Ashonta C. Rice
Democratic
Circuit Court Judge, Cook County (Vacancy of Coghlan)
AI wrote this from the sources listed below. A second AI checked each sentence against its source, and software checked the links and dates. A person didn’t review it, so every sentence links to its source for you to check. Updated Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Overview
Ashonta C. Rice was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County in August 2026 and assigned to the First Municipal District.1 She was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2005 and served in the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office, representing minors in abuse and neglect proceedings.2 She later spent 18 years in private practice focused on family law, child protection litigation, and guardianship.3
Campaign money
- Reporting period
- April 1 to June 30, 2026
- Raised
- $0
- Cash on hand
- $1,083
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings for Friends for Ashonta
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”6
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”7
- Illinois State Bar Association: “Qualified”1
- Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: 9 of 11 other member groups rated this judge “Recommended”, 2 “Qualified”.8 Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Cook County Judicial Evaluations - Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- The Chicago Council of Lawyers Judicial Evaluations for ..., Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- “Judge Smart” Guide - chicagobar.org, Chicago Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Our 2026 General Election Endorsements, Personal PAC. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Ashonta C. Rice - March 2026 Cook County Judicial Election Guide, Injustice Watch. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Vote Smart: CBA Judicial Voter's Guide, General Election, November 3, 2026, Chicago Bar Association. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
- Evaluation Report: Judges on the Ballot in the November 3, 2026 General Election, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
- Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, 2026 General Election ratings, Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
- November 3, 2026 General Election Endorsed Candidates, Chicago Federation of Labor. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- IUOE Local 150 Illinois Endorsements, General Election, November 3, 2026 (Cook County), IUOE Local 150. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.