Stephanie S. Kelly
Democratic
Circuit Court Judge, 5th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Ross)
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
Stephanie S. Kelly is a Cook County Circuit Court judge in the First Municipal District, appointed in August 2026.1 Admitted to the Illinois bar in 2001, she has been Interim Senior Labor & Employment Counsel at Major, Lindsay & Africa since 2023.1 She previously worked as Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Chicago State University until late 2020.1
Campaign money
Not found in public sources as of Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 1505Union
- Chicago Bar Association: “Not Recommended”2
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”3
- 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”.4 Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. 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.