Stephanie Saltouros
Name: Stephanie Saltouros
Age: 47
Current residence: Chicago
Current position: Cook County circuit judge, appointed Sept. 29, 2016
Past legal experience: Cook County circuit judge, 2016-present; sole practitioner, Stephanie Saltouros, Attorney at Law, 2008-16; Cook County assistant state’s attorney, 1996-2008
Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $85,985.55
Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $10,404.45
Law school: The John Marshall Law School, 1996
Campaign website: judgesaltouros.com
Family: My husband is Jim Saltouros and we have a son, Theo and a daughter, Haido.
Hobbies/interests: My hobbies/interests are going to the theater, traveling with my family, and reading.
Have you ever run for office before?
I ran for judge in 2016 but withdrew my candidacy before the election.
Why should voters support your candidacy?
I am the only candidate in my 10th Judicial Subcircuit race with judicial experience. I have been found highly qualified, highly recommended, qualified, or recommended by all of the evaluating bar associations. I have spent my entire 21-year career either in court or preparing for court and I possess the requisite knowledge, skills, temperament, and demeanor to remain a competent and conscientious jurist. I am able to do that because I have a sense of fairness that comes from my experience representing parties on both sides of the aisle.
Why do you want to be a judge?
I want to remain a judge because of my strong commitment to public service. I am humbled by the role entrusted to me by the Illinois Supreme Court. I strive each day to ensure that justice is served to all who appear before me and I am proud to say that I have a balanced approach as a judge because I know what each side faces when they step up before the bench. I know how lives can be changed by the outcome of what the judge decides and I am aware of the importance of reaching an informed and equitable decision.
What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?
When I was an assistant state’s attorney I prosecuted an individual for aggravated battery to a child. It was a difficult case because my primary witness was 9 years old. The defendant had severely burned the victim and had been abusing all of his girlfriend’s young children. The defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to over 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?
My appointment to the judiciary by the Illinois Supreme Court.
What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?
A willingness to listen, knowledge of the law, a strong work ethic, patience, fairness, empathy, and kindness.