone Meets Qualifications
Vincent Coyle Recommended
Robert Dore Meets Qualifications
Victor Escarcida Meets Qualifications
Nydia Molina Fitzsimmons Recommended
Alan Garrow Meets Qualifications
Chris Hollingsworth Meets Qualifications
Otto Hurtado Meets Qualifications
Kimberley Klein Meets Qualifications
Robert Klein Meets Qualifications
Jason Kopec Meets Qualifications
John Kopp Recommended
Joshua Lloyd Recommended
Jeffrey Meyer Recommended
Adam Miller Meets Qualifications
Brian Mirandola Meets Qualifications
Edward Peterka Recommended
Julie Pirtle Meets Qualifications
Joseph Sanchez Meets Qualifications
Lori Schmidt Meets Qualifications
Roman Seckel Meets Qualifications
Christopher Solfa Meets Qualifications
Frederick J. Steffen, Jr. Meets Qualifications
Ericka Thomas Meets Qualifications
Andrew Whitfield Recommended
Stacey Wittman Meets Qualifications
Jennifer Sellers Wong Recommended
Andrea Zenker Recommended
THE JUDICIAL EVALUATION PROCESS:
The Bar Association utilizes a twenty-one-member Judicial Evaluation Committee. Members are a diverse group of practicing lawyers within various areas of practice.
The process used by the Committee includes review of questionnaires completed by the candidates, interviews with the candidates, and inquiries of lawyers and judges who have knowledge of the candidates. The Committee then discusses the qualifications of each candidate before voting by secret ballot. Committee members maintain a pledge of confidentiality that facilitates a forum for complete and frank discussion. The criteria for evaluation include the legal knowledge and ability, litigation experience, character and integrity, judicial temperament, ability to handle court call, leadership, work ethic, impartiality, sensitivity, and health of the candidate.
A Candidate is “RECOMMENDED” if the average score of all the Evaluation Forms is 90 – 100.
A Candidate is “MEETS QUALIFICATIONS” if the average score of all the Evaluation Forms is 70 – 89.9.
A Candidate is “NOT PRESENTLY RECOMMENDED” if the Candidate’s average score of all the Evaluation Forms is below 70.
