The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago Judicial Evaluation Committee recommends all candidates for retention to the bench in November 2000 except for the following nine: Circuit Court of Cook County Judges Patricia Banks, Cynthia Brim, Christopher Donnelly, David G. Lichtenstein, John E. Morrissey, Amanda S. Toney, Michael J. Varga, and Thomas E. Nowinski, and Justice John P. Tully of the Appellate Court.
LAGBAC's criteria for evaluation are:
First, because retention candidates are essentially competing against themselves individually, they only issue "recommended" or "not recommended" ratings in retention races. Candidates who choose not to participate get rated "not recommended."
Second, they evaluated judges based on information gained from their applications, the Alliance's supplemental questionnaire, the Alliance's investigation, and in individual in-person interviews with the Alliance panel.
Third, the LAGBAC Judicial Evaluation Committee looks for each of the following in all candidates: excellence in legal, analytical, and writing skills; demonstrated impartiality; a thorough understanding of the entire legal process; a patient and respectful temperament; and sensitivity to issues of concern to lesbians and gay men, women, and people of color. "We also consider each candidate's personal and professional integrity, character, and extent of community participation and service," the group stated.
LAGBAC examined each candidate as part of the broad-based Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, so they encourage voters to view the results from all Alliance members. Results will be released next week from the Alliance ( Asian-American Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois/Puerto Rican Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, LAGBAC, and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois ) .