No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Rey, 2017 IL App (1st) 161561-U:

Rey, who displayed serious psychiatric symptoms and was found unfit for trial, gave police a false name while driving a stolen vehicle. Kennedy found him “not not guilty” of obstructing justice and remanded him to the Department of Human Services.

The appellate court reversed because the false name did not materially impede the investigation—police would have arrested Rey regardless. This raises due-process and limited-government concerns because the State failed to prove an essential element of the offense.

No notable contributions found.

Kroft v. Viper Trans, 2025 IL App (1st) 240220:

Defendants in a personal injury case made posttrial motion for a new trial after plaintiff’s lawyers social media posts discussing how the jury was being “kept in the dark.” Judge Powell investigated the allegations, but denied the defendant’s motion.

The appellate court vacated the jury’s verdict and remanded for a new trial because it found that the trial court had abused its discretion in the course of its investigation of attempts to influence the jury by “questioning the jury as a group and making highly suggestive statements that may have primed the jurors away from being publicly forthcoming about whether

the posts had in fact come to their attention.”

No notable contributions found.

J.M v. Briseno, 2011 IL App (1st) 091073:

Judge denied petition for order of protection in alleged case of sexual assault, ruling the petitioner had not met her burden of proof.

The appellate court reversed the decision based on arguments that “(1) the trial court erred by disproportionally allocating the burden of proof to petitioner, and (2) the court erred in interpreting the Act to require corroborating evidence of sexual penetration, petitioner to testify to her own opinion that she was unable to consent to sexual penetration, and the court to presume petitioner’s consent.”

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Ford, 2025 IL App (1st) 231679:

Appellate court reversed a conviction based on arguments that the trial court erred by excluding evidence for use to impeach a witness’ testimony regarding who threw the first punch.

No notable contributions found.

Judge Kenworthy acquitted a murder defendant after a woman’s disappearance despite surveillance footage showing him entering her apartment “10 minutes after she arrived home the last time she was seen,” and later “leaving his own apartment with a large suitcase, which prosecutors said he held easily with one hand,” then “leaving her apartment again, struggling to drag the bulging suitcase to an elevator, which he took through the building’s lobby to a dumpster and then covered with trash,” according to prosecutors.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Stokes, 2024 IL App (1st) 232022-U:

An appellate court vacated Judge Ryan’s order of continued detention because “the State did not present a factual basis for continued detention and there was no specific articulable basis for the court's ruling.”

Judge Ryan’s detention order in People v. Shaw was similarly reversed.

People v. Taylor, 2015 IL App (1st) 131290:

An appellate court reversed the defendant’s conviction of aggravated battery where the defendant threatened to “kick your ass” but was not armed and did not make any gesture towards the police officer threatened.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Haley, 2026 IL App (1st) 242289:

Haley unlawfully entered a 73-year-old woman’s home. Prosecutors charged him with home invasion while armed with a firearm and, alternatively, with a bludgeon. The jury convicted him under the bludgeon theory.

Walowski entered judgment on the verdict and sentenced Haley to eight years in prison. The appellate court reversed outright, finding no evidence that Haley used or threatened force while armed with the alleged bludgeon. It held that no rational jury could find the weapon element proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

People v. Muhammad-Ali, 2021 IL App (1st) 171721-U:

An appellate court reversed the defendants conviction and remanded for new trial because the trial court abused its discretion when denying defense counsel a continuance requested because the counsel was suffering from an illness.

People v. Stewart, 2023 IL App (1st) 210912:

An appellate court reversed and remanded a murder first-degree murder conviction for a new trial because the court found Judge Walowski failed to comply with Supreme Court rules by allowing a defendant to waive his right to counsel because she did not “admonish [the] defendant specifically of his right to counsel at the time of his waiver,” instead informing him that [t]he Public Defender’s Office is appointed to represent defendants who cannot afford a lawyer”

No notable contributions found.

Mortg. Elec. Registration Sys. v. Turner, 2016 IL App (1st) 151862-U:

An appellate court reversed Judge Kyriakopoulos’ order striking petition to vacate a foreclosure judgement for lack of jurisdiction where the petitioner alleged a fraudulent deed transfer, because it was “apparent… from the

record that fraudulent activity took place with regards to the underlying deeds of the subject property,” and petitioner “met all the requirements for a section 2-1401 petition, and thus the trial court's decision to strike the petition was in error, and [the court could] see no basis for which the trial court could have found jurisdiction to be lacking”

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Dan Lipinski for Congress$1,000 (2013)

Shyne v. Dart, 2024 IL App (1st) 230886-U:

Appellate court reversed decision to overturn the Cook County Sheriff’s Merit Board’s termination of a correctional officer where the board’s findings were not against the manifest weight of the evidence and there was sufficient cause for termination due to violations of rules against association with convicted felons and gang affiliates, failure to properly document those associations, and misuse of the jail computer database, among other allegations.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Citizens for Emil Jones$3,000 (2013 - 2014)
• To elect Larry Rogers$1,500 (2014)
• Citizens for Tully$1,000 (2013)

In re S.G., 2022 IL App (1st) 210899:

Appellate court reversed Judge Buford’s adjudication of two minors as wards of the state because it determined the judge erred in finding that the children were being abused in the mother’s care where the child’s abuser was no longer living in the household and no longer posed on ongoing risk, and the mother’s suicide attempt was an isolated incident, and her immediate 911 call minimized any risk to the children.

