Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Susan Kennedy Sullivan
Susan Kennedy Sullivan (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. Her current term ends on December 4, 2028.
Sullivan ran for re-election for judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. She won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
Sullivan earned a B.S. from Georgetown University in 1974 and received an M.A. from New York University in 1979. She graduated with a J.D. from DePaul University in 1994.[1] Prior to joining the bench in 2010, Sullivan worked as a sole practitioner with an emphasis on probate and estate planning. She has also been a registered nurse since 1974.[1][2]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court, Susan Kennedy Sullivan's seat
Susan Kennedy Sullivan was retained to the Cook County Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 78.5% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
78.5
|
870,668 | ||
No |
21.5
|
238,190 | |||
Total Votes |
1,108,858 |
|
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.[3][4] Susan Kennedy Sullivan was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Susan Sullivan Retention Election with 78.88 percent of the vote.
Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Susan Sullivan Retention Election, 2016 | ||
---|---|---|
Name | Yes votes | |
![]() | 78.88% | |
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.[5]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[5]
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.[6][5]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[5]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2014
See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2014
Kennedy Sullivan ran for election to the Illinois First District Appellate Court.
Primary: She was defeated in the Democratic primary on March 18, 2014, receiving 27.2 percent of the vote. She competed against Sheldon Harris and Freddrenna M. Lyle.
[7][8][9][10]
2010
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
Sullivan was elected to the Cook County Circuit Court with 100 percent of the vote in 2010.[11]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Susan Kennedy Sullivan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chicago Tribune, "Editorial board endorsements: Susan Kennedy Sullivan," March 14, 2010
- ↑ The Chicago Council of Lawyers, "Evaluation Report: Judges Seeking Retention in the November 2010 General Election and Judicial Candidates Seeking to Fill Judicial Vacancies," 2010 (dead link)
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; no text was provided for refs namedelect2014
- ↑ Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago, "General Primary Election, Unofficial Summary Report," March 18, 2014, archived March 21, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "Gubernatorial Primary Election," March 18, 2014, archived March 21, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Official Canvass, General Primary Election," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "General Election Results," 2010
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
![]() |
State of Illinois Springfield (capital) |
---|---|
Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |