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Michael A. Forti

Circuit Court Judge, Cook County

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.

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Overview

Michael A. Forti has served on the Cook County Circuit Court since 2016 and is assigned to the Domestic Relations Division.1 He was chief counsel for the Illinois Department of Transportation and a deputy corporation counsel for the City of Chicago.2 In 2022, he ordered a man jailed for civil contempt over a stock dispute.3 An appellate court upheld the order.3

Campaign money

Not found in public sources as of Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

Endorsements and bar evaluations

  • Chicago Federation of Labor4Union

Yes means the group recommends keeping the judge in office.

  • Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”5
  • Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”6
  • Illinois State Bar Association: “Yes”1
  • Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: All 11 other member groups that rated this judge said “Yes”.7 Each group’s rating (PDF)

Sources

  1. Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  2. 2018 Cook County judicial voting guide: 8th subcircuit, Injustice Watch. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  3. Man Stays in Jail Indefinitely Until Pays Ex-Wife $10M, Cook County Record. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  4. NOVEMBER 3, 2026 GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSED CANDIDATES, Chicago Federation of Labor. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  5. Vote Smart: CBA Judicial Voter's Guide, General Election, November 3, 2026, Chicago Bar Association. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
  6. Evaluation Report: Judges on the Ballot in the November 3, 2026 General Election, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
  7. Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, 2026 General Election ratings, Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.