In re G.M., 2019 IL App (1st) 173049-U:

Appellate court reversed the adjudication that a child was neglected where it relied on uncorroborated hearsay evidence.

Judge Buford faced a similar reversal in the case of In re Zariyah A., 2017 IL App (1st) 170971.

In re Curtis W., 2015 IL App (1st) 143860:

Appellate court reversed judge’s denial of State’s petition to terminate father’s parental rights where there was no indication of when father would find employment, the father acknowledged that any bond had been lost over time, and the child had thrived under the care of his foster parents who wished to adopt him.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Citizens to Elect Committeeman William J P Banks Election Committee$5,000 (2013)
• Zalewski for State Representative$750 (2014)

In 2012, then-Cook County Democratic Party committeeman Allegretti collected signatures for a petition to put a question on the ballot that would make Galewood a dry precinct.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Friends of Toi Hutchinson$500 (2013)

In re Tyreese J., 2017 IL App (1st) 17-1072-U:

Appellate court reversed Judge Rivers’ imposition of social media restrictions requiring him to clear his social media profiles of images of him posing with a gun or pretend gun or with gang members or throwing gang signs, or with "anything that looks like drugs," as the minor juvenile's probation conditions because, while being reasonably related to the minor's rehabilitation, were overbroad and not narrowly tailored.

No notable contributions found.

Judge Watkins ordered that Jussie Smollett’s criminal case be unsealed after the actor took contrary “actions of a person wishing to maintain his privacy.”

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Citizens for Tunney$500 (2025)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Bonner, 2025 IL App (1st) 221395-U:

Judge Coughlin’s 38-year prison sentence given to a 17-and-a-half-year old defendant for first degree murder was reversed because “the sentencing court abused its discretion by failing to consider the mitigating evidence that the minor defendant acted under his adult companion’s influence, because the court’s assessment of the defendant’s family history was “supportive” was not supported by the evidence, and because it contradicted the court’s finding that the defendant was a good candidate for rehabilitation.

No notable contributions found.

A U.S. District Court concluded that a plaintiff had produced sufficient evidence that a reasonable jury could infer that then-States Attorney Goldish had fabricated a witness statement, and so the claim could go to trial.

No notable contributions found.

People v. Navarro, 2025 IL App (1st) 250091-U:

The appellate court vacated Judge Hansen’s order to resentence a man sentenced to 45 years for first degree murder because he had not shown that his constitutional rights were violated.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Architectural & Ornamental Iron Workers Union Local 63$500 (2014)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Hemp For Fitness LLC$10,000 (2014)
• 30 Ward Democratic Organization$1,500 (2011-2013)
• Friends of Judge Thomas J. Carroll$500 (2014)
• Citizens For Richard F. Mell$500 (2013)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Construction & General Laborers' District Council$500 (2014)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Illinois Republican Party$8.772.34 in-kind (2014)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Citizens for Michael F. Sheahan$10,000 (2013)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• 42nd Ward Democratic Organization$500 (2017)
• IFT/IFPE Local 4408 COPE$500 (2017)

Judge Forti held party to a divorce in civil contempt for not paying his former wife what she was owed in stocks when the former husband alleges he did not own the required amount in stocks or have enough money to pay the cash value of those stocks.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LiUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC$1,000 (2020)
• The People for Emanuel Chris" Welch"$1,000 (2019)
• Friends of David Gonzalez$1,000 (2019)
• Friends of Toi W. Hutchinson$1,000 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• William Davis for State Representative$4,000 (2019-2020)
• Friends of Elgie Sims, Jr.$1,000 (2019)
• Liuna Chicago Laborers' District Council Political Action Committee$1,000 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Friends of Michael Rodriguez$4,538.25 in kind (2020)
• LIUNA Chicago Laborers District Council Political Action Committee$1,000 (2020)
• Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee$850 (2019)
• Friends of Martin Sandoval$500 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Harry Caray's$1,089 in-kind (2019)
• Chicago Laborers' District Council$1,000 (2020)
• Citizens for Tully$500 (2019)
• PJC Real Estate Group, Inc.$500 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Friends of Bill Cunningham$2,000 (2019)
• Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction PAC$500 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Friends of Debra Shore$500 (2019)
• Chicago Building and Construction Trades Council$500 (2014)

Meherg v. Rush Univ. Med. Ctr., 2025 IL App (1st) 231102-U:

The appellate court vacated Judge Cushing’s contempt order as having no factual basis where the defendant’s withholding of records had not violated a court order.

