Apparently, if Judy Koehler had gone to Harvard or had “the legal experience to represent a first-rate law firm in court,” her appointment to the Illinois Appellate Court by Illinois Supreme Court Justice James Heiple would be OK with R. Bruce Dold (Commentary, July 3). But in my experience, most lawyers will say these supposed credentials are not a sure guide to judicial excellence. Most would say that moral courage and intelligence–to the extent we can discern them–would be better indicators than Ivy League or bluestockings. As a former teacher of Ms. Koehler at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, I can say she possesses these qualities in abundance.
I, too, am troubled by her lack of judicial experience.
Again most lawyers would place a high priority on judicial experience in evaluating a candidate for an appellate post. But, a trial judge can be a bad judge. Moreover, Ms. Koehler’s long experience in the legislature seems to me to be a compensating factor in her case.
I imagine Ms. Koehler and I differ on quite a few political issues, but I am confident of her integrity and ability. “She took pride in not being one of the boys,” Dold wrote. Seems to me that would take a fair measure of courage.
