Ava George Stewart
Democratic
Circuit Court Judge, Cook County (Vacancy of Hooks)
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
Ava George Stewart was appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court in August 2026.1 Admitted to the bar in 2003, she tried Chicago traffic cases, ran a criminal defense firm starting in 2005, and led the Lake County State’s Attorney’s criminal division from 2021 to 2023.1 She has taught appellate advocacy at UIC law school since 2018.1 She is vice chair of the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission.2
Campaign money
- Reporting period
- July 1 to September 30, 2026
- Raised
- $0
- Cash on hand
- -$3,379
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings for Friends of Ava George Stewart
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”7
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”8
- Illinois State Bar Association: “Qualified”1
- Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: 7 of 11 other member groups rated this judge “Recommended”, 2 “Qualified”, 2 “Highly Recommended”.9 Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Judicial election results: Three appointed Cook County ..., Injustice Watch. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Endorsements, 47th Ward Democrats. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- NOVEMBER 3, 2026 GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSED CANDIDATES, Chicago Federation of Labor. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- ILLINOIS ENDORSEMENTS, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- 2026 local 399 illinois - primary election endorsements, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399. 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.
- Personal PAC 2026 General Election Endorsements, Personal PAC. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.