Elect Laura

The Chicago Tribune Voter Guide is now online.  Laura Morask’s 12th Judicial Sub circuit race in Cook County stacks up the candidates and gives you an understanding in their own words on why each candidate is qualified to be judge. (full text below)

“The Chicago Tribune Voter Guide provides voters a chance to understand my qualifications,  on many levels.  I always welcome the chance to meet people face to face and share with them the importance of Judges in our country.  I realize sometimes voters don’t have the chance to meet each candidate and the Tribune’s Voter Guide is a great resource for these voters.”

A recent face to face meeting with Laura was her Volunteer Breakfast.  It was a really great opportunity to talk with voters, and plan for the upcoming work towards the election.  Laura appreciates everyone who made it and was also happily surprised with how many people emailed support and how they will help in other ways.  Thanks everyone.  Every little bit helps.

Chicago Tribune Voter Guide on Laura Morask, Candidate for 12th Judicial Sub Circuit of Cook County.

Previous political experience (elective and appointed): I am a two term Maine Township Trustee. I was elected in April, 2001 and re-elected in April, 2005.

Education: Washington University, St. Louis, Mo 1974-1978 Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature Chicago-Kent College Of Law, Chicago, Il,1987 Juris Doctorate Degree

Submit a brief essay that explains why you are qualified to hold this office. 

I am the only candidate in my race to be twice certified as lead counsel by the Illinois Supreme Court Capital Litigation Trial Bar, the blue ribbon committee established to ensure that only those with the proper ethical and trial experience can conduct capital litigation. I am also the only candidate in my race to have record-setting trial experience, with over five thousand bench and motion hearings and a record amount of  jury trial litigation,  leading any prosecutor in Cook County. I am more intimately familiar with the rules of evidence, the law, and daily courtroom management and litigation. As the deputy supervisor of preliminary hearings for Branch 44 at Harrison and Kedzie handling all of the felony cases on Chicago’s west side, I currently supervise the prosecution of 400 cases monthly, train dozens of younger assistants and manage a staff of courtroom personnel. I have been twice qualified by the Chicago Bar Association, the major peer reviewed bar association for all lawyers in Chicago, and I have been found recommended by the Northwest Suburban Bar Association.

I am the only candidate in my race to have proven myself as an elected official. I am a two term Maine Township Trustee. I was elected in April, 2001 and re-elected in April, 2005. As a Trustee, I have specialized in devoting countless volunteer hours to teaching our seniors and our youth how to protect themselves and the community from the increasing presence of gang crimes. As a board member for seven years, I have balanced a half million dollar budget each year, which included cutting taxpayer costs while improving services to the five communities we serve.

I am the only candidate in my race who is a recognized legal expert in DNA and gang crimes. I have lectured on a National, State and local level and been featured as a legal expert on both WGN and FOX news for my legal expertise in both DNA and gang crimes. I have published handbooks and presentations in these areas. I volunteer and teach at both of my teen age sons’ local public schools.

List your three most significant accomplishments

-= Combating Violence =- In 1998, I spearheaded a new unit, implementing a Congressional grant to combat violence against women. As the first Senior Sex Trial Specialist I successfully prosecuted sixty of the most serious and violent sex offenders; including child predators, domestic abusers and repeat offenders.

In 2001, I was recruited to the Special Prosecutions Bureau, Gang Crimes Unit where I successfully prosecuted dozens of murder jury trials and worked with a task force disbanding the leadership of the Black Disciple street gang. This task force required cooperative effort from the FBI, DEA, CPD, Customs, ATF, state and federal prosecutors. The gang unit presented different equally complex challenges; a cross-section of witnesses many of whom were fellow gang members who required a delicate balance of tact, diplomacy or an arrest warrant in which to get them to court. As liaison to the Skokie Court House I prosecuted cases for the Evanston, New Trier, Maine and Northfield townships communities bringing together members of law enforcement, school and civic groups to pursue a common goal of justice, providing an opportunity to directly serve the citizens of the 12th sub circuit. I was promoted to Supervisor in 2005. My gang awareness seminar was recently featured on WGN Television News.

-= Expert in DNA and Forensic  evidence =- Combining my interests in biology and law, I developed an expertise in DNA. This expertise has enabled me to become a forensic expert familiar with not only rape cases but capital cases, and have tried over a hundred jury trials involving such issues  as lead counsel. I I am the only candidate in my race to be twice qualified by the Illinois Supreme Court’s Captital Litigation Trial Bar recognizing that I have the forensic, legal and ethical experience required by law to handle capital cases.  Over the years I have advised and taught many fellow lawyers how to analyze and effectively present DNA evidence. I lecture locally and nationally and published a chapter in the Joint Cook and DuPage County Training Manual for Prosecutors. My DNA expertise was recently featured on FOX News.

-= Steering from gang to graduate =- I count amongst my proudest moments my perseverance with several gang member witnesses and township residents who I truly believed did want to change their lives. I helped them into making a life altering change for the better. One 13 year old girl in particular who had participated with an adult group of men in a series of vicious home invasions and murders wanted to escape the clutches of her 21 year old boyfriend/ringleader. Taking a chance, I requested the Juvenile Court judge to let her go to placement in a locked facility out of state instead of the Juvenile Department of Corrections.  At the placement, this girl not only graduated high school but college as well with a goal towards medical school and pediatrics.  During that time she  fearlessly testified against all six gang members, three of whom were high ranking members of the black gangster disciple street gang.  In my job as Maine Township Trustee, a 13 year old boy whose brother had forced him into the latin kings came to my attention through our youth and family services program. I asked his mother to bring him to my anti-gang coping strategies seminar this past spring.  I tailored some additional strategies towards his specific situation while preserving his anonymity. I saw a  spark of hope and resolve in both the boy and his mother and continued  to work with them individually. He has now successfully left the gang.

List your three most significant post-election goals.

I would bring to the judiciary another fundamental principle; treating everyone with dignity, respect and fairness. One of the main obstacles litigants can face is the unfamiliarity they encounter in the courtroom; the building, the proceedings, the language, the court personnel and the interplay of numerous large bureaucracies that all make for an intimidating and overwhelming experience.

I believe in treating everyone with the same kindness and courtesy; whether the custodian, the support staff, the secretaries, attorneys, or litigants. I am known by my peers, the Judges whom I appear before as well as my adversaries for unstintingly giving of my time and energy to help solve any problem. I am considered to be a go-to person and appreciate the trust people place in me to seek advice.

The final trait that would make me an excellent judge is my sheer dedication to hard work, perseverance and preparation. I multi-task a full time family of two teenage boys, numerous volunteer public service meetings as well as service to the community on the Maine Township Board of Trustees. My dedication is based on a passion for doing a job well and doing it right. I have always believed in doing the right thing. I believe I could and would make the judiciary proud.