Name: Judge Elizabeth Flood
Position for which you are a candidate:
Circuit Court Judge 16th District
Why are you seeking this position?
I am seeking to retain this position after being elevated to be a Circuit Judge by unanimous vote of the Illinois Supreme Court last year. I am honored to be only the fourth woman in the history of Kane County to be appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to this position. I became an attorney in order to go into public service and help my community. I chose to work first in the prosecutor’s office, in order to represent the people and have the discretion and responsibility to do the right thing on behalf of citizens, victims, and defendants. I worked in every criminal courtroom and then defended the county and its citizens in civil cases during 17 years at the State’s Attorney’s Office. I was encouraged to apply to become a judge and realized that it would be a continuation of my work serving the public and going into court every day with the goal of doing the right thing. I have been a judge for 8 years and I am motivated every day to work hard on behalf of the people who appear in front of me to make fair, informed decisions and to follow the law impartially. This is what drives me every day and gives my work meaning.
What experience and background do you have which qualifies you for this position?
I worked in the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office criminal division for 7 years, in every criminal courtroom, including traffic, misdemeanor, abuse/neglect, DUI, felony, and spent two years at the Child Advocacy Center prosecuting cases of the serious physical and sexual abuse of children. I was also a supervisor in a felony drug courtroom. I then moved to the civil division, where I learned federal and civil law and procedure, and both initiated and defended cases in state, federal, and appellate courts. I was appointed to be an Associate Judge in 2013, and I have presided over traffic, criminal, and civil courtrooms, and I have been assigned to a family courtroom for the past 5 years. I am one of the highest rated judges in Kane County in the areas of overall qualifications, integrity, impartiality, legal ability, temperament, case management, and sensitivity to diversity. When a Circuit Judge retired last year, the Illinois Supreme Court could have chosen any attorney in Kane County to fill this position, and they selected me to be a Circuit Judge.
What will be your highest priorities if elected?
My highest priority is always the people who appear in front of me. I treat everyone with respect, and understand that court is a stressful and sometimes confusing place to be. I prepare each day before court to make sure I am ready for the issues presented, in order to resolve cases as efficiently as possible. I research, listen, and am diligent to make fair, impartial decisions based only on the facts and the law, and to explain the steps and rulings so everyone understands why decisions are made.
If elected, I will be excited to continue the many technological advancements we have made due to COVID, which make courts more affordable and accessible to everyone. I would hope to make language interpreters more available, for the many different cultures which reside within our county. I want to educate the judges on the many social service agencies in Kane County, in order to address and treat the issues which cause people to come into the court system. As a Circuit Judge I have been involved in selecting Associate Judges, and I would continue to advocate for the selection of qualified candidates who expand the diversity of and public confidence in, the judiciary.
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