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Radiance Ward

Democratic

Circuit Court Judge, 1st Subcircuit (Vacancy of Balanoff)

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

Radiance Ward was appointed to the Circuit Court in August 2026 and assigned to the First Municipal District.1 She was previously an assistant public defender in the Homicide Task Force Unit and taught at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.1 She handled domestic relations cases as a solo practitioner and was a case manager in the Office of the Chief Judge.1 She also worked in legal aid.2

Campaign money

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

Endorsements and bar evaluations

  • Chicago Federation of Labor3Union
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1344Union
  • International Union of Operating Engineers Local 3995Union
  • International Union of Operating Engineers Local 1509Union
  • Chicago Bar Association: “Highly Qualified”6
  • Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Well Qualified”7
  • Illinois State Bar Association: “Qualified”1
  • Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: 8 of 11 other member groups rated this judge “Recommended”, 2 “Qualified”, 1 “Highly Recommended”.8 Each group’s rating (PDF)

Sources

  1. Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  2. Chicago Council of Lawyers Evaluation Report – Vote For Judges, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  3. MARCH 17, 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION, Chicago Federation of Labor. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  4. March 17, 2026 Primary Election Local 134 Endorsed Candidates, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  5. Primary Election Endorsements, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  6. Vote Smart: CBA Judicial Voter's Guide, General Election, November 3, 2026, Chicago Bar Association. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
  7. Evaluation Report: Judges on the Ballot in the November 3, 2026 General Election, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
  8. Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, 2026 General Election ratings, Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening. Viewed Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
  9. IUOE Local 150 Illinois Endorsements, General Election, November 3, 2026 (Cook County), IUOE Local 150. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.