Thomas J. Byrne
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.
Overview
Thomas J. Byrne has been a Circuit Court judge since 2008.1 He has been assigned to the Leighton Criminal Courthouse since 2013, presiding over felony cases.1 He previously served in the Misdemeanor Branch Court.2 Before becoming a judge, he served as an assistant Cook County state’s attorney and supervised the Third Municipal District for five years.2
Campaign money
No committee of their own. Judges up for retention campaign together through the Committee for Retention of Judges in Cook County.
Endorsements and bar evaluations
- Chicago Federation of Labor3Union
Yes means the group recommends keeping the judge in office.
- Chicago Bar Association: “Qualified”4
- Chicago Council of Lawyers: “Qualified”5
- Illinois State Bar Association: “Yes”1
- Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening: All 11 other member groups that rated this judge said “Yes”.6 Each group’s rating (PDF)
Sources
- Cook County Judicial Evaluations, Illinois State Bar Association. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- Chicago Council of Lawyers Evaluation Report – Vote For Judges, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Viewed Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
- NOVEMBER 3, 2026 GENERAL 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.