James Shapiro

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James A. Shapiro

Democratic Party

Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit

Tenure

2018 - Present

Term ends

2030

Years in position

7

Prior offices

Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Trinity College, 1981

Law

William and Mary Law School, 1985

James A. Shapiro (Democratic Party) is a judge for the 8th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He assumed office in 2018. His current term ends on December 2, 2030.

Shapiro ran for re-election for the 8th Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He won in the retention election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

James Shapiro earned undergraduate degrees in philosophy and history from Trinity College in 1981, going on to receive his J.D. from William and Mary Law School in 1985.

Shapiro's career experience includes the following:

• 2007-2012: Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois; Fourth Municipal District. Both criminal and civil cases, including felonies, misdemeanors, commercial and tort litigation, and landlord/tenant disputes
• 2006-2007: Managing Partner, Shapiro & Brindley, Chicago, Illinois. State and federal criminal litigation. Voted Illinois “Super Lawyer,” 2007. Member, Federal Defender Panel and Chicago Bar Association In-Court Bar Attorney program
• 2003-2009: Adjunct Law Professor (taught Federal Courts), John Marshall Law School; Legal Writing, Loyola (Chicago) Law School
• 2000-2006: Partner, Shapiro & Schwartz, Chicago, Illinois. State and federal criminal litigation, employment discrimination, commercial litigation, personal injury, civil and criminal appeals
• 1998-2000: Of Counsel, Applegate Valauskas Rosen & Bernstein, Chicago, Illinois. Criminal litigation, employment discrimination, personal injury, civil and criminal appeals.
• 1996-1998: Principal, Law Offices of James A. Shapiro. Commercial litigation, white collar criminal litigation, personal injury, civil and criminal appeals
• 1989-1995: Assistant United States Attorney, Chicago, Illinois. Civil and Criminal Divisions. Wide variety of criminal and civil prosecutions and civil defense, including white collar crime, drug forfeiture, employment discrimination, and federal appeals
• 1988-1989: Associate, D'Ancona & Pflaum, Chicago, Illinois. Commercial and employment litigation
• 1985-1988: Associate, Hinshaw, Culbertson, Moelmann, Hoban & Fuller. Insurance defense and employment litigation
• Expert witness, Omega Wrecking Co. v. Elgin State Bank, 94 CH 7452 (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois)
• 1996-2007:: Hearing Board Officer (Chair, 1998-2007), Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. Presided over attorney disciplinary hearings, including high-profile cases such as In re Miriam Santos and Associate Judge bribery case
• 1997-2007: Chair-Qualified Arbitrator, Cook County Mandatory Arbitration; chaired hundreds of arbitrations in personal injury, Magnuson-Moss, property damage, and contract cases

Elections

2024

See also:  Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2024)

Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit, James Shapiro's seat

James A. Shapiro was retained to the 8th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 5, 2024 with 68.9% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	68.9	982,069
			No	31.1	442,987
			Total Votes		1,425,056

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It has been certified. Source 1 Source 2

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Shapiro in this election.

2018

General election

General election for Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit

James A. Shapiro won election in the general election for Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James A. Shapiro (D)	100.0	134,378

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 134,378
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit

James A. Shapiro defeated incumbent Robin Shoffner, Bonnie McGrath, John Benson, and Stephen Feldman in the Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court 8th Subcircuit on March 20, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James A. Shapiro	45.7	26,423
		Robin Shoffner	26.6	15,381
	Submit photo	Bonnie McGrath	16.1	9,325
	Submit photo	John Benson	7.0	4,057
	Submit photo	Stephen Feldman	4.7	2,693

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 57,879
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Elizabeth Karkula (D)

Selection method

See also: Partisan elections

There are 513 judges on the Illinois Circuit Court, each elected in partisan elections to six-year terms. Upon the completion of these terms, judges who wish to continue serving must compete in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections.

The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.

The circuit courts are also served by 391 associate judges, who are limited in that they may not preside over cases in which the defendant is charged with a felony (an offense punishable by one or more years in prison). Associate judges are appointed to four-year terms by circuit judges.

Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.

Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:

• a U.S. citizen;
• a circuit/county resident; and
• licensed to practice law in Illinois.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

James A. Shapiro did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2024 Elections

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Government

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External links

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Footnotes

Illinois courts

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Federal courts:

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois

State courts:

Illinois Supreme Court • Illinois Appellate Court • Illinois Circuit Court

State resources:

Courts in Illinois • Illinois judicial elections • Judicial selection in Illinois