Nicholas Ford
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Nicholas R. Ford is a former judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois.[1] He was appointed to the bench in December 1997.[2] He retired in April 2019.[3]
Career
Prior to joining the court in 1997, Ford was an assistant state's attorney for Cook County.[2]
Elections
2016
Judges of the Illinois Circuit Court stand for retention after their first full term. To be retained, a judge must receive at least 60 percent of the vote.[4][5] Nicholas Ford was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Nicholas Ford Retention Election with 71.88 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Nicholas Ford Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Nicholas Ford | 71.88% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
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.[6]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[6]
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.[7][6]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[6]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2010
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
Ford was retained in 2010, receiving 76.01% of the vote.[8][9]
Ford was recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "Judges of the Cook Judicial Circuit," accessed December 29, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, "Report on the Judges Seeking Retention on the November 2, 2010 Ballot in Cook County"
- ↑ Injustice Watch, "Controversial Cook County Judge Nicholas Ford retired from bench last month." May 13, 2019
- ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations - How it works," accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "General Election – Combined Summary Report," November 2, 2010
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County sample ballot (dead link)
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
