DCBA - Press Releases - DuPage County Judicial Candidates Rated in Poll

Press Release - Monday January 21, 2008

DuPage County Judicial Candidates Rated in Poll

Survey of area lawyers conducted jointly with Illinois State Bar Association

WHEATON, Illinois - Candidates seeking the office of Circuit Judge in the 18th Judicial Circuit (DuPage County) in the February 5th primary election have been rated in a poll of attorneys conducted jointly by the DuPage County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.

The five candidates for the position of Circuit Judge in DuPage County were rated as follows:

John W. Demling ………… Recommended
Blanche Hill Fawell Recommended
Dorothy French Recommended
John J. Kinsella Recommended
Rick Stock Not Recommended

"Member polls regarding the qualifications of judicial candidates are an important part of our mission of community service and education," said Glenn Gaffney, DCBA Judiciary Committee Chair. "Our goal in publicizing these results is to help voters be better informed when selecting and retaining judges."

The judicial advisory poll provides DCBA and ISBA member attorneys an opportunity to express their opinions on the quality of the judiciary in whose courts they practice. The poll was conducted by mail and sent to all members of the two bar associations in the 18th Circuit. Poll results reflect the opinion of the attorneys who chose to respond and not the opinion of the bar associations.

Attorneys are asked to respond only if they have sufficient knowledge about a candidate's qualifications for judicial office to give a fair, informed opinion. Seven questions on the ballot measure such qualities as legal ability, integrity, impartiality and judicial temperament.

Candidates are rated "recommended" or "not recommended" based on whether respondents agree that the candidate "meets acceptable requirements for the office." Candidates receiving 65 percent or more "yes" responses to that question are rated "recommended;" those receiving less than 65 percent are rated "not recommended." Responses of "no opinion" are not included.