Appellate Court
Cook County, IL -- Chicago and Suburbs

 
Career:
  • Attorney since 1976
  • Clerk of the Court
    1988-2000
  • Judge, Circuit Court
    2004-2010
  • Judge, Appellate Court 2010

 
JUSTICE AURELIA PUCINSKI

"It is an honor to serve our community on the Appellate Court. I have worked hard for services for self-represented litigants, fair use of DNA and fingerprint evidence and juvenile justice.

Aurelia Pucinski

"Justice Pucinski has worked hard…she is reported to be well prepared, having read all the materials and demonstrating an understanding of the issues before her. Lawyers report that her opinions are thorough and well-reasoned. She has worked on reform proposals regarding unrepresented litigants. The Council finds her qualified for retention to the Appellate Court."

Chicago Council of Lawyers, 2020.

In 2020, Endorsed by the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Federation of Labor

In 2020, Found Qualified or Recommended by 100% of reviewing bar associations including:

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Chicago Council of Lawyers
  • Cook County Bar Association
  • Arab American Bar Association
  • Hispanic Bar Association
  • Advocates Society
  • The Chicago Bar Association
  • Women’s Bar Association
  • Asian American Bar Association
  • Hellenic Bar Association
  • Decalogue Society
  • LAGBAC
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In Chambers
She Designed a System to Protect Seniors

By Pat Milhizer

Law Bulletin staff writer

Two years ago, an elderly woman who was being harassed by her son didn't show up for a scheduled appearance before Aurelia Pucinski to discuss the status of an emergency civil order of protection.

“My notes indicated that the thing she was complaining about was that her adult son wouldn't let her out of the house,” said Pucinski, a Cook County circuit judge. “And then she didn't come back on the return date.”

So Pucinski called the Chicago Department of Senior Services, formerly known as the Department on Aging. A city worker went to the woman's home, accompanied by police officers.

When they arrived, they found that the man was holding his mother hostage in her own home. “There was a lot of discussion as to whether that [phone call] was appropriate or not …. If I had not made that original phone call, I think that she would have been dead,” Pucinski said.

Shortly after that experience, Pucinski started a pilot program to inform the city about elderly residents who file for civil orders of protection. The program has been running for a year.

“I just thought it through,” Pucinski said. “What needs to happen is for senior citizens to be aware of city services … and it works beyond any expectation. It turned out to be a very simple process. It was not an extra burden on me or the-staff. It involved faxing something, not a big deal — the petition with the complaint and the emergency order of protection.

“And if a petitioner doesn't return to court, the department can call and find out why,” Pucinski said.

Pucinski has handled about 10,200 civil orders of protection. And after more than three years on that call, she started a new assignment this week in the County Division, handling adoptions and legal matters related to elections, property taxes and mental health.

She calls the change “bittersweet” because, even though she's ready to try something new she helped start the notification program.

“I have loved piloting that program, but I leave it in very good hands,” she said.

The judge grew up on the city's Northwest Side, the daughter of Roman Pucinski, a former newspaper reporter, member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Chicago alderman.

Her mother, also named Aurelia, ran the family business, which was a radio station that broadcast programs in Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, German, Russian and Spanish.

With her father regularly traveling between Chicago and Washington, D.C., Pucinski attended five high schools. But she didn't mind.

“I thought it was great. I loved it. People look at me now and say ’How did you ever do that?‘ I think I just never thought about not liking it. It was just the way it was going to be whether I liked it or not. It never entered my mind that I should moan and complain about it, because that wasn't going to change it,” Pucinski said.

She graduated from Catholic University in Washington in 1968 and returned home to teach at a grammar school in Skokie. She started thinking about following her father's footsteps to law school, though the elder Pucinski never took the bar exam after graduation.

“My father was very liberating. He always told me that I could be anything I wanted,” Pucinski said.

She graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 1975. That year, she worked in a neighborhood family law practice on the Northwest Side.

“It was a very good way to start my family and still have a career,” said Pucinski, who has three adult children.

Aurelia Pucinski
Judge
Cook County Circuit Court
Elected: 2004
Career highlights: Private practice attorney 1976-88; Cook County circuit court clerk, 1988- 2000; director, Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, August–December 2002
Law school: DePaul University College of Law 1975
Age: 61
Interests: Gardening, reading, cooking, attend- ing movies and concerts

In 1984, she was elected to the board that governs the city's Sanitary District, now known as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Four years later, she became the first woman elected as Cook County circuit clerk. She spent 12 years in the office during a time when technological advances made it possible to put computers in all courtrooms.

