From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Who'd be best judge? Lawyers know
February 4, 2008
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/
At this point, you have probably heard enough to make an informed
choice about who you think would make the best president: Hillary
Clinton or Barack Obama; Mitt Romney, John McCain, Mike Huckabee or
Ron Paul.
But how will you decide whether Marilyn F. Johnson or Joseph Papavero
would make a better judge?
Most of the races on Tuesday's ballot are for judge. Voters often go
by name, gender or ethnicity.
The lawyers who practice in front of these judges have a better idea.
They investigate lawyers running for judge and interview lawyers who
have seen them at work. They issue the ratings below.
Sometimes, the choice appears pretty clear.
Johnson, 53, is chief of staff for the Illinois Tollway. In her 28
years of practicing law, she has been general counsel to the Chicago
Public Schools and to the Chicago Housing Authority. All 11 bar
associations that rated her found her recommended or qualified, with
two of them finding her "highly qualified."
Papavero, 32, on the other hand, has been a lawyer only eight years.
He lists his employment at the Community Investment Corporation. He
did not return a message seeking comment. He did not submit his
credentials to any of the bar associations -- and was therefore found
"not recommended" or "not qualified" by all of them.
In addition to the two Appellate Court and nine Circuit Court races
Cook County Democratic voters will see on the ballot, voters in some
parts of the county will see as many as three subcircuit races. In the
Hyde Park-based 5th Subcircuit, the Chicago Council of Lawyers found
candidate Furmin Sessoms "not qualified," saying that in his career as
a public defender, he tried only misdemeanors and did no jury trials.
He has also served as director of the South Side branch of the NAACP.
The problem is his two opponents got even worse ratings. Three of the
11 bar groups, including the Chicago Bar Association, found Sessoms
qualified.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers found that T. Lee Boyd, a candidate in
the West Side and suburban 7th Subcircuit, got most of his courtroom
experience "as a defendant in 17 state and federal actions" he
neglected to disclose when he submitted his credentials for judge.
In other races, voters will confront an embarrassment of riches. All
four candidates in one race were found "well-qualified" by the
Council. Two of them -- Brian Sexton and Michael Hyman -- were also
found "highly qualified" by the Chicago Bar Association.
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