Public comment sought on 9 contenders for La Salle County judge

New judge will succeed Eugene P. Daugherity

court gavel

Nine lawyers are seeking the appointment to succeed La Salle County Circuit Judge Eugene P. Daugherity, and the public has until Feb. 19 to chime in on who should be the pick.

The field of applicants includes two former La Salle County state’s attorneys, Brian Towne and Karen Donnelly; assistant La Salle County state’s attorney Jeremiah Adams; assistant La Salle County public defender Douglas Kramarsic; Streator attorney Jim Reilly; assistant Bureau County public defender Bradley Popurella; assistant U.S. attorney Timothy Bass; and Ottawa attorneys Christina M. Cantlin-VanWiggeren and James R. Lindig.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert L. Carter is seeking public comment applicants, who are seeking an at-large circuit court vacancy. That means whoever gets the appointment must run for election in 2022 across the 13th Judicial Circuit, which includes La Salle, Bureau and Grundy counties.

Those wishing to send written comments about the applicants may address them to: Judge Appointment Comments, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 3101 Old Jacksonville Road, Springfield, IL 62704. Comments must arrive by noon Friday, Feb. 19, and are to include contact information and brief remarks, preferably no more than 250 words.

Carter will also use a poll of all attorneys residing in the 13th Circuit conducted by the Illinois State Bar Association. The attorneys will be surveyed on their opinions of the applicants’ integrity, temperament, legal ability, management skills and other professional qualifications.