Pucinski ran for circuit judge in 2004, and won a subcircuit race. Two years later, she ran countywide and won again.

She enjoys the intellectual challenge presented by serving on the bench — whether it's sorting out the facts of a given case or determining what the law says.

“These people have some crisis in their life. One hundred percent of the people who come to the court system have some sort of dysfunction,” Pucinski said. “I look at every case as a puzzle to see, what is the picture here?”

Pucinski didn't see too many attorneys in her civil order of protection call, but that doesn't mean that her previous courtroom at 555 W Harrison St. was argument–free.

“There are a lot of arguments, especially if they're pro se litigants,” Pucinski said. “But I try not to let it get out of hand. My philosophy in this has been that people come here, and they probably need to vent a little.

“So then the challenge is to make sure that it doesn't get out of hand. So I try to give them their time. But within some reason,” Pucinski said.

There weren't any heated disputes during the first

hour of Pucinski's call one morning last week. In a few cases, only one party — either the petitioner or respondent — showed up.

One matter involved a young man and woman who appeared to be no older than 18. The man had sought and received an order of protection against the woman,

but she couldn't resist attempts to reach him via cell phone text messages.

In this case, there were no allegations of violence by either party. But Pucinski has dealt with that.

“One of the things I ask very often when the respondent is finally here,” Pucinski said, “is ‘Do you love her? Do you love him?’ And they say ‘Yes.’ And I say ‘That means that you respect this person. How can you hit someone that you respect? How is that possible?‘

“I think that people, sometimes their relationships are spinning,” Pucinski said. “So the best I can do is get them to calm down … and ask, ‘Do you want to be together? If you don't want to be together then don't be together But don't be together and be hitting each other. That's not going to work.’ Especially if there are children involved.”

But in the big picture, the cases represent a small fraction of the estimated 5.2 million people in Cook County

“Of them, last year we saw 6,800 civil order of protection cases. There are more out there that are unreported; I understand that. But if you keep it in perspective, the vast majority of people who are in relationships are doing fine. Or they're moving on without any problems,” Pucinski said.

In another case last week, a man was having problems with a stepdaughter who stole his television and threatened him. The problem was that sheriff's deputies couldn't find her to serve the order

Since he was older than 60, the judge had already had the petition and order faxed to the Chicago Department of Senior Services, which is now common practice in such cases.

In return, the department checks on the elderly resident's well–being and offers free meals, homemaker services and transportation.

During her time on the bench, Pucinski never heard anyone complain that the city didn't call them.

“She goes above and beyond,” said Joyce Gallagher, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Senior Services.

Pucinski also wrote a bench book that contains a summary of all of the forms and procedures needed to handle civil orders of protection.

And she developed one of those forms herself.

For emergency orders, petitioners who leave the courtroom now have a certificate of affidavit of service that they can use when they get home. Before they get home, they're instructed to call police to let them know that they're heading home with an order to get the respondent out of the house.

Then the police show up and ensure that the respondent is served with the order

“The respondent has to move out until there's a hearing … and those are tricky cases because they both theoretically have a right to live here,” Pucinski said.

“But it's not safe for a petitioner to go home and throw a husband, boyfriend or wife out of the house. You want her or him to go home with the cops. Let the cops do it. That's their job,” Pucinski said.

When she's at home, Pucinski enjoys cooking and considers beef stroganoff and corn casserole as the dishes that get the most compliments.

“When I do retire, I've thought about going to chef school and becoming a volunteer at a shelter or somewhere,” Pucinski said.

She also thinks her father who died in 2002, would have been proud of a daughter who has worked in all three branches of government.

“It has been a phenomenal experience,” Pucinski said.

“Every single piece of it fits together and helps me be a better judge and serve this community in ways that are always exciting and interesting.”

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JUSTICE AURELIA PUCINSKI

Justice Aurelia Pucinski was retained in her position on the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, in the November, 2020 election.

"It is my privilege to serve the people of Cook County as a Justice with compassion while following the facts and the law fairly and evenly," Pucinski said.

During that campaign she was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Federation of Labor.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers said about her: "Justice Pucinski is considered to be well-respected appellate jurist. She is reported to be well-prepared, having read all materials and demonstrating an understanding of the issues before her. Lawyers report that her opinions are thorough and well-reasoned. She has worked on reform proposals regarding unrepresented litigants. The Council finds her Qualified for retention to the Appellate Court."

