Lloyd A. Cueto, a 20th Circuit resident judge in St. Clair County, is not running for retention in November 2006.
"I decided to forego a retention vote and run in a general election because I choose to match up against an opponent and let the voters choose on the basis of legal ability, diligence and experience, rather than allow the outside special interest groups and political action committees to dictate the terms of my re-election," Cueto indicated in a prepared statement.
To earn retention, a judge must receive a 60 percent "Yes" vote.
As a candidate in the general election Cueto would simply require a majority vote to retain the position.
Lloyd Cueto is the brother of convicted felon Amiel Cueto, a lawyer who was disbarred a year ago. Amiel Cueto served nearly six years in prison for shielding the $48 million empire of client, gambling kingpin Thomas Venezia.
Venezia took his life in July in a murder-suicide. He also shot his 21-year-old roommate, Jennifer Anderson, in the back of the head.