Illinois Bar Associations Issued Judicial Recommendations
The state's largest legal groups have released candidate ratings to guide voters in the upcoming judicial election.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in People
Live Poll
Do you find bar association recommendations helpful when deciding how to vote for local judicial candidates?
The Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association have published professional evaluations of candidates seeking judicial office. These recommendations aim to assist voters ahead of the upcoming election on November 3, 2026.
Why it matters
Judicial rulings carry significant weight for business operations, impacting everything from contract enforcement to regulatory interpretation. By providing peer-reviewed assessments, these associations allow operators to understand the professional backgrounds of individuals seeking to fill local benches.
The Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association—the two largest in the state—assessed 11 candidates across jurisdictions including McHenry and Kane counties. These ratings serve as a primary guide for the upcoming November 3, 2026, judicial election.
The players
Illinois State Bar Association
The largest professional organization for lawyers in the state, serving as a primary source for judicial candidate vetting and ethical guidance.
Chicago Bar Association
A major professional legal entity that provides judicial candidate evaluations and maintains active influence over legal standards in Cook County.
The details
The bar associations conduct rigorous reviews of candidates seeking judicial office, issuing findings on their professional qualifications. These ratings are formally published in judicial voter guides. For instance, the Illinois State Bar Association found Judith C. Rice qualified for the First District Appellate Court, while the Chicago Bar Association issued a not qualified rating for Brittany Michelle Pedersen in the 13th Subcircuit.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: The date of the judicial election.
Market Landscape
These recommendations follow the established pattern of professional oversight inherent in the Illinois state judicial selection and retention process. Such evaluations serve as a critical checkpoint for the public to monitor the bench prior to the general election cycle.
Business operators should review the full judicial voter guides to understand which candidates hold qualifications relevant to their operational jurisdictions. Consult with legal counsel regarding how specific bench changes might affect active litigation or commercial compliance in your county.
The takeaway
Judicial ratings provide an objective look at candidate experience before they take the bench to preside over business-related disputes. Operators should bookmark the voter guide and cross-reference candidate qualifications with their own primary election ballot for the November 3 election.
Further reading
For more on the individuals shaping the local legal environment, review the latest People insights.
More information
To view the full list of candidate evaluations, visit the ISBA judicial elections guide.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Herald.
Live Poll
Do you find bar association recommendations helpful when deciding how to vote for local judicial candidates?
