Associate judges in the Twentieth Judicial Circuits were reappointed to a new four-year term, which begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2027.
According to Marcia Meis, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 396 out of 400 Illinois associate judges who sought reappointment for another term have been retained, including all of the associate judges in St. Clair County.
“Our associate judges are very high quality and move cases in an efficient manner,” said Chief Judge Andrew Gleeson. “Their ratings reflect the same.”
Gleeson referenced the results of an Illinois State Bar Association Advisory Poll, which was released in May ahead of the reappointment process for all associate judges in Illinois.
“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 states.
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
Thomas B. Cannady: 97.73
Stacy L. Campbell: 91.25
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.
Reappointment is decided by the sitting circuit judges for each judicial circuit. They cast secret ballots, which were tabulated at the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts in Springfield. The St. Clair County associate judges had to receive at least 60 percent of votes in their favor from the circuit judges for reappointment.