Lester Finkle
Democratic
Circuit Court Judge, 8th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Mikva)
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
Appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court in May 2025, Lester Finkle serves in the Domestic Violence Division.1 He was an assistant public defender from 1984 to 2021, presenting more than 50 oral arguments before the Illinois Supreme and Appellate courts.2 He practiced appellate law at Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer from 2022 to 2025.1 Since 1997, he has taught at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.2
Campaign money
- Reporting period
- April 1 to June 30, 2026
- Raised
- $0
- Cash on hand
- $3,838
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings for Citizens for Judge Lester Finkle
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”4
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”5
- Illinois State Bar Association: “Qualified”6
- Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: 7 of 10 other member groups rated this judge “Recommended”, 2 “Qualified”, 1 “Highly Recommended”.7 1 other member group marked this judge “Not Evaluated Through No Fault of the Candidate”. Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Hon. Lester W. Finkle - Office of the State Appellate Defender, Office of the State Appellate Defender. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Lester Finkle as Judge in 8th Subcircuit of Cook County, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Endorsements and Election Information, Personal PAC. 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.
- 2026 General Election, Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. 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.