She was found qualified or recommended by all the evaluating bar associations

Pucinski was first elected a Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, in 2010. In the Appellate Court she has written extensively on juvenile justice, the proper use of DNA and fingerprint evidence and the need for proper translation during police questioning for non-English speaking suspects.

Pucinski was the first justice to call attention to the tremendous impact of truth in sentencing laws as they applied to juvenile homicide defendants. "These juveniles, once convicted, were unable to EVER work toward parole, which fundamentally violated the US Constitution," Pucinski said. Her work on this issue assisted in amendments to the law.

Besides handling her cases, she is working to provide pro bono services to the civil litigants in the Appellate Court, and to protect the privacy of juveniles in reviewing courts. She is a member of the 1st District Executive Committee.

Pucinski served as a Circuit Court judge in Cook County from 2004 to 2010. As a trial judge she heard more than 10,000 Domestic Violence cases, followed by an assignment to hear adoption, election, property tax and mental health cases.

In her property tax sale cases she was particularly focused on elderly residents having their homes sold for unpaid taxes where there was evidence that the senior needed some assistance in managing his or her financial matters. She pioneered getting the Public Guardian involved in such cases.

She is particularly interested in the law as it affects juveniles, senior citizens and the disabled. She created a program in Domestic Violence Court to give additional protections and services to senior citizen victims of domestic abuse.

She was elected the first woman and first attorney Clerk of the Circuit Court in l988, after winning the Democratic Primary against former Mayor Jane Byrne and the general election against former Alderman Ed Vrdolyak. Pucinski served as Clerk until 2000. Among her major accomplishments were getting child support checks processed in record time and computerizing courtrooms. She managed a 2200-person workforce motivated by ethical values.

Pucinski worked to establish youth peer juries throughout Cook County so that young nonviolent offenders could avoid having a juvenile record if they accepted responsibility for their actions.

She started practicing law in l976 in a neighborhood law office where she developed a reputation for pro bono work, including representing citizens who sued the Chicago Board of Education to keep a local school open, a case she won in the Appellate Court.

A native Chicagoan, Pucinski is a graduate of DePaul College of Law.

 

 

 
 
For immediate release
Pucinski Says “No” to Big Lawyer Donations,
Says Voters Expect Decisions Made Without Conflicts of Interest

Aurelia Pucinski, Appellate Court Judge, is saying “NO” to big contributions from attorneys and businesses in her campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court, a race in which some candidates are expecting to raise more than a million dollars.

“Our citizens have a right to expect that when they have their day in court, the decision comes without any conflict of interest,” Pucinski told a meeting of north side businessmen.

Pucinski said that she is limiting individual contributions from attorneys to $75 and she will refuse any contributions from attorneys with cases before the Appellate Court. She is limiting law firms, businesses and labor unions to a $500 contribution.

“Even the appearance of a conflict, reduces trust in our judicial system. I am concerned about the very large contributions that are donated by interested parties that have cases before the court. I want to set an example for those judicial candidates who recognize that we cannot truly serve the public if we appear beholden to political parties or wealthy contributors.”

Pucinski chose not to seek the endorsement of the Democratic Party and is running a campaign based on a wide variety of legal experience. She was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, in 2010. She served as a Circuit Court judge in Cook County from 2004 to 2010. As a trial judge she heard more than 10,000 Domestic Violence cases, followed by an assignment to hear adoption, election, property tax and mental health cases. She Initiated a much praised program to provide additional protections and services to seniors who have been victims of domestic abuse.

Pucinski served as the Clerk of the Court from l988 to 2000 where her major accomplishments were running a scandal free administration, getting child support checks processed in record time and computerizing courtrooms. She started practicing law in l976 in a neighborhood law office where she developed a reputation for pro bono work. Pucinski is a graduate of DePaul College of Law.
 
 
For immediate release
Pucinski Tells Dems that Endorsements
Hurt the Reputation of the Court

Justice Aurelia Pucinski, (Appellate Court, CookCount) today told Democratice slatemakers that:

“Endorsing judges, especially Supreme Court judges, is just plain bad for the court”

“At a time when citizen cynicism is at an all-time high, the endorsement of a political party for any judgeship raises questions about the integrity and independence of the judiciary,” Pucinski continued.

