Illinois institutes mandatory evaluations for judges
March 2, 2011
Illinois: Yesterday, the Illinois Supreme Court announced a mandatory judicial evaluation program for the state's Circuit Court judges. The results of the evaluation will remain confidential between the judge, a facilitator and another judge that helps conduct the evaluation. This year, 100 to 125 judges will be randomly selected for an evaluation. The judge must have served between two and twenty-five years on the bench. Questionnaires regarding the judge's performance will be sent to those who appeared before her/him and co-workers.[1]
The evaluation program represents the final step in strategies to improve the judiciary. That goal was announced in December 2008 and previously included: a Statement of Expectations, a mentoring program for new judges and amending rules of the Supreme Court to clarify roles of Chief Judges of the Circuit Courts and presiding judges on the Appellate Court.[1]
Illinois Appellate Court judge Joy V. Cunningham will chair the program. She said, "I think that judges across the state will embrace this as a process for helping to maintain a level of excellence and a high level of judicial competence across the state."[1]
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