McHenry County Blog

The waiting is over for those wanting to know who will preside over the trial of Richard J. “R.J.” Vanecko, the Richard M. Daley nephew who decked David Koschman in a 2004 sidewalk fight from which the much smaller man did not recover.

Judge Michael Sullivan

The case went underinvestigated…except by Chicago Sun-Times reporters Chris Fusco and Tim Novak.

Last year Special Prosecutor Dan Webb was empowered by Cook County Judge Michael P. Toomin to conduct an official investigation.

Under his leadership a Cook County Grand Jury indicted Vanecko for involuntary manslaughter.

When the Cook County judge selected for the trail turned out to have connections with Vanecko’s uncle, Richard M. Daley, Chicago media turned up the heat.

Cook County Chief Circuit Judge Timothy Evans, a former Chicago Alderman, finally caved to the pressure and, citing a need to maintain “public confidence in the administration of justice,” asked the Illinois Supreme Court to find a judge outside of Cook County.

The Illinois Supreme Court threw the ball into the Circuit Court of McHenry County, where Judge Michael J. Sullivan pondered and conferred over the holidays and today appointed Maureen P. McIntyre to hear the case. McIntyre is now assigned to Juvenile Court.

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Potential political implications here.

The seal of the 22nd Circuit Court.

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court

24 APPLY FOR McHENRY COUNTY ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITIONS

Michael J. Sullivan, Chief Judge, announced today that 24 attorneys have filed applications to become the next Associate Judges of the 22nd Judiciai Circuit.

The two Associate Judge vacancies are the result of the appointment of Associate Judge Michael W. Feetterer to the position of Circuit Judge, effective December 3, 2012, and the retirement of Associate Judge Gerald M. Zopp, Jr., effective December 31, 2012.

Among the attorneys seeking the appointment are soie practitioners:

• Neil O. Anderson of Spring Grove;
• Raymond N. Flavin of Woodstock;
• Robert T. Hanlon of Woodstock;
• Richard H. Jackson of Crystal Lake;
• Denise M. Kuzniewski of McHenry;
• Gerald P. Lenzen of Woodstock;
• George A. Mueller of Crystal Lake; and
• Mary H. Nader of McHenry.

Other appiâcants include

• Anne K. Brophy of Woodstock, a Deputy Staff Judge Advocate with the U.S. Army;
• Christopher M. Harmon of Richmond, an associate with the firm of Gummerson Rausch Wand Lee Wombacher, LLC; Mark R. Facchini of Crystal Lake, an associate with the firm of Donahue & Walsh, PC;
• Robert W. Fetzner of Crystai Lake, an associate with the firm of Buxton Si Kasper;
• Kristen N. Foiey of Woodstock, a Senior Assistant City Attorney with the City of Naperville;
• Adrian M. Gosch of Crystal Lake, an associate with the firm of Gummerson Rausch Wand Lee Wombacher, LLC; Cynthia D. Lamb of Buit Valiey, a partner with the firm of Campion Curran Lamb Si Cunabaugh, PC;
• James K. McBride of Johnsburg, a partner with the firm of Short & McBride;
• Jeannie M. Ridings of Crystal Lake, a partner with the firm of Kililis Ridings & Vonau, PC;
• Cynthia A. Schaupp of Algonquin, an attorney with the firm of Holland & Knight;
• Marjorie L. Worth of McHenry, a senior associate with the firm of Botto Gilbert Schottland Lancaster; and Salty J. Zimmerman of Woodstock, a partner with the firm of Cassiday Schade LLP.

Two McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorneys have also apptied, namely:

• Demetrios P. Tsìlimigras of Cary, and
• Norman D. Vinton of Crystal Lake;

along with one Winnebago County Assistant State’s Attorney

• Tiffany E. Davis of Woodstock, and

one Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney,

•  Mary E. McClellan of McHenry.

The applicants will be interviewed by the Circuit Judges and they be jointly evaluated by the Illinois State Bar Association and the McHenry County Bar Association.

After the review process has been completed, the Chief Judge will request that the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts initiate the balloting process.

Within 14 days of the Chief Judge’s request, the Director shall place the names of each candidate on a ballot in alphabetical order. The ballots will be mailed to each Circuit Judge.

Each Circuit Judge will complete the ballot by voting for one candidate for each vacancy.

