A Lake County court judge, an elected countywide official and a veteran attorney all hope to become the Democratic nominee for a seat on the Second District Appellate Court serving Lake, McHenry, Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties.
Attorney Mike Cortina of Crystal Lake, Associate Judge Chris Kennedy of the Lake County Circuit Court and Erin Cartwright Weinstein, the clerk of the Lake County Court, are contending for the Democratic nomination for the appellate bench in the June 28 primary.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face the Republican candidate in the Nov. 8 general election. Judge Susan Clancy Boles of the Kane County Court is unopposed for the GOP nomination. She served two terms as chief judge.
When the Illinois Supreme Court went through a redistricting last year, DuPage County was removed, leaving a one of the sitting judges unable to serve in the district. The change created this open seat with a 10-year term.
If the general election winner chooses to seek reelection in 2032, the individual will run for retention, not in a partisan election.
Kennedy, 53, of Libertyville, was appointed to the bench in 2020, and said he currently hears misdemeanor traffic cases in the criminal division. Before that, he practiced law for 25 years tackling a variety of cases for clients, after working as an assistant Lake County state’s attorney.
– Original Credit: News-Sun
As an appellate judge, Kennedy said he is running because he will have the opportunity to review trial court cases to assure people receive justice. He will also have an opportunity to impact multiple cases.
“On the appellate court, I can help set precedent,” Kennedy said, referring to writing an opinion other courts must follow. “I can bring a unique perspective and experience to the court that reviews the trial courts.”
Weinstein, 48, of Gurnee, was elected to her second term as the court clerk in 2020, and was a practicing attorney for 16 years before that. She said she is seeking the position to follow her dreams. She does not hide her partisanship.
– Original Credit: News-Sun
“I am passionate about the law,” she said. “It’s important to elect a Democrat to the court.”
Cortina, 51, a Crystal Lake resident and an attorney since 1998, said he is seeking a position on the appellate court because of a passion of his own. He enjoys the legal research done regularly at the appellate level.
“I love to dig into an issue to find the right answer,” Cortina said.
– Original Credit: News-Sun
As son of a Cuban immigrant father who was an attorney in his native country and eventually became a lawyer in his adopted homeland, Cortina said there are no Latinx judges on the Second District bench and he wants to be the first.
“We need diversity on the bench,” he said. “We need people who represent everyone in the five-county area. We don’t have that. That has to change.”
Raised in Louisiana, Cortina said he came to Illinois to study at Monmouth College in Monmouth graduating in 1995. He graduated from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1998.
After working as a persecutor for the Whiteside County State’s Attorney, Cortina moved to Crystal Lake where he was involved in several practice areas for a law firm there in 2000. After opening his own office in 2006, he merged it into the 180-lawyer SmithAmundsen firm.
Now a partner at SmithAmundsen, he manages the Crystal Lake office, co-chairs the firm’s overall financial services group and concentrates primarily on commercial litigation and transactions.
Growing up in Michigan, Weinstein graduated from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1995 before earning a law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School — now the Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School — graduating in 1999.
After working as a prosecutor for the Lake County state’s attorney’s office for four years, Weinstein opened her own practice in 2004, concentrating primarily in family law. While maintaining her own office, she also worked for a firm in Highland Park for four years. Along with handling cases, she has been a guardian ad litem.
Originally from the New York area, Kennedy said he graduated from Binghamton University in New York and matriculated to Chicago’s John Marshall Law School — now the University of Illinois at Chicago Law School — on a scholarship, graduating in 1994.
After four years as an assistant Lake County state’s attorney, Kennedy started his own practice, which he continued for 25 years before becoming a judge. As a litigator, he represented people with an assortment of issues from all walks of life. He has argued for clients before the appellate court.
“On the appellate court, I want to see everyone gets equal justice under the law,” Kennedy said. “I work hard to ensure that everyone has equal access to the justice system, and that every case is decided correctly and fairly.”
Kennedy also served 12 years on the Libertyville School District 70 Board of Education.