“Unlike the legislative and executive branches of government, the judicial branch does not, and in fact, may not, run for election on a partisan platform. Judges do not ‘represent’ constituents like representatives or administrators. Judges serve the community at large, not special interests and certainly not a political philosophy. That is specifically because every case must be determined on its own facts as they fit the law,” Pucinski said.

“I ask you as political leaders to stay out of judicial races. In addition I ask that the Democratic and Republican parties join together in changing the election of judges to be non-partisan elections, as is now the system for Chicago's Mayor and Aldermen. The non-partisan election of judges would assure that citizens continue to have the ultimate choice of judges from among candidates who are independent of party labels and pressures,” Pucinski added.

“Judicial independence is a critical factor in public acceptance of the work of the courts and all of us, judges, citizens and other elected officials, must do everything possible to protect the separation of power expected by the Contitution and the common sense of the citizens we serve,” Pucinski said.

 
 
For immediate release
Pucinski Receives Award for Work to Save
Senior Citizens' Homes from Unfair Tax Sales

Aurelia Pucinski, Justice of the Appellate Court, and candidate for Supreme Court was awarded the “Impact Award” by the Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL) at a ceremony Wednesday night.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award,” Pucinski said. “It represents the very hard work of a great team of people focused on how to protect senior citizens from losing their homes to tax sales unfairly.”

Pucinski realized there was a problem while she was hearing property tax deed cases. Some senior citizens, relying on someone else to pay their taxes, were not even aware that their homes were in delinquent tax status and could be sold.

The project Pucinski started has gathered support for better and more clear notices to senior citizen homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes. The Illinois Legislature is now considering the measure.

“It is very satisfying to see that once a problem is identified there are great people, like the lawyer volunteers at CDEL and the students at John Marshall Law School who were willing to dig in and come up with a good, fair solution,” Pucinski added.

  Major Accomplishments as Clerk of the Court, 1988 – 2000


As Clerk I was responsible for maintaining the records of all court proceedings in Cook County, all electronic data concerning those court records, and the financial transactions resulting from court activity. Our audited correct data rate was 98%.

Cook County is the largest unified court system in the world. I supervised a staff of 2200 employees, of which 1800 were in the bargaining unit (AFSCME), 250 were managers, and 150 were technical. As Clerk I was an independent elected official. However, there are 957 statutory mandates of the Clerks of Court in Illinois, Supreme Court and local court rules which direct the work.

My general responsibilities were those of a CEO, COO, CIO, CFO and Government Relations Director. The office staffs 400 courtrooms in Cook County and handles the behind the scenes work of the Court system. It collected about $400 million each year in revenue, and the budget was $92 million when I left. Every year we returned money to the taxpayers.

I supervised the staff, established legislative goals, set the budget, established operational goals and priorities, established and enforced policies, established and directed union contract negotiations, negotiated and supervised proposals from contractors and vendors, supervised purchases, established and directed new initiatives, established and directed banking relationships, supervised court funds investments, supervised internal and external investigations, directed public information activities, and served as primary spokesperson for the office.

One of my primary responsibilities was to work with outside agencies, including the Congress, federal Executive agencies, Governor’s Office, State Legislature, County Board, judges, Illinois Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor General, Department of Public Aid, Department of Children and Family Services, Cook County Sheriff, State’s Attorney, Public Defender, City of Chicago, Chicago Police Department, suburban mayors and police departments, local bar associations, and public interest groups.

When I entered office every department and division operated as a separate entity. They had never had a staff meeting. In fact, most of the Division Chiefs had never met. In addition, the Clerk had been indicted and the Greylord scandals had seriously undermined public confidence in the Court system. Clerks routinely accepted “gratuities” from attorneys. Further, it was an office that had a well deserved reputation as a patronage haven where employees were not accountable, did little work and often weren’t even there.

