Candidates discuss importance of judicial elections
Millikin University's Department of History and Political Science and the Decatur Bar Association teamed up to present a Candidate Forum for the judicial candidates of the Sixth Judicial Circuit on Sept. 10. The forum was held in the Bob and Debi Johnston Banquet Room in the University Commons on Millikin's campus.
Democrat Ramona Sullivan, Republican Roger Webber, Democrat Chad Beckett and Republican Randy Rosenbaum are the four candidates vying for two circuit court judgeships. Guests had the opportunity to meet the candidates, hear their platforms and understand more about the importance of judicial candidate elections.
"The big picture is I'm running for judge because I believe I could help our community better from that chair," said Sullivan, who has served as a legal aid attorney for over 20 years.
Sullivan said she wanted to run to help provide a "balance" to the circuit court, which has primarily male judges. While she complimented the two current judges on the panel and the others in the court, Sullivan said the circuit would benefit from being more diverse.
Chad Beckett agreed that the circuit should be balanced and have more varied perspectives.
"This is our country. This is our society," said Beckett. "We need to be able to look ourselves in the mirror and say 'I did the best I could to help this system.'"
Chad Beckett has practiced law in Illinois for 20 years and is president of Beckett Law Office, P.C., with offices in Urbana, Tuscola and Monticello, Ill. He maintains a general practice with a focus on civil litigation and transactional matters.
Randy Rosenbaum has spent most of his career as a public defender, starting in New York City at the Legal Aid Society in 1991. He returned to Champaign in 1994, joined the Champaign County Public Defender's Office in 1996 and was appointed by the judiciary as Chief Public Defender in 1998. In Oct. 2016, he was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. His current assignment is family law which deals with adoptions, weddings, divorces, child custody and orders of protection.
"When I was selected two years ago they had the trust in me that I had the qualities to be a good judge and that I could apply the law, that I had integrity, that I had the right temperament, and that I had sensitivity. They put their trust in my and I haven't let them down,” said Rosenbaum.
Roger Webber is a circuit judge on the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois and was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to replace Judge Arnold F. Blockman. Prior to the Circuit Judge appointment by the Illinois Supreme Court, Webber was appointed by all of the Circuit Judges to be the traveling associate serving the four smaller counties in the circuit.
All of the candidates found common ground in highlighting the importance of the election. Beckett said it's important to put in the right amount research on the candidates in the coming weeks.
"That's why events like this are wonderful," said Beckett. “It is crucial that you not only hear what we have to say tonight, but that you go to your friends, to your family and that you encourage publication of what you heard tonight so that people can make an informed decision in this election."