All associate judges in the Third and Twentieth Judicial Circuits were recommended for reappointment in an Illinois State Bar Association Advisory Poll, but some were more favored than others.
Judges were rated on Meets Requirements of Office, Integrity, Impartiality, Legal Ability, Temperament, Court Management, Health and Sensitivity. Judges were recommended or not recommended based on their score for Meets Requirements of Office.
While many judges in Madison, Bond and St. Clair County received scores above 90 percent, Madison County Associate Judge Neil T. Schroeder received the highest score with 98.86 percent. He received high ratings in the 90th percentile for all categories, securing a 100 percent for health.
Schroeder was appointed to the bench in 2013 after Judge Kyle Napp was elected circuit judge.
The poll was released earlier this month, ahead of the reappointment process for all associate judges in Illinois.
Reappointment is decided by the sitting circuit judges for each judicial circuit. They will cast secret ballots, which are tabulated at the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts in Springfield. Associate judges must receive at least 60 percent of votes in their favor from circuit judges for reappointment.
Associate judges are reappointed every four years, and the new term will begin on July 1.
The judicial advisory poll does not determine reappointment. Attorneys who choose to participate are asked to evaluate associate judges if they have sufficient knowledge about the judge’s qualifications.
“Associate judges are rated ‘recommended’ or ‘not recommended’ based on whether respondents agree that the associate judge ‘meets acceptable requirements for the office,’” the advisory poll explains.
Judges must receive at least 65 percent “yes” responses from participants in order to be considered “recommended.”
Associate judges in the Third Judicial Circuit, which includes Madison and Bond Counties, received the following approval ratings:
Veronica L. Armouti: 82.35
Andrew K. Carruthers: 91.38
Angela P. Donohoo: 93.81
Ronald J. Foster: 96.12
Janet R. Heflin: 79.55
A. Ryan Jumper: 92.25
Martin J. Mengarelli: 90.83
Ronald S. Motil: 96.58
Emily J. Nielsen: 84.62
Neil T. Schroeder: 98.86
Maureen D. Schuette: 92.47
Ronald R. Slemer: 93.00
Justin S. Zimmerman: 74.14
Associate judges in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which for the first time only includes St. Clair County, received the following approval ratings:
Leah A. Captain: 93.44
William G. Clay IV: 77.27
Julia R. Gomric: 92.13
Julie K. Katz: 93.55
L. Dominic Kujawa, Jr.: 85.71
Elaine L. LeChien: 96.23
Alana I. Mejias: 94.74
Tameeka L. Purchase: 93.06
Jeffrey K. Watson: 92.52