  Specific Achievements:

  • Established a Code of Ethics, the first in Cook County, and the first in any major court system
  • Ended “gratuities” to clerks
  • Reorganized based on function and accountability
  • Hired professionals, including attorneys, CPA’s, accountants, and information technical staff
  • Established compliance procedures for the more than 900 statutory mandates on the Clerk’s office
  • Developed job descriptions for every budgeted position
  • Established fair promotion policies and practices
  • Developed manager evaluations
  • Implemented employee evaluations
  • Implemented a dress code
  • Established an aggressive training program
  • Established an Inspector General and staff
  • Developed operating manuals for every division
  • Established a Financial Discrepancy Committee
  • Established an Ethics Committee
  • Installed computer terminals in every courtroom
  • Instituted the rotation of court clerk assignments
  • Implemented cross training of all employees
  • Established an audited correct data rate of 98% confirmed by auditing at three levels
  • Established an Archives Department, staffed with professional archivists
  • Established assistance to pro se petitioners for orders of protection
  • Established Peer Jury programs in 56 suburbs and 2 Chicago Police Districts
  • Planned and implemented a seamless transition to Y2K of our legacy and operating
  • Programs and applications at minimum cost and without outside consultants
  • Improved child support payments from a six day turnaround to 24 hours
  • Expanded services in suburban courts
  • Reorganized and improved our Record Center (72 linear miles of files)
  • Reorganized and improved file security to prevent lost or stolen files
  • Established uniform procedures among the various locations
  • Improved our responsiveness to new legislation
  • Increased the accountability of the operating staffs
  • Established internal audit procedures to monitor work at each level
  • Improved technology, including bringing whole divisions on-line
  • Planned and began the implementation of imaging
  • Designed the prototype for e-filing
  • Designed and began implementation of a new, integrated cashiering system.
  • Worked closely with all major local and state agencies to identify and remedy gaps and
  • Overlaps in criminal justice information
  • Virtually eliminated time sheet fraud
  • Established family friendly policies, including flex time, work through lunch, etc.
  • Established a fair and reasonable maternity leave policy
  • Developed and installed a system for printing warrants and other important documents in court (CLEWS)
  • Supervised a major re-write of our Traffic Court programs and applications
  • Supervised a major re-write of our Criminal Court programs and applications
  • Originated the county’s digital fingerprint initiative in suburban Cook County
  • Wrote the plan for an Integrated Criminal Justice Information Network for Cook County
  • Planned and implemented the Clerk’s Web site which includes fillable forms, the daily
  • Court call and electronic court docket and case information
  • Developed and implemented remote access to Clerk’s records
  • Directed the establishment of a general ledger
  • Invested court funds in interest bearing accounts
  • Returned funds to the County at the end of every fiscal year
  • Lobbied effectively for a Single Audit Bill for all Illinois Clerks of Court
  • Established a program for outreach to school children to prevent Dating Violence
  • Lobbied successfully to add the Clerk of the Court to the State’s Criminal Information Authority.
  • Drafted the law which gives judges in child support cases the option of sentencing
  • Deadbeat parents to the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program.
  • Drafted the law which closed a significant domestic violence loophole, allowing police to
  • Directly arrest on their information and belief that the conditions of an order of protection are being violated
  • Drafted the laws which permit Clerks of the Court to take certain transactions by credit and debit cards
 


She has been recognized as one of the hardest working public officials in Cook County. 
She is committed to being a fair, effective and efficient judge.


 
Juez Aurelia Pucinski
Se diseñó un sistema para proteger a los ancianos

Agosto 6, 2008
Por Pat Milhizer, Ley redactor Boletín


Aurelia Pucinski
Juez del Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Cook

Elegida: 2004

Hitos de su carrera: Abogado de práctica privada, 1976-88; Corte de Circuito del Condado de Cook secretario, 1988-2000; director, Illinois Departamento de Regulación Profesional, agosto-diciembre de 2002

Facultad de Derecho: DePaul University College of Law, 1975

Edad: 62

Intereses: Jardinería, leer, cocinar, asistir a películas y conciertos
Hace dos años, una anciana que estaba siendo agredida por su hijo no se presentaron a una comparecencia prevista ante Aurelia Pucinski para discutir el estatus de una orden de emergencia de protección civil.

"Mis notas indican que lo que se quejaba era que su hijo adulto no la dejaba salir de la casa", dijo Pucinski, un juez de circuito del Condado de Cook. "Y entonces ella no volvió en la fecha de regreso."

Así Pucinski llamó al Departamento de Servicios de Chicago, antiguamente conocido como el Departamento de Envejecimiento. Un trabajador de la ciudad fue a la casa de la mujer, acompañados por oficiales de policía.

Cuando llegaron, encontraron que el hombre tenia a su madre como rehén en su propia casa.

"Hubo mucha discusión acerca de si esta [llamada] era apropiada o no .... Si yo no hubiera hecho esa llamada original, creo que habría muerto ", dijo Pucinski.