Richardson v. Booker, 2022 IL App (1st) 211055:

The appellate court reversed Judge Cushing’s denial of the a woman’s request for an order of protection against her former boyfriend after he punched her in the back of the head where the court failed to evaluate the former boyfriend’s claim of acting in self defense and failed to fully consider evidence of his past abuse towards his girlfriend.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• 41st Ward Democratic Organization$10,000 (2015)
• IL Education Association (IEA) (IPACE)$24,500 (2012-2016)
• AFSCME Council 31$7,000 (2013-2018)
• Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC$48,400 (2016-2018)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LIUNA Chicago Laborers District Council$1000 (2020)

Judge Walton found that defendant who ran over a Chicago police officer in a stolen squad car not guilty of vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen vehicle, and two counts of aggravated battery of a police officer by reason of insanity.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Local 134 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers$1,500 (2020)
• Liuna Chicago Laborers District Council Political Action Committee$1,000 (2020)
• Ctzns for Michael F Sheahan$500 (2019)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LIUNA$1,000 (2020)

Judge Molina-Gonzalez released a defendant charged with aggravated battery over the prosecutor’s objections, and that defendant was later charged with federal terrorism for pouring gasoline over a woman riding the Blue Line and setting her on fire while on release.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• IUOE Local 399 Political Education Fund$5,000 (2020)
• LIUNA Chicago Laborers District Council PAC$1,000 (2020)
• Democrats of Northfield Township$998.42 in-kind (2020)
• IBEW Local Union 134 State & Municipal PAC$500 (2020)

Worked for the Cook County State’s Attorney Office from 2004-2017.

notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Liuna Chicago Laborer's, District Council$1,000 (2020)
• Friends of Elgie Sims$500 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Liuna Chicago Laborer's District Council Political Action Committee$1,000 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LIUNA$1,000 (2020)

In re H.C., J.J., and Nor. B., 2023 IL App (1st) 220881:

Smith found several children abused or neglected, placing two in DCFS custody and another with his father. The appellate court reversed and ordered a new hearing, concluding that the proceedings did not provide adequate safeguards for such a substantial intrusion into family autonomy because the mother did not receive complete discovery until she was ready to begin presenting her case, and the proceeding involved additional problems concerning hearsay and her ability to examine witnesses.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Chgo & Cook Cty Building & Constr. Trades Council PAC$500 (2019)
• Int'l Union of Elevator Constructors Pol Comte$500 (2020)

In re Marriage of Kattner, 2023 IL App (1st) 220803-U:

In a divorce proceeding, the appellate court found that Judge Aimen erred by ignoring a stipulation by both parties that their condo was marital property, finding that the husband’s 401k was marital property but the wife’s was not, even though they were substantially the same. The appellate court further reversed the court’s rejection of the parties’ postnuptial agreement, finding it was not substantially unconscionable.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LIUNA$1,000 (2020)
• Democratic Party of Evanston$550 (2020)
• Latino Leadership Council$500 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• LiUNA Chicago Laborers District Council PAC$1,000 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Illinois Justice PAC$1,000 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

Atlas Asset Management v. Kang, 2025 IL App (1st) 242311:

An appellate court reversed Judge Mescall’s decision in a landlord-tenant case because she entered a judgment against the defendant without holding an evidentiary hearing despite the defendant’s request for one made in a motion to reconsider.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Liuna Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC$1,000 (2020)

Dahlman v. Michalak, 2022 IL App (1st) 211337:

Judge Murphy dismissed of tenant’s lawsuit against his landlord because the tenant had signed a release of his claims. The appellate court reversed the dismissal because the tenant alleged facts sufficient to support a finding that the release was signed under duress.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Chicago Laborers' DistrictCouncil Political Action Committee$1,000 (2020)
• Citizens for Sara Feigenholtz$1,500 (2019-2020)
• LGBTQ VICTORY FUND$500 (2020)
• Lightfoot, Lori$500 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• AFSCME Illinois Council No. 31$4,000 (2014-2015)
• Ed Burke$1,875 (2014)
• Citizens For Gregory Harris$12,000 (2020)
• Construction and General Laborer' District Council of Chicago$13,000 (2014-2015)
• Melissa For Chicago$10,000 (2020)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Illinois Justice$1,000 (2020)

People v. Cole, 2026 IL App (1st) 250040:

During an eviction trial, self-represented tenant repeatedly interrupted Stacey, accused him of corruption and said he would have Stacey “prosecuted.”

Stacey found the tenant in direct criminal contempt, had him handcuffed and sentenced him to imprisonment. The appellate court vacated the contempt conviction because the tenant’s remarks did not constitute an imminent threat or create the “clear and present danger” to the administration of justice required to punish courtroom speech.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Friends of Michael D. Rodriguez$1,500; $4,538.25 in-kind (2019-2020)

No notable decisions found.

No notable contributions found.

No notable decisions found.

Notable contributions to judge's candidate committee

• Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters$11,749.27 (2019)
• IBEW Local 134 PAC$2,500 (2020-2019)
• Chicago & Cook County Building Trades Council$1,500 (2019-2020)
• LIUNA$1,000 (2020)

No notable decisions found.