ľĹÓÎĚĺÓý

(WSIL) -- Races are heating up between Democrats and Republicans for the general election, but in Illinois judges across the state want to stay out of the political arena. 

The Illinois Judges Association released a Declaration of Judicial Independence on October 11, 2022.  The association represents 1,250 current and retired judges.

According to the group, judges and judicial candidates are being targeted more and more by partisan groups such as Super PACs. 

In 2020, state judicial elections across the country broke previous records for the amount spent on campaigns. The association believes campaigning this year will likely break records again. 

Eileen Burke, President of the Illinois Judges Association, shares why that can be a problem.

"Much of that money comes from either people with cases in front of the court or interest groups that hide their donors true identities and fund negative spots attacking judges," she says. "Often in ways that mislead voters." 

This Declaration of Judicial Independence is in place to show judges need to remain neutral by making fair and just rulings.

There are several ways this is done. One is a performance evaluation and the other is a judicial inquiry board.

Anna Helen Demacopoulos, a circuit court judge, explains the purpose of the board.

"Anyone can file a complaint with the judicial inquiry board  including anonymously," she says. "The judicial inquiry board reviews all of the complaints, and appropriately investigates those complaints that may have some merit." 

Demacopoulos says another check and balance is judicial candidates and judges running for retention are evaluated by bar associations with thousands of hours going into those reviews. 

On top of that she adds a judge's ruling can be appealed. 

Judicial Independence Declaration

A basic principle that defines the United States of America is that we are all entitled to equal treatment under the law. The judiciary’s primary function is to protect the rights of all people.

The court system can only function if it is viewed as impartial, that means making decisions based solely upon the facts and the law.

There are headline grabbing incidents of judges being threatened at all levels of the judiciary. The incidents are happening more frequently. It is based upon a political agenda or those seeking retaliation for adverse or unpopular rulings.

Judges are called upon to make decisions on controversial and hotly contested matters. We make these decisions because we have been given a position of trust in our communities. The voters should be able to determine whether we retain that position of trust based upon whether our rulings are fair and based upon the evidence, not whether we adhere to anyone’s political ideology.

Our democracy encourages discussion, debate and scrutiny. The right to appeal an adverse ruling ensures decisions are proper and lawful.

On the ballot in November, judges on each level of court system will be on the ballot. Members of the state supreme court, the state appellate court, and the circuit court will be seeking retention.

Voters should evaluate judges based on their integrity, professionalism, temperament, fairness and impartiality. The Illinois Judges Association along with the undersigned represent a broad-based coalition that stand together in fighting to defend judicial independence as a means of safeguarding democracy and protecting the rights of our citizens.

The following groups have co-signed the IJA’s Declaration of Judicial Independence:

• Advocates Society
• American Board of Trial Advocates Illinois
• Arab American Bar Association of Illinois
• Black Women Lawyersâ€� Association of Greater Chicago
• Chicago Bar Association
• Decalogue Society of Lawyers
• DuPage County Bar Association
• Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois
• Hellenic Judges Association of Illinois
• Hispanic Lawyers Association of Chicago
• Illinois Defense Counsel
• Illinois Judicial Council
• Illinois Latino Judges Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Jewish Judges Association of Illinois
• Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
• Northwest Suburban Bar Association
• Women’s Bar Association of Illinois