Poco después de esa experiencia, Pucinski inició un programa piloto para informar a la ciudad acerca de los residentes de edad avanzada que el archivo de las órdenes civiles de protección. El programa ha estado funcionando durante un año.

"Lo pensé bien" Pucinski dijo. "¿Lo Qué tiene que ocurrir es que los ciudadanos de mayor edad esten al tanto de los servicios de la ciudad ... y que funciona más allá de cualquier expectativa. Resultó ser un proceso muy simple. No era una carga extra para mí o para el personal. Se trataba de algo de fax, no una gran cosa - la petición con la denuncia y la orden de protección de emergencia.

"Y si el peticionario no regresa a la corte, el departamento puede llamar para averiguar por qué", dijo Pucinski.

Pucinski ha manejado cerca de 10.200 órdenes civiles de protección. Y después de más de tres años de esa llamada, ella comenzó una nueva asignación, esta semana en la División del Condado, la manipulación y las adopciones ilegales relacionados con las elecciones, impuestos de propiedad y la salud mental.

Ella llama el cambio "agridulce" porque, a pesar de que está lista para intentar algo nuevo, que ella ayudó a iniciar el programa de notificación.

"Me ha encantado iniciar el programa piloto, pero lo dejo en muy buenas manos", dijo. 

La juez creció en el noroeste de la ciudad, la hija de Roman Pucinski, un ex periodista, miembro de la Cámara de Representantes de EE.UU. y el concejal de Chicago.

Su madre, también llamada Aurelia, dirigió la empresa familiar, que era una estación de radio que los programas de difusión en polaco, ucraniano, italiano, alemán, ruso y español.

Con su padre viajando regularmente entre Chicago y Washington, DC, Pucinski asistio a cinco escuelas secundarias. Pero ella no le importaba.

"Pensé que era bueno. Me encantó. La gente me mira ahora y dece, '¿Cómo has podido hacer eso? "Creo que nunca pensé en no gustarme. Era sólo la forma en que iba a ser si me gustaba o no. Nunca se me ocurrió que debería gemir y quejarme, porque eso no iba a cambiar ", dijo Pucinski.

Se graduó de la Universidad Católica de Washington en 1968 y regresó a enseñar en una escuela primaria en Skokie. Ella comenzó a pensar en seguir los pasos de su padre a la escuela de derecho, aunque nunca el mayor Pucinski tomó el examen de la barra después de la graduación.

"Mi padre fue muy liberador. Él siempre me decía que podía ser cualquier cosa que yo quería ", dijo Pucinski.

Se graduó de la Universidad DePaul College of Law en 1975. Ese año, trabajó en una práctica de derechos de familia en un barrio del noroeste.

"Fue una muy buena manera de comenzar mi familia y todavía tener una carrera", dijo Pucinski, quien tiene tres hijos adultos.

En 1984, fue elegida a la junta que gobierna el Distrito Sanitario de la ciudad, ahora conocido como el Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Cuatro años más tarde, se convirtió en la primera mujer elegida como secretaria de circuito del condado de Cook. Pasó 12 años en el cargo durante el tiempo en que los avances tecnológicos permitieron poner computadoras en todas las salas de audiencia.

Pucinski fue candidata a juez del circuito en 2004, y ganó la carrera al subcircuito. Dos años más tarde, corrió atraves del condado y volvió a ganar.

Le gusta el reto intelectual presentado servir en el banco judicial - si se trata de clasificar los hechos de un determinado asunto o la determinación de lo que dice la ley.

"Estas personas tienen una crisis en su vida. El cien por ciento de las personas que llegan al sistema judicial tienen algún tipo de disfunción, "Pucinski dijo. "Veo a todos los casos como un rompecabezas y ver, ¿cuál es el caso aquí?"

Pucinski no veia demasiados abogados en su sala orden civil de protección, pero eso no significa que su sala de audiencias anteriores en 555 W. Harrison St. fuera libre de argumentos.

"Hay un montón de argumentos, sobre todo si son litigantes pro se," dijo Pucinski. "Pero no dejo que se vaya de la mano. Mi filosofía en esto ha sido que la gente viene aquí, y probablemente necesitan de desahogarce un poco.

"Entonces el desafío es asegurarse de que no se salga de las manos. Así que trato de darles su tiempo. Pero dentro de su limite. ", dijo Pucinski.

No hubo acaloradas disputas durante la primera hora de la llamada Pucinski una mañana la semana pasada. En algunos casos, solamente un partido - el demandante o demandado - se presentaron.

