North Shore voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to retain Cook County Circuit Court Judge John G. Mulroe. The nonpartisan retention question asks a simple "yes" or "no" rather than offering a choice between candidates.

Mulroe is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Name: John G. Mulroe
  • Date of birth: July 21, 1959
  • Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
  • Office: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, Loyola University, 1982; juris doctor, Loyola University, 1988
  • High school: St. Patrick High School, Chicago, class of 1977

Experience and public service

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mulroe to the Cook County Circuit Court on June 21, 2019, according to his Wikipedia entry. He filled the vacancy left by Judge Thomas R. Allen's retirement in the 10th Subcircuit. He won the seat in 2020.

Before joining the bench, Mulroe served in the Illinois State Senate from 2010 to 2019, according to BallotReady. He worked in private law practice from 1995 to 2010 and as an assistant state's attorney from 1988 to 1995. He also worked as a certified public accountant.

Prior to becoming a judge, Mulroe served as president of his local school board and as a member of the Community Council and the St. Angela Education Foundation, according to the Committee for Retention of Judges. He coached sports and volunteered at elementary school science fairs.

Since taking the bench, Mulroe has volunteered at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, judged mock trials for law schools, volunteered at the Edison Park Turkey Trot, and presented mock bills and mock trials to elementary students, according to the same source.

Mulroe holds memberships in numerous bar associations and legal organizations, including the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Illinois Judges Association, and the Decalogue Society of Lawyers.

Endorsements

Both endorsements below are claimed by the endorsers and sourced from the Committee for Retention of Judges.

  • Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening — Found qualified by all 14 bar associations that interviewed him and evaluated his credentials
  • Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee — Rated qualified, noting that attorneys who appear before him gave "highly complimentary reviews" and that he is "respected for his integrity and knowledge of the law"

Note: No candidate questionnaire responses or issue statements were available for this profile. Information is drawn from the Committee for Retention of Judges, BallotReady and Wikipedia.