John P Tully

Present Judicial Duties
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Fifth Division

Previous Judicial Duties
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, First Division, Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Third Division, 1984-1990: Judge, Circuit Court

Elected to the Circuit Court in 1984, elected to the Illinois Appellate court in 1990.

Evaluation
3/90 and 11/90 Elections-Appellate Court and Retention - Circuit Court: Not Qualified

Judge John P Tully, who was elected to the Circuit Court in 1984, is now running for the Appellate Court. The Council found Judge Tully not qualified for the same position in 1988. The Council continues to receive reports that he has not shown the temperament, judgment or ability to be an Appellate Justice. The Council, therefor, finds him Not Qualified.

11/90 Retention - Circuit Court: Not Qualified

The Council believes that Judge John P Tully is not fit for the bench. He was elected in 1984 in the so-called "Irish Sweeps" election, when several lawyers with Irish surnames defeated party-endorsed candidates.

Judge Tully was formally charged on September 25, 1990 with seven counts of misconduct by the Judicial Inquiry Board. The allege misconduct involved deceptive and other improper judicial campaign activities.

Judge Tully's ads included claims that he was "Tough on Crime," "Tough on Taxes," "Highly Qualified and Endorsed," and found "Highly Qualified" by a trial lawyers group. The Judicial Inquiry Board charged that the first two claims violate rules regulating judges comments on public issues. Those rules are important to safe guard public confidence in an impartial judiciary. The last two claims are particularly galling Judge Tully was quoted as saying that he felt he was highly qualified, and he felt the voters endorsed him with their votes. Judge Tully added that he did not know which trial lawyers group endorsed him as highly qualified. We know of none that did, in fact, to our knowledge, every major bar association that has evaluated Judge Tully has joined the council in finding him "Not Quallified" for the bench.

Apart from the disciplinary action, lawyers report that Judge Tully lacks the temperament, judgment and legal ability to be a judge. Judge Tully is an embarrassment to the Illinois bench. The Council urges in the strongest terms that he not be retained.

3/92 Supreme Court: Not Qualified

John P Tully, 51 is unfit for any bench. He was first elected to the Circuit Court in 1984. In the 1990 general election, Justice Tully was defeated for retention to the Circuit Court. At the same time, however, voters elected him to the Appellate Court, where he now sits. In 1990, the Council found Judge Tully not qualified both for retention and for the Appellate Court because of his lack of legal ability and poor temperament. Since then, he has been disciplined by the Illinois Courts Commission for violating judicial ethics rules relating to his 1990 election campaign.

Justice Tully refused to participte in the Council's evaluation. Based on our earlier rating of "not qualified," and the dicipline imposed on him, the Council again rates him not qualified.

11/00 Retention - Appellate Court: Not Qualified

John Patrick Tully, 64, has been a judge since 1984. In the 1990 general election, Justice Tully was defeated for retention to the Circuit Court. At the same time, however, voters elected him to the Appellate court where he now sits. Lawyers report that Justice Tully does not have the legal ability, judgment, or knowledge to serve as an Apellate Court Justce. The Council finds him Not Qualified.

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