Una cuestión trata de un hombre joven y una mujer que parecía no tener más de 18 años. El hombre había solicitado y obtenido una orden de protección contra la mujer, pero ella no pudo resistir a los intentos de llegar a él a través de mensajes de texto de teléfono celular.

En este caso, no hubo denuncias de violencia por ninguna partes. Pero Pucinski se ocupo de eso.

"Una de las cosas que pregunto muy a menudo cuando el demandado esta finalmente aquí," Pucinski dijo, "es" Do you love her? ¿Le quieres? "Si dicen" Sí ".  yo digo, 'Esto significa que tu respeta a esta persona. ¿Cómo se puede golpear a alguien que usted al respecta? ¿Cómo es posible? "

"Creo que la gente, a veces sus relaciones son la hilatura," Pucinski dijo. "Así que lo mejor que puedo hacer es lograr que se calme ... y preguntar, '¿Quieren estar juntos? Si no quieren estar juntos, entonces no esten juntos. Pero no esten juntos y ser chocando entre sí. Eso no va a trabajar. "Sobre todo si hay niños involucrados."

Pero en el panorama general, los casos representan una pequeña fracción de los aproximadamente 5,2 millones de personas en el Condado de Cook.

"De ellos, el año pasado vimos 6.800 casos de orden civil de protección. Hay más por ahí que son declarados; eso lo entiendo. Pero si lo mantiene en perspectiva, la gran mayoría de las personas que están en relaciones están haciendo bien. O se está moviendo sin ningún problema ", dijo Pucinski.

En otro caso, la semana pasada, un hombre estaba teniendo problemas con una hijastra que le robó la televisión y lo amenazó. El problema era que los agentes del alguacil no pudieron encontrar a servir el pedido.

Como era mayor de 60 años, el juez ya había tenido la petición y la orden enviada por fax al Departamento de Servicios para Ancianos de Chicago, que es práctica común en estos casos.

A cambio, los controles en el departamento de los ancianos residentes en el bienestar y ofrece comidas gratis, los servicios de ama de casa y el transporte.

Durante su tiempo en el banco judicial, nunca Pucinski oído a nadie quejarse de que la ciudad no les llame.

"Ella va más allá", dijo Joyce Gallagher, comisionada del Departamento de Servicios para Ancianos de Chicago.

Pucinski también escribió un libro banco que contiene un resumen de todas las formas y procedimientos necesarios para manejar las órdenes civiles de protección.

Y desarrolló una de las formas a sí misma.

Para los pedidos de emergencia, los peticionarios que abandonar la sala ahora tienen un certificado de declaración jurada de servicio que pueden utilizar cuando lleguen a casa. Antes de llegar a casa, son instruidos para llamar a la policía para hacerles saber que van a casa con una orden para obtener el demandado fuera de la casa.

Entonces la policía se presentan y garantizar que el demandado le sirvan con la orden.

"El demandado tiene que salir hasta que haya una audiencia ... y esos son los casos difíciles, ya que teóricamente tienen derecho a vivir ahi", dijo Pucinski.

"Pero no es seguro para un solicitante de volver a casa y tirar un esposo, novio o esposa de la casa. ¿Quieres que ella o él vaya a casa con la policía. Que la policía haga su trabajo ", dijo Pucinski.

Cuando está en casa, Pucinski le gusta cocinar y considera stroganoff y cazuela de maíz como los platos que sacan los máximos cumplidos.

"Cuando se jubile, he pensado en ir a la escuela de chef y convertirse en una voluntaria en un refugio o algún lugar", dijo Pucinski.

Ella también piensa que su padre, quien murió en 2002, habría estado orgulloso de una hija que ha trabajado en las tres ramas del gobierno.

"Ha sido una experiencia fenomenal", dijo Pucinski.

"Cada pieza que encaja y me ayuda a ser mejor juez y servir a esta comunidad de manera que siempre son emocionantes e interesantes."

Reproducido con permiso de la Ley Boletín Publishing Company.
 


Ella ha sido reconocida como una de las funcionarias públicas que trabajan más duro en el Condado de Cook.
Ella está comprometida a ser una solución justa, eficaz y una juez eficiente.


 

Friends of Pucinski • Tom Stapka, Treasurer • 5488 N. Mason Ave. • Chicago, IL 60630 • pucinski@gmail.org

Paid for by Friends of Pucinski. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board's official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
www.pucinski.org