ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT APPOINTEE HOPES TO KEEP HIS SEAT IN UPCOMING ELECTION

Appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court in 2018, Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. (pictured) is running for election in the hopes of keeping his seat and continuing to serve as an Illinois Supreme Court judge. Photo Credit: Provided by Justice P. Scott Neville Jr.
Appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court in 2018, Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. (pictured) is running for election in the hopes of keeping his seat and continuing to serve as an Illinois Supreme Court judge. Photo Credit: Provided by Justice P. Scott Neville Jr.

Illinois Supreme Court Appointee Hopes To Keep His Seat In Upcoming Election

Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. currently serves as an Illinois Supreme Court Judge in the 1st District along with two other judges. The 1st District encompasses all of Cook County. Justice Neville was appointed to take the seat of Justice Charles Freeman upon his retirement in 2018 and is currently running for election to maintain his seat on the Illinois Supreme Court.

Proudly proclaiming himself as a product of Bronzeville, Justice Neville was raised on the south side of Chicago and shared that he finds many aspects of his judicial philosophy to come from the experiences he had growing up in Bronzeville which he refers to as “sacred ground.”

“I was born on sacred ground. I was educated at Forrestville Grammar School and DuSable High School, just like Harold Washington. I attended church in Bronzeville. I was nurtured in Bronzeville and educated in Bronzeville. Bronzeville has socialized me and that’s where I think I acquired my judicial philosophy which is equal justice for all, no person should be unseen and no person should be unheard,” said Neville.

Justice Neville is a graduate of Washington University’s School of Law and has been actively practicing law in Illinois since 1974 when he first became a law clerk for Justice Glenn T. Johnson of the Illinois Appellate Court, according to information provided by the Illinois Courts.

In 1999, Justice Neville was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County and in 2004 he was appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court. Justice Neville previously served as Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Illinois Appellate Court’s First District and is a former member of the Appellate Court’s Executive Committee, according to information provided by the Illinois Courts.

In addition to his work inside the courtroom, Justice Neville is the co-founder of the Alliance of Bar Associations which was created in 1998 to unite bar associations that represent various members of the Illinois legal community and to promote diversity in the Illinois Courts.

“The Alliance of Bar Associations was formed because, in my opinion, the entity at that point in time that was charged with the responsibility of vetting or examining the qualifications of judges was not diverse,” said Neville. “I didn’t think it included enough women. I didn’t think it included enough Asians, Latinos, and it certainly didn’t include enough blacks.” Neville pointed to this moment as an indication to voters that he is a “judge of action” and went on to say that while many others can say that they feel the importance of diversity, he can show that he has taken action to prioritize diversity in the Illinois judicial system.

“I am a public servant and I am sitting on the court to serve the people. I’m not looking to be elected so that I can help myself, I am sitting there to help every citizen whether it be black or white, whether they be rich or poor. I am there to make sure that every citizen gets not the justice they can afford, but the justice they deserve,” said Neville.

Justice Neville is one of seven candidates running for the open seat in the Illinois Supreme Court’s 1st District. Other candidates running for the same office include Appellate Court Judges Cynthia Cobbs, Nathaniel Howse, Jesse Reyes, Margaret McBride, Sheldon Harris and lawyer Daniel Epstein.

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