Steven G. Watkins
Steven G. Watkins (Democratic Party) is a judge for the 2nd Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He assumed office on December 1, 2014. His current term ends on December 7, 2026.
Watkins ran for re-election for the 2nd Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He won in the retention election on November 3, 2020.
Education
Watkins received his undergraduate degree from Howard University in Washington D.C., and his J.D. from DePaul University School of Law.[1]
Career
Prior to joining the court, Watkins maintained a private practice and was an arbitrator with the Cook County Circuit Court's Mandatory Arbitration Program.[1]
Elections
2020
Cook County Circuit Court 2nd Subcircuit, Retention election for Steven G. Watkins
Steven G. Watkins was retained to the 2nd Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 3, 2020 with 76.8% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
76.8
|
1,251,543 | ||
No |
23.2
|
377,930 | |||
Total Votes |
1,629,473 | ||||
|
|
2014
See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2014
Watkins ran for election to the Cook County 2nd Subcircuit.
Primary: He was successful in the Democratic primary on March 18, 2014, receiving 54.6 percent of the vote. He competed against Nyshana K. Sumner.
General: He was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014.
[2][3][4][5][6]
Evaluations
The Illinois State Bar Association rated Steven G. Watkins as Qualified for election in 2014.[7]
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Steven G. Watkins did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Noteworthy cases
Jussie Smollett disorderly conduct trial (2019)
Judge Watkins presided over the trial of Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who was charged in March 2019 by a grand jury with 16 counts of disorderly conduct on allegations he staged a phony attack on himself and claimed he was the victim of a hate crime. Smollett told police on January 28, 2019, that he was attacked by two men who poured chemicals on him and put a noose around his neck. On February 21, Smollett turned himself into police and admitted that the attack was a hoax.[8]
Cook County prosecutors ultimately dropped all charges against Smollett on March 26, 2019. "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," wrote the prosecutors in a statement. Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) called the action "a whitewash of justice."[9]
Judge Watkins ordered the public file to be sealed following the prosecution dropping its charges.[9]
Awards and associations
Associations
- Member, Cook County Bar Association
- Member, Illinois State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Member & general counsel, 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc.
- Past board of directors, South Side YMCA
- Past board of directors, Casa Esperanza
- Past chair & member, Chicago Public Schools Keller Gifted Center Local School Council[1]
See also
2020 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Watkins for Judge campaign website, "Biography," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "General Primary," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk's Office, "2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election," March 18, 2014, accessed March 19, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago, "General Primary Election, Unofficial Summary Report," March 18, 2014, archived March 21, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "Gubernatorial Primary Election," March 18, 2014, archived March 21, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Official Canvass, General Primary Election," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations," October 2014
- ↑ The Cut, "A Complete Timeline of the Jussie Smollett Case," March 26, 2019
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chicago Tribune, "Mayor Emanuel blasts prosecutors' decision to drop charges against 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett: 'This is not on the level,'" March 26, 2019
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois
State courts:
Illinois Supreme Court • Illinois Appellate Court • Illinois Circuit Court
State resources:
Courts in Illinois • Illinois judicial elections • Judicial selection in Illinois
