With this post, we’re addressing a new question in our ongoing review of the Justices’ voting records: how often each Justice is in the minority. The question serves as an indication of how closely in sync with the majority of the Court an individual Justice is philosophically, and during a Justice’s term as Chief Justice,
Voting
How Has Justice Michael Burke Voted in Civil Cases Since Joining the Court?
This time, we’re beginning our review of the voting record of Justice Michael Burke, who took his seat on March 1, 2020, replacing the retired Justice Robert R. Thomas. Previously, Justice Burke had served for twelve years as a Justice of the Second District Appellate Court.
During 2020, Justice Michael Burke voted in 19 civil…
Examining Justice Neville’s Voting Record in Civil Cases, 2018-2020
Today, we’re examining the voting record of one of the newer members of the Supreme Court, Associate Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. Justice Neville took his seat on June 15, 2018, succeeding Justice Charles Freeman. Prior to joining the Court, Justice Neville sat on the First District Appellate Court from 2004 to 2018. During his…
Examining Chief Justice Burke’s Voting Record in Civil Cases, 2006-2020
Today, we’re beginning our examination of the voting record of Chief Justice Anne M. Burke. Chief Justice Burke took her seat on July 6, 2006. Through the end of 2020, she had voted in 463 civil cases.
It’s reasonable to suppose that the distribution of a Justice’s votes between affirmance and reversal might tell us…
Examining Justice Theis’ Voting Record in Civil Cases, 2010-2020
Today, we’re taking a look at Justice Theis’ voting record since joining the Court in late October 2010.
In her just over ten years on the Court, Justice Theis has voted in 322 civil cases. Like Justice Garman, the distribution of those cases reflects the diminishing of the Court’s docket. She cast 177 votes in…
Examining Justice Garman’s Voting Patterns in Civil Cases, 2001-2020
This week, we’re taking the first steps in a more detailed analysis, one Justice at a time, of the Justices’ voting records. First up is Justice Garman’s record in civil cases.
From joining the Court in 2001 until the end of 2020, Justice Garman has voted in 760 civil cases. The distribution of votes reflects…
What Kinds of Cases Drive the Third District’s Criminal Reversal Rate?
This time, we’re taking a closer look at what might be driving the reversal rate for criminal cases from the Third District.
First, let’s take a look at the subject breakdown of the criminal cases which have reached the Supreme Court. A large share of the cases was in two areas: criminal procedure (57 cases)…
What Kinds of Cases Drive the Fifth District Appellate Court Civil Reversal Rate?
The last couple of weeks, we’ve looked at reversal rates for the Appellate Court in cases at the Supreme Court. But the difficulty which few people talk about is that reversal rates are nearly always a composite statistic – either “all cases,” or at most all civil cases or all criminal. But mathematically, a high…
What Are the Reversal Rates in Criminal Cases for Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Districts of the Appellate Court, 1990-2020?
Last time, we reviewed the reversal rates at the Supreme Court in criminal cases for the Divisions of Chicago’s First District of the Appellate Court. This time, we’re looking at the reversal rates across the rest of the state.
The Third District fared worst from 1990 to 2020, with a collective reversal rate of 64.18%. …
What Are the Reversal Rates in Criminal Cases for the Divisions of Chicago’s First District, 1990-2020?
This week, we’re reviewing the reversal rates for the Appellate Court in criminal cases since 1990. First up, the six Divisions of Chicago’s First District of the Appellate Court.
Since 1990, Division One of the First has fared worst, with a reversal rate in criminal cases of 57.14%. Division Three was next at 56.52%. The…