Latest Judicial Rumor

Gordon Graham

Gordon Graham

The latest rumor from the McHenry County Courthouse is that two Circuit Court Judges may be retiring.

We already know about Gordon Graham.

He has announced he will step down at the end of the first week of September, thus allowing a temporary appointment, who would be able to run for the office in 2016 as an incumbent.

Chief Judge Michael Sullivan

Chief Judge Michael Sullivan

But, there may be another retirement in the offing.

Chief Judge Michael Sullivan has been limiting his bench work to commitments, that is, whether to send folks off to a mental institution.

The word from the Courthouse is that he is training Associate Judge Mary Nader for that work.

Lawyers, who are used to making logical deductions, think that might mean that Sullivan is preparing to step down.

If so, there would be two appointed Circuit Court Judges.

The Illinois Supreme Court officially makes the appointments, but, in practice, the other judges defer to the local Justice, who is Robert Thomas.

Thomas appointed Michael Chmiel to such a judgeship shortly after he took office.

He went along with local jurists’ recommendation in 2010 and advanced Associated Judge Graham, who then won a contested race with Independent Sally Wiggins.


Comments

Latest Judicial Rumor — 25 Comments

  1. Nader is a fine, fair and nice lady, and judge.

    Unless you have some specifics Dum Dum, I’d hold my tongue.

    What happened?

    She find you guilty of something?

    She did find me guilty, and her demeanor was fair and thoughtful.

    Court costs lack gravity (read su_k), but that’s not her doing.

    And for Cal, I don’t think Judge Sullivan is going anywhere soon.

    He loves his work too much.

  2. Have never appeared before Nader.

    I have learned a lot and have been witness to the inner workings of the Courthouse over the years.

    And, I am of the opinion that hiring Nader is not progress.

  3. Michael J Sullivan
    Chief Circuit Judge
    22nd Judicial Circuit Court
    2014 – $185,012
    2013 – $182,765
    2011 – $179,155
    2010 – $175,691
    2009 – $171,033
    2008 – $165,434
    2007 – $159,630
    2006 – $154,969
    2005 – $151,010
    Source: Open the Books Widget.

    Illinois Judges are in the Judges Retirement System of Illinois (JRS) pension fund.

    The employee contribution to JRS is 11%, reduced to 8.5% if there is no spouse.

    Retirement benefits vary depending on the combination of age and years of service.

    – Retiring with 10 years of service at age 55 results in a reduced pension.

    – Retire with 10 years of service at age 60.

    – Retire with 6 years of service at age 62.

    Judge Sullivan has served as a judge since 1976, so he has 39 years of service.

    He was boring in 1941 so is about 74 years old.

    Final Average Salary calculation is final rate of pay for Judges who became members of the JRS pension fund prior to August 10, 2009, which would include Judge Sullivan.

    For Judges who became a member of the JRS pension fund after August 10, 2009, the final average salary is based on the average of the final 4 years worked.

    The pension accrual rate is 3.5% for the first 10 years, and 5% for over 10 years.

    So .035 accrual rate x 10 years = .35 final salary multiplier.

    39 years – 10 years = 29 years.

    29 years x .05 accrual rate = 1.45 final salary multiplier.

    1.45 final salary multiplier + .35 final salary multiplier = 1.80 final salary multiplier.

    However, the maximum final salary multiplier is .85 (85%)%; meaning the maximum benefit is 85% of the final rate of pay.

    2014 salary is $185,012.

    $185,012 x .85 = $157,260 starting pension with an annual 3% compounded cost of living allowance (COLA) which means the pension increases 3% each year in retirement.

    There are death and disability benefit in JRS as well.

  4. Judge Graham crackers is the Idiot that cost the taxpayers With his witch hunt over Lou Bianchi.

    Chmiel Is not the brightest bulb on the tree.

    I watch him take almost 2 years to decide divorce case and flip flopped over and over.

    I think judge Thomas took to many hits to the head in football these 2 clowns He picked are a joke this county must have some one with some common sense, that could be a better Judge than these 2!

  5. I was on a jury with Sullivan.

    While he was fair, we took so many breaks it seemed to drag on forever.

