Rossana P. Fernandez
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2015 - Present
2028
10
Rossana P. Fernandez (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. She assumed office on February 2, 2015. Her current term ends on December 4, 2028.
Fernandez ran for re-election for judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. She won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Fernandez was appointed to the court by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill the vacancy created by the death of Richard Elrod.[1]
Biography
Fernandez received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in 1993 and her J.D. degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1996.[1] From 2013 until her appointment to the Cook Judicial Circuit in 2015, Fernandez was the owner of the law firm of Fernandez and Associates, LLC in Chicago, Illinois. She also previously practiced law with the firms of Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman and Galvin, Lowery & Meade.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court, Rossana P. Fernandez's seat
Rossana P. Fernandez was retained to the Cook County Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 61.9% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
61.9
|
690,872 | ||
No |
38.1
|
425,723 | |||
Total Votes |
1,116,595 | ||||
|
|
2016
Illinois held a primary election for local judicial offices on March 15, 2016.[2] Incumbent Rossana P. Fernandez defeated Scott Lipinksi in the Illinois Cook Judicial Circuit Court Democratic Primary.[3]
| Cook County Circuit Court, Elrod Vacancy, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Rossana P. Fernandez Incumbent |
66.89% | 576,212 |
| Scott Lipinksi | 33.11% | 285,279 |
| Total Votes | 861,491 | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Primary Election Results: Judicial," accessed June 13, 2016 | ||
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.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[4]
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.[5][4]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[4]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rossana P. Fernandez did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Illinois State Bar Association, "Conlon, Fernandez appointed as Cook County Circuit Judges," January 16, 2015
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "2016 Election Schedule and Registration Deadlines," accessed October 26, 2016
- ↑ Illinois Judges, "Announced Vacancies for the Primary and General Elections 2016," accessed December 21, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
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
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