Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Swearing-In Ceremony Address

I want to thank the chief judge, my colleagues, and everyone who is attending here today, especially my friends and family. Especially on a Friday afternoon. I asked to move this from yesterday, as my parents just returned back to town, and I am grateful to have them here today.

I also want to thank retired Judge Patricia Piper Golden, who has been a role model and mentor to me for a long time. She will not talk about herself, but before coming to Kane County to work in the State’s Attorney’s Office, Judge Golden was the first woman to become an elected state’s attorney in a contested election in the State of Illinois, among her many other achievements as a judge. 

As you heard, I met her when I was an intern at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she was the first director of the newly opened Child Advocacy Center, and she was, and has always been, intelligent, fair, hard-working, polished, and kind. I was lucky to learn from her, and to continue to cross paths with her throughout both of our careers.
 
As I said during my first swearing in as an associate judge in 2013, I am very grateful and proud to be a judge in Kane County. To borrow from Theodore Roosevelt: “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” As judges, we have the opportunity to walk into court every day and try to make sense out of chaos, set the scales right, and make decisions that ensure the public’s faith in the fairness of our judicial system. Every day I am proud to work beside my fellow judges in Kane County, whose dedication, integrity, and work ethic is inspiring. 

I was also proud to be only the fourth woman to be appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to become a Circuit Judge in 2019. Accepting this appointment meant giving up my associate position and taking the risk of an election to fully earn this title. Many people asked me why I was willing to do this, and, frankly, it is a question I asked myself many times during my campaign, like, practically every day.

I’ll provide a little background. I have been very lucky to work with and learn from many talented men and women throughout my career, but there haven’t historically been many women in these positions. 

In 1996, just a year after I was hired as an assistant state’s attorney, Patricia Piper Golden was only the third woman to ever become a judge in Kane County, and there was only one female circuit judge, Judge Pamela Jensen. In the following two decades, three other women were elected circuit judges—Judith Brawka, Karen Simpson, and Susan Boles (who is here today). Throughout these years, more women were appointed as associate judges, many of whom are my colleagues today, and I was lucky to be sworn in as an associate judge with both Judges Tracy and Downs, who I had worked with in the State’s Attorney’s Office. But because of retirements, at the time of my appointment in 2019, Judge Boles was again our only female circuit judge, out of the 14 elected circuit judges. However, the success of the women before me showed me that, though difficult and still rare, the path was possible.

Circuit judges have the opportunity to shape the judiciary by appointing associate judges. Only circuit judges can become the chief judge, and historically circuit judges have been appointed to be the presiding judges of their divisions and have been assigned to the courtrooms with the most significant legal issues. 

When I was a new associate judge, the other female circuit judges encouraged us all to consider running for office to be a circuit. At the time, that concept was as foreign, and as appealing to me, as flying a spaceship to Mars. (Just to be clear, I do not want to go anywhere where I cannot survive, including space, Everest, and scuba diving, so unappealing).

So why did I take the risk of running to be a circuit judge? The reasons are simple: first, I believe in equal opportunity, and having women in these positions not only gives a more balanced perspective in our judiciary, but it is an example to all others of what is possible with hard work and dedication, regardless of gender. When I campaigned, I was told several times that I do not “look like a judge”. But every woman or minority who attains these positions and succeeds, helps to change the perception for others. And I do believe, based on my experiences today with my colleagues, we have come a long way. 

On a personal note, I also ran because I do love this work, and I hoped that my career and opportunities to contribute would not be limited by the risks I was unwilling to take, or the work I was unwilling to do.

But to put it mildly, the campaign itself was not easy, as my colleagues, friends, and relatives are aware. 

The biggest lesson I would like to share is my firm belief that judges should not be elected by political party. We do not advance anyone’s political agenda, and we are required to put politics aside in the courtroom. So partisan elections are, frankly, nonsensical. Judges are required to know and understand law and procedure, as well as the court system, in order to be effective. You would not choose a doctor based on political party, and judges should not be chosen on that basis either. It is my sincere hope that one day judges in Illinois will be elected in non-partisan elections. 

But what I want most today is to thank everyone who supported me, whether it was moral support, or through words, acts, or donations. 

I especially need to thank my family, friends, colleagues, and former colleagues, who were with me every step of the way. Many of my friends are attending today, and many were unable to be here, but it is impossible to run a county-wide election in a presidential year without legions of people willing to help and support you in myriad ways. Although the campaign was hard, it made me appreciate my true friends and everyone who cared enough about me and the judiciary to give their time and effort to help with fundraisers, signs, car magnets, social media, parades, and everything else. I am so lucky and eternally grateful.

My family—my parents, daughters Kate and Ava, and husband Steve: I could not have done it without you. My dad was not only my campaign treasurer (if you’re going to run a campaign, it helps to have a retired accountant in the family), but donned a campaign t-shirt to help deliver signs and friend-to-friend cards. My mom was my biggest and most vocal supporter all over the Elgin area. Just ask anyone she talked to over the last two years. My daughter Kate, a new driver at the time, learned all of the county roads delivering signs and car magnets, and my daughter Ava helped me stamp and address endless invitations and thank you notes. They also endured countless nights when I was tired, distracted, or absent, and gave me endless encouragement and hugs. Finally, Steve, my partner in life and through my whole career—no one could have worked harder or been more supportive than you. I love you and will never believe I deserved everything you did to help me achieve this. 

And after all of it, I am very proud today to stand before you as the fifth woman to ever be elected as a circuit judge in Kane County. I am even more happy to be part of this historic ceremony, where, for the first time ever, two women are taking the oath of office as circuit judges, and I welcome Judge Camargo, who you will hear from next, and who is also our first Hispanic female circuit judge. 

I am grateful for your time, and for continuing to serve in Kane County. 

This article was previously published in the Kane County Bar Association’s Bar Briefs, March/April 2022.