The ballots must be returned to the Director within 14 days of the date on which the ballots were distributed.

The Director will count the ballots and tabulate the results and certify the results to the Chief Judge.

Public comment by letter is invited on or before November 20, 2012. Address correspondence to Chief Judge Michael J. Suilivan, McHenry County Government Center, 2200 North Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098.

Associate Judge Martin Zopp.  Photo by Robin F. Pendergast, Inc.

Among the other information picked up at the annual fund raiser of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi was the impending retirement of Associated Judge Martin Zopp.

Zopp, who lives in Crystal Lake, worked longer than his wife Marilyn, who is retired from McHenry County College.

The Judge’s retirement will undoubtedly set off a frenzy of resume updating for attorneys who would like a good, steady income without having to worry about paying support staff and other office expenses.

The pay in 2010 was about $165,000 a year.

A replacement will be selected by a vote of the elected Circuit Court Judges in the 22nd Juridical District:

• Michael T. Caldwell
• Michael J. Chmiel
• Joseph P. Condon
• Gordon E. Graham
• Maureen P. McIntyre
• Sharon Prather
• Michael J. Sullivan
• Charles P. Weech

Charles Weech

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:

Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County Announces Mental Health Court Graduation Ceremony

The 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County Mental Health Court will host its 7th Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, July 24th at 6:30 p.m.

The ceremony is open to the public and will take place in Courtroom 204 at McHenry County Government Center.

Guests are required to use the Government Center’s East Entrance.

The ceremony includes

• a presentation by Michelle Rock, Director of the Illinois Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Justice and
• the presentation of Graduation Certificates by Mental Health Court Circuit Judge, Honorable Charles P. Weech.

The MHC is a voluntary program designed to serve defendants who are struggling with mental illness and are currently involved in the criminal justice system of McHenry County. In lieu of traditional punishment, the MHC diverts defendants with diagnosed mental illness away from the criminal justice system by offering alternatives including; intensive judicial oversight, community supervision and treatment.

The goals of the MHC are to reduce recidivism and promote self-sufficiency by offering community based treatment alternatives to incarceration.

The 7th Graduation ceremony will be a time of celebration and reflection for six (6) program graduates who have worked extremely hard to improve their lives and we commend them for their efforts.

This brings the program’s graduation total to 41 individuals since its inception in April of 2007.

The MHC is extremely proud to say that the program has a post graduation recidivism rate of less than 10%!

The MHC would not be possible without

• the McHenry County Board,
• Twenty Second Judicial Circuit Office of Court Administration,
• McHenry County Court and Probation Services,
• McHenry County Mental Health Board, McHenry County Department of Health,
• McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office,
• McHenry County Public Defender’s Office,
• McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and
• various community based mental health service providers.

For questions pertaining to the Mental Health Court, please contact Scott Block at 815-334-4913.

The seal of the 22nd District Circuit Court.

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:

New Arbitration Center for the Twenty Second Circuit

WOODSTOCK, IL – The Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County has a new Arbitration Center located at 666 Russel Court, Suite 309 in Woodstock. The telephone number to the new McHenry County Arbitration Center is 815-337-0582.

In early August, 2011, the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County and the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Lake County submitted a joint request to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, requesting an arbitration administrator for the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit.

Prior to this request, the Nineteenth and Twenty Second Judicial Circuit shared an arbitration administrator, which traveled between the two circuits.

On October 24, 2011 Alison E. Lowery was selected as the arbitration administrator for the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit.

Due to space limitations within the McHenry County Government Center and the desire to expand the arbitration program and enhance case management, it was necessary to acquire the necessary facilities outside of the Government Center.

All funding for the McHenry County Arbitration Center comes from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.

The McHenry County General Fund does not financially support the arbitration program.

Arbitration is mandatory for civil cases seeking money damages between $10,000-$50,000.

Cases eligible for arbitration proceed in court along an expedited track, with an arbitration hearing date four to six months from the date the case is filed.

A panel of three arbitrators conducts the arbitration hearing.

Arbitrators are selected on a random, rotating basis from a list of retired judges or attorneys who have attended training.

The arbitration panel conducts a hearing, allowing the parties to present all facts, evidence, and law, before rendering an award.

