Cook County judges referred to judicial misconduct board over residency conflict
Embattled Cook County Judge E. Kenneth Wright was referred to a state disciplinary board on Wednesday by the chief judge after an Injustice Watch investigation found he took inappropriate homestead and senior tax exemptions on a house he owned in Will County.Wright, 83, will retain his powerful position as presiding judge of Cook County’s first municipal district while the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board investigates.Meanwhile, Wright faces another challenge from voters in Tuesday’s judicial retention vote. As of Wednesday, his vote total only narrowly exceeds the threshold of 60%, with thousands of votes left to count.Another judge facing a close retention vote, Shannon O’Malley, also was referred to the board by the court’s executive committee over a similar residency conflict also first reported by Injustice Watch.Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans signed separate orders late Wednesday referring both judges for investigations before the inquiry board. The orders contained no further details.Wright and O’Malley did not respond to interview requests.As a presiding judge since 2003, Wright oversees more than 40 other judges in Chicago’s housing, evictions, and small claims courts, and he rules on property ownership disputes and defects in deeds and chains of title.He also serves on Evans’ executive committee, which rules on administrative orders and judges accused of misconduct. The committee met on Wednesday to decide on Wright’s fate. Wright has assigned several of his colleagues to so-called “judge jail,” handling administrative matters at the Daley Center while they face similar investigations.Wright’s new status as a judge under investigation marks a sudden downturn in his 30-year-long judicial career.Born in Pine Bluff, Ark., Wright attended college there but moved to Illinois to earn a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1970, then a law degree from Northwestern University in 1977.He worked as a solo practitioner from a nondescript brick building he owned on Chicago’s South Side, handling mostly probate cases and land transactions, records and interviews show.He was appointed judge in 1994 and elected later that year. Evans tapped him to lead the First Municipal District in 2003.Wright’s rulings and general orders reflect a judge focused on protecting seniors and people with disabilities, and standing for tenants’ rights.And he has an extensive history of leadership in the Illinois legal community.O’Malley was elected in 2018, after changing both his party affiliation and his name to run for judge in heavily Democratic Cook County. Related 2 Cook County judges claim homeowner exemptions in Will County Bar groups reconsider ratings of Cook County judge who claimed homeowner exemption in Will County Three Cook County judges close to losing seats after scrutiny Questions first arose about Wright and O’Malley’s compliance with the constitutional requirement judges live in the jurisdictions they serve on Oct. 2, when Injustice Watch published a story examining their homestead exemptions in Will County.Wright applied for and received a senior homestead exemption in Will County in 2018, and had also benefited from a longstanding homestead exemption at the same address since before he became a judge. O’Malley, through his attorney, told Injustice Watch he has lived in Cook County since he became a judge and the homestead exemption in Will County was for a house where his wife resides.State law says such exemptions can only be filed on your “principal residence.”Wright quickly moved to revoke his Will County tax benefits, which had trimmed his property tax bills by thousands of dollars. But the revelation kicked off a firestorm from bar associations in the run-up to Tuesday’s election, where he was campaigning for a sixth term on the bench.After hearing from Wright in a closed-door hearing, the Illinois State Bar Association reversed its previous support and advised a no vote for his retention, citing the residency conflicts. And the Chicago Bar Association — over which he once presided — advised voters to reject Wright on the eve of Election Day. The late change came after nearly one million Cook County voters had already cast their ballots.The CBA noted he had a driver’s license with a Will County address for more than 40 years.“His failure to comply with basic law … suggests an intent to secure unfair gain or advantage,” the bar association wrote. “Judge Wright also has taken inconsistent positions with regard to his primary residence.”As of Wednesday afternoon, O’Malley was narrowly losing his retention vote. Wright was narrowly eking out a victory, which requires sitting judges to win more than 60% of a yes-o
Embattled Cook County Judge E. Kenneth Wright was referred to a state disciplinary board on Wednesday by the chief judge after an Injustice Watch investigation found he took inappropriate homestead and senior tax exemptions on a house he owned in Will County.