    He appeared to be taking a nap along the way, to be fair it was all sooooo boring

  6. Judge Graham needs to address that problem with popcorn.

    My guess is that is he going through withdraw from the termination of those famous TV shows “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Price is Right”

    Golly Gosh, Judge, your favorite color must be green.

    At least, he won’t have the opportunity for another witch hunt and he won’t be working on any railroads for that matter.

    What they did to Bianchi and company, was hideous and cruel.

    It just shows that their true colors…. Hmmmmmm… “THAT UGLY GREEN”

    They need to revamp the entire system over there.

    Nader should not be allowed in.

    Bill Bligh would be a great option.

  7. How many of you can say you’ve devoted 39 years of your life to community service in the court system?

    Judge Sulluvan can, and did, and still does.

    Judge Nader has been an attorney in McHenry County for over 25 years I’ve known of, and she JUST recently became a judge.

    So I don’t know how you can refer to her tenure on the bench as ” old baggage”.

    Some of you MAY want to consider your sources.

    Judge Graham did what he was asked to do-appoint special prosecutors to investigate and charge if necessary.

    He picked a retired JUDGE!!

    The idea was right- the guy was wrong, it turns out.

    And Mark, are you being informative or otherwise?

    Not a dig, just wondering why you thought Your post was necessary ?

  8. Duncan, I have read and re-read your comments many times and I must admit – you make no sense at all.

    References to ‘popcorn’ and long forgotten TV shows as well as your claims to be ‘well connected’ is just nonsense.

    I will admit however that your laughable comments is one of the reasons I visit this site!

  9. Mary H Nader

    Circuit Court Judge
    2014 – $175,736
    2013 – $148,056

    Mchenry County College
    2005 – $3,150
    2004 – $2,924
    2003 – $2,750
    2002 – $2,524
    2001 – $2,350
    2000 – $1,100

    http://www.OpenTheBooks.com > Widget

  10. Nothing like twisting the facts AZ and Shackleton.

    My claims, are not nonsense.

    Marks comments, makes more sense than any of you.

    So, put a sock in it!

  11. Mark- at least put this in context- she was an adjunct professor at MCC- it wasn’t her livelihood-

    Why don’t you pull the same records for the county board??

    You know the one that gets a pension and healthcare…

  12. Not twisting any facts as I know them, Dum Dum.

    Mark above confirms that she’s a newer judge and in traffic court, last I heard.

    Still waiting for your “facts” to confirm why and for what reason you consider her “old baggage”.

    Many more judges been there way Longer than she.

    I think Shackelton has your number too.

  13. Geez Az, how many time does someone have to repeat themselves before you get the idea?

    “I have learned a lot and have been witness to the inner workings of the Courthouse over the years.”

    Further, I have had conversations with Judge Nader.

    And, I have had the unfortunate experience of talking to her in the presence of the Pillsbury Dough Boy, as I listened to them talk about their sons playing baseball.

    Yawn………………….

    That man use to be the “Jolly Green Giant”

    He has became so fat and happy, he’s earned his new name the “Pillsbury Dough Boy” Apparently, theres just never enough “dough” for the guy.

    The guy is “GINORMOUS” By the way, his hair is so white it matches.

    Why don’t you ask the Judge if she likes dough or popcorn or both.

    Maybe, she likes the “Pillsbury Dough Boy”

    Just maybe, they’ve been cooking in the kitchen.

    Now, go take your fishing pole somewhere else.

  14. Isn’t it a issue that Nader supported the campaign of judges really follow the money and patronage. In Mchenry county

  15. Attention; Dum Dum’s train of thought has left the station without him/her

  16. Please add me to the list of people who cannot follow your train of thought.

  17. Shackleton?

    You need to go back many years through all the corruption in the county to read between the lines.

  18. Good company Shackelton- he/she has more claims than a 1800’s gold prospector; however, Dum Dum is correct about Bill Bligh being a good choice to be a judge.

    Remember tho, even a blind squire can trip over a nut once in a while.

  19. Checked my list and apparently “AZ” and “Shackleton” are the only ones that can’t follow my comments.

    Must be lonely.

    PITY!

    They are the squirrel and the nut, who are two french fries short of a happy meal. No wonder, the squirrel keeps tripping over that nut….lol…

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