The arbitration award is not binding for thirty days, during which time any party present at the arbitration hearing may “reject” the award, pay a rejection fee, and then proceed to a trial before a judge or jury.

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The new arbitration center is located at 666 Russel Court in Woodstock, suite 309. This is the 3 story office building adjacent to Government Center.
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“The mission of the 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County is to be the guardian of life, liberty and property to all seeking access to justice, by adhering to practices that ensure equality, fairness and confidence in the judiciary”

McHenry County, Illinois

The McHenry County Courthouse anyway.

None of the four countywide offices in McHenry County have a Democratic candidate.  While it is possible for candidates to pop up after the primary on March 20, 2012, it seems unlikely.

So, the following people will in all likelihood hold the title before their names after the December 2012 swearing in date:

• McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi
• McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters
• McHenry County Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe
• McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew
• McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer and
• newcomer McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski

And, if all the Democrats who have filed for the McHenry County Board were able to win next fall, the GOP would still hold a 14-10 margin.

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:

Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County Drug Court Program Set to Begin

WOODSTOCK, IL – After nearly two years of planning, the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit Drug Court Program will begin on Thursday, December 1^st.  Associate Judge Michael W. Feetterer has been selected to preside over the drug court call.

Earlier this year it was announced that the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit Drug Court Program would be receiving funding from the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 11 Adult Drug Court Discretionary: Implementation Grant Program in the amount of $305,717.00 to fund the program for a period of three years.  The grant was awarded by competitive process to jurisdictions which have completed a substantial amount of planning and are ready to implement an evidence-based adult drug court program.

A drug court program is a highly specialized, multifaceted collaborative effort, overseen by the court to divert individuals who commit crime and are addicted to drugs or alcohol, from the traditional criminal justice system.  These individuals will be identified early, screened and upon acceptance placed into an intensely supervised and highly structured program.  The program will target individuals who have a high risk of committing new offenses and a high need for treatment and other services to address the participant’s individual issues.  Participants referred to the program must be involved in the program within 60 days of their first appearance with counsel or they will not be considered.

Drug courts programs are specifically designed to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent substance abusing offenders and to increase the offender’s likelihood of successful rehabilitation through early, continuous and intense judicially supervised treatment, mandatory random drug testing, community supervision and use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services.

Referrals for Drug Court are expected to come from probation officers, public defenders, private attorneys and police officers. Defendants being assessed for the program must meet program eligibility criteria including; McHenry County residency, age of 17 years or older at the time of the offense, a current felony  offense and alcohol/drug dependence as well as statutory eligibility outlined in 730 ILCS 166/20. DUI charges will not be accepted into the Drug Court Program. If general eligibility requirements are met, defendants will undergo evaluations to determine their level of criminogenic risk/needs and substance use.

Because of population grown since the year 2000, McHenry County gets two new associate judges.

The selection process for these $171,000 jobs is in process. Twenty-nine lawyers have applied.

But now the County Board has to find a place to put two new judges.

Space is tight in the courthouse. You know government expands to fill all room available, a variation of Parkinson’s Law, I think.

So, what to do?

It appears that the County Board is about to do something logical, something that is should have done at least a decade ago.

What’s that?

Open branch courthouse in the population center of the county, southeastern McHenry County.

And, while most of Woodstock is in the southeastern McHenry County, the Courthouse is in the northern half of McHenry County. I refer to its inconvenient location as “the Hebron site.”

Crystal Lake City Hall is a potential site for a branch courthouse. One might think cities would be competing for a branch courthouse, hoping those with tickets would stay and do some shopping.

Court is already conducted in Crystal Lake’s City Council Chamber. It’s called Administrative Court and is a way the Home Rule City of Crystal Lake can extract money from people without sharing any with county government.

But that court certainly proves Crystal Lake has an adequate courtroom.

I see no reason that the Algonquin Village Board room wouldn’t work either.

Or the Huntley Village Board room. It was certainly big enough to hold close to 200 folks mainly interested in high tolls to fill their wallets.

So, move traffic court to the cities where the tickets have been written.

When I called the Crystal Lake City Manager’s Office I was told no inquiry has so far been made.

So, if you have an empty room that might work as a courtroom, raise your hand. You might get some rent for a room that otherwise might remain empty.

Oh, yes. Might be good to have plenty of parking.