Wright, 83, will retain his powerful position as presiding judge of Cook County’s first municipal district while the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board investigates.
Meanwhile, Wright faces another challenge from voters in Tuesday’s judicial retention vote. As of Wednesday, his vote total only narrowly exceeds the threshold of 60%, with thousands of votes left to count.
Another judge facing a close retention vote, Shannon O’Malley, also was referred to the board by the court’s executive committee over a similar residency conflict also first reported by Injustice Watch.
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans signed separate orders late Wednesday referring both judges for investigations before the inquiry board. The orders contained no further details.
Wright and O’Malley did not respond to interview requests.
As a presiding judge since 2003, Wright oversees more than 40 other judges in Chicago’s housing, evictions, and small claims courts, and he rules on property ownership disputes and defects in deeds and chains of title.
He also serves on Evans’ executive committee, which rules on administrative orders and judges accused of misconduct. The committee met on Wednesday to decide on Wright’s fate. Wright has assigned several of his colleagues to so-called “judge jail,” handling administrative matters at the Daley Center while they face similar investigations.
Wright’s new status as a judge under investigation marks a sudden downturn in his 30-year-long judicial career.
Born in Pine Bluff, Ark., Wright attended college there but moved to Illinois to earn a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1970, then a law degree from Northwestern University in 1977.
He worked as a solo practitioner from a nondescript brick building he owned on Chicago’s South Side, handling mostly probate cases and land transactions, records and interviews show.
He was appointed judge in 1994 and elected later that year. Evans tapped him to lead the First Municipal District in 2003.
Wright’s rulings and general orders reflect a judge focused on protecting seniors and people with disabilities, and standing for tenants’ rights.
And he has an extensive history of leadership in the Illinois legal community.
O’Malley was elected in 2018, after changing both his party affiliation and his name to run for judge in heavily Democratic Cook County.
Questions first arose about Wright and O’Malley’s compliance with the constitutional requirement judges live in the jurisdictions they serve on Oct. 2, when Injustice Watch published a story examining their homestead exemptions in Will County.
Wright applied for and received a senior homestead exemption in Will County in 2018, and had also benefited from a longstanding homestead exemption at the same address since before he became a judge. O’Malley, through his attorney, told Injustice Watch he has lived in Cook County since he became a judge and the homestead exemption in Will County was for a house where his wife resides.
State law says such exemptions can only be filed on your “principal residence.”
Wright quickly moved to revoke his Will County tax benefits, which had trimmed his property tax bills by thousands of dollars. But the revelation kicked off a firestorm from bar associations in the run-up to Tuesday’s election, where he was campaigning for a sixth term on the bench.
After hearing from Wright in a closed-door hearing, the Illinois State Bar Association reversed its previous support and advised a no vote for his retention, citing the residency conflicts. And the Chicago Bar Association — over which he once presided — advised voters to reject Wright on the eve of Election Day. The late change came after nearly one million Cook County voters had already cast their ballots.
The CBA noted he had a driver’s license with a Will County address for more than 40 years.
“His failure to comply with basic law … suggests an intent to secure unfair gain or advantage,” the bar association wrote. “Judge Wright also has taken inconsistent positions with regard to his primary residence.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, O’Malley was narrowly losing his retention vote. Wright was narrowly eking out a victory, which requires sitting judges to win more than 60% of a yes-or-no vote. Wright currently has 62.8% “yes” votes, with a few dozen Chicago precincts still not counted and tens of thousands of mail-in ballots potentially still outstanding.
Even while recommending against his retention, the ISBA noted: “He is a past president of the Chicago Bar Association and has continued to be a committee member. He has been a board of governors and assembly member for the Illinois State Bar Association, as well as a committee chair for the Illinois Judges Association. In addition, he sits on Supreme Court committees and is an editorial board member for the CBA Record.”
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