In Cook County there has recently been another instance of where a judge has shown her incompetency as a judge.
Judge Susan J. McDunn was elected and has been a judge since 1993. At the last election of judges, she was reported by the Chicago Bar Association, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and by newspapers as being not qualified. Yet, the political establishment allowed her to run for reelection. She was retained as a judge by the public in November 1998.
Judge McDunn previously had been assigned to the Law Division (unusual for a fairly new judge, but it shows her political backing), was found lacking in judicial skills, and in less than a month in the Law Division, was transferred to adoption court. One of her duties was an involvement in two adoption cases, which the Presiding Judge had granted. Judge Susan McDunn acted in violation of the law and voided the two adoption decrees that had previously been granted.
The Presiding Judge then ordered Judge McDunn transferred to Traffic Court. Judge McDunn had the gall to issue an order voiding the Presiding Judge's order transferring McDunn to the Traffic Court. Judge McDunn, although officially in Traffic Court, continued to interfere with the adoption decrees previously granted.
In the appeal of the purported void adoption decrees, the Justices of the First District Appellate Court rebuked Judge McDunn, stating that she had inflicted an "inexcusable injustice" upon the two families and offered a personal apology to the two families. The Appellate Court further rebuked Judge Susan McDunn for discrediting "not only the judiciary but the citizens of Illinois."
Chief Judge Donald P. O'Connell of the Circuit Court of Cook County has transferred Judge McDunn to an administrative job, removing her from any judicial duties, and the court is waiting for the results of an investigation by the Judicial Inquiry Board for possible permanent removal as a judge.
Judge O'Connell stated that her removal from courtroom duties was necessary "to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and to ensure the perception and reality of the highest standards of conduct" of judges.
Do you believe that Judge Susan McDunn is the only judge in Illinois who should be removed from judicial duties in order to "to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and to ensure the perception and reality of the highest standards of conduct" of judges?
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