“Highly Recommended” Judge John Anderson Makes the Case for Experience

Perhaps no ballot choice is more important, and yet more difficult to make, than judicial races. This is especially true in the case of an appellate court race. Democratic voters in the third judicial district will choose on March 19 between judges John Anderson and Joe Hettel.

Republican voters will consider associate judge Kenton Skarin for the same seat.

The third judicial district consists of DuPage, Will, Grundy, LaSalle, Iroquois, and Bureau counties.

Judge John Anderson argued his case at a candidates forum this week.

“We need to elect the most qualified person possible,” he said.

Anderson is the only appellate court candidate in the race to earn a “highly recommended” rating from the Illinois State Bar Association. Anderson also scored highest in the democratic contest bar polls when it comes to legal ability and integrity.

http://www.judgejohnanderson.com/

Veteran appellate lawyer Mac Gillespie is not surprised by Anderson’s peer evaluations.

“Anderson is an accomplished legal writer, he was an Illinois Supreme Court law clerk, he was named a ‘rising star in Illinois law,’” Gillespie said.

Anderson was also named ‘judicial officer of the year’ by the Illinois Crime Commission.

“He has more degrees than a thermometer, and he was even involved in the prosecution of Drew Peterson,” Gillespie said. “You would be hard-pressed to find someone more qualified to be on the Illinois Appellate Court.”

Anderson also makes the case for geographical diversity on the appellate court.

“There are 54 judges on the appellate court,” Anderson explained. “Nearly half of them are from Cook County, and they are based in Chicago.

“None of them are from Will County, and Will County has never had elected representation on the second highest court in Illinois. Other counties besides Cook deserve representation.”

Anderson said that his campaign is driven largely by his promise to protect individual rights under Illinois law.

“Many of the rights we through were carved in stone are under attack,” he said. “Reproductive rights, voting rights, even the right to read the books one chooses to read, are at stake.

“I swore an oath to protect those rights under Illinois law. If elected to the appellate court, I will continue to protect those rights under Illinois law.”

Anderson has been passionate about civil rights, human rights, and equal protection for all. A noted legal writer, he has published several legal articles on those topics, and his writing has been cited in law journals at Harvard and Yale law schools.

The primary election is Tuesday.