Sam Bae
Democratic
Circuit Court Judge, 18th Subcircuit (Converted from Associate Judgeship of Andreou)
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
Sam Bae was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1999.1 He maintained a private practice focused on domestic relations, personal injury and commercial litigation.1 He volunteered with Korean American Women In Need and co-authored a review of sexual harassment issues.1 He was appointed to the circuit court in August 2026 and assigned to the First Municipal District.1 He hears traffic cases.2
Campaign money
- Reporting period
- April 1 to June 30, 2026
- Raised
- $0
- Cash on hand
- $14,163
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings for Sam Bae for Judge
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- Chicago Federation of Labor4Union
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 1508Union
- U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi3Democratic elected official
- State Sen. Laura Murphy3Democratic elected official
- State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz3Democratic elected official
- State Rep. Nabeela Syed3Democratic elected official
- Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”5
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”6
- 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”.7 Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Bae, Samuel S. | Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Court of Cook County. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Endorsements, Sam Bae for Judge. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- MARCH 17, 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION ENDORSED CANDIDATES, Chicago Federation of Labor. 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.
- IUOE Local 150 Illinois Endorsements, General Election, November 3, 2026 (Cook County), IUOE Local 150. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.