FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009 Contact: Elizabeth Sexton
Media Advisory Grainger Terry, Inc.
(312) 541-1600
JOHN DALTON TO RUN FOR KANE COUNTY JUDGE
Elgin, IL – John Dalton, an arbitrator for 10 years and an attorney for over 22 years, will announce his candidacy for Kane County Resident Judge, on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 during a reception at his home in Elgin.
Dalton says he will work hard to implement practices that save time and money for the Kane County Court system including creating an on-line system that allows residents to pay traffic fines without having to appear in court.
“As Kane County Resident Judge, I will use my experience as an arbitrator and a trial attorney to render fair and independent decisions,” Dalton said. “The people of Kane County deserve to have judges they can rely on to uphold the integrity of the law.”
Dalton has been endorsed by Illinois State Senator Michael Noland; Kane County Board Members Cristina Castro, Deborah Allan, and Jeanette Mihalec; Elgin Township Trustee Carol Rauschenberger; Mayor of Elgin Ed Schock; Elgin City Council Members David S. Kaptain and John Steffen; North Aurora Village Trustee Chris Faber; Library Board Member Jean Bednar; and U-46 School Board Member Dale Spencer.
John Dalton has rendered decisions in hundreds of arbitration cases and has appeared in both state and federal court. Dalton resides in Kane County and is a member of Elgin’s First Congregational United Church of Christ.
WHO: John Dalton for Kane County Judge
WHAT: Announcement of Candidacy
WHEN: Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 7p.m.
WHERE: Dalton’s home, 891 Douglas Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2009 Elizabeth Sexton – Grainger Terry, Inc.
Media Release . (312) 541-1600
Judicial Candidate Pledges to Refuse Contributions from Lawyers
ELGIN, IL -- John Dalton, Democratic candidate for Kane County Resident Judge, announced today that he will not accept campaign contributions from attorneys or organizations representing attorneys. Dalton challenges his primary opponent Michael C. Funkey and Republican candidates, David R. Akemann, Robert L. Janes, Thomas Patrick Rice, D.J. Tegeler and Leonard J. Wojtecki, to join him in refusing contributions from lawyers. Dalton, who plans to fund his campaign without accepting donations from lawyers, is one of the first Illinois judicial candidates to take this stance.
Dalton says “Taking contributions from lawyers creates a conflict of interest. Those same lawyers may appear before me in court, and that’s not ethical. The citizens of Kane County have the right to a fair trial and an impartial judge. Accepting contributions from attorneys would bring my independence and integrity into question.”
According to a report published last year by The Brennan Center for Justice, “…over two-thirds of citizens and nearly half of state judges believe that campaign contributions influence judge’s decisions…” The report, Fair Courts: Setting Recusal Standards, cited studies of judicial rulings in Ohio and Louisiana which showed a strong correlation between campaign contributions and judicial decisions.
John Dalton has rendered decisions in hundreds of arbitration cases and has appeared in both state and federal court. Dalton resides in Kane County and is a member of Elgin’s First Congregational United Church of Christ.
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