Judicial Candidates - Upcoming Election

Candidate for Will County Circuit Judge

Judge David Garcia

David was born in Chicago to hardworking parents working blue collar jobs. After his parents divorced, he and his sister were raised by a strong and independent mother. David will always be grateful to her for teaching him to be studious, equally independent, fair, and kind. Regretfully, his mother passed away before he became an attorney. David and his wife have been married for 41 years, and they raised their two adult children, Christine and Daniel, as he was raised, with a strict but loving hand as well as by example. He is the proud grandfather of three wonderful grandchildren, Alyssa, Ava, and Juan Carlos.

Accomplishments:

Appointed Associate Judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit (Third Appellate District) of Will County on August 14, 2013 in the Family Division. Privileged to have been appointed the first Latino judge in Will County. David Garcia and Associates, P.C., currently located at 2 West Cass Street, Joliet, Illinois 60432. Attorney from November 1995 to August 13, 2013. Involved in Real Estate, Divorce, Traffic, and Criminal Law. David was appointed as Associate Judge by the Circuit Judges of the 12th Judicial Circuit. Of the 50 candidates that applied for this position, he received the most votes, as he was the most qualified. David has the distinct privilege of being the first Latino Associate Judge to be assigned to the bench in Will County.
Among other proud and deserving recipients, he was presented with an award at the "Day of the Immigrant" event in Bolingbrook. David was honored to be the Grand Marshall of the Mexican Independence Day Parade, which is an annual event in Joliet which was founded by Margarita Franchini. Prior to his appointment, David spent 18 years as a defense attorney. Throughout his career, he fervently defended his clients with his vast experience and knowledge of the law. He diligently served his clientele in Will, Grundy, Cook, and Kendall counties. Over the years, he took on pro bono cases and also served the community by participating in numerous free local legal seminars that were open to the public.

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Candidate for Will County Circuit Judge

Vincent Cornelius

Vincent is a native of Joliet. He has been a resident of Will County for nearly forty years, the last thirteen years in Will County, Naperville. He is the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Vincent F. Cornelius, a law firm with locations in Joliet and Wheaton. He began the practice of law in 1989 as a prosecutor. Vincent was an associate attorney with the Law Firm of James D. Montgomery, in Chicago. Vincent received his Juris Doctorate Degree from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1989. He is the recipient of the College of Law's Outstanding Alum Award and its Alum of the Year Award. He currently serves as a member of the College of Law's Board of Visitors.

Vincent received his BBA in Business Administration in 1986 from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, where he was an Academic All American Athlete. He is the recipient of the University's 2006 Outstanding Alum Award. He has served as Vice Chairman of the university's Board of Trustees. Candidate for Circuit Judge Vincent is a 1982 Graduate of Joliet Catholic High School, and he is the 2017 recipient of the Joliet Catholic Academy Alumni Association's Career Achievement award. Vincent attended every year of his schooling from elementary school through college in the public and private schools of Joliet. He has remained engaged with every one of the academic institutions he attended.

Vincent has lived a life of service and leadership to the legal profession, his church, his family, his community, and to the schools he attended. He has served diligently on Governor's Commissions, Supreme Court Commissions, legislation committees, and university boards. He has given dozens of keynote speeches to numerous organizations, including a keynote to the Illinois Supreme Court at its judicial conference. Vincent has served the legal profession and other institutions at the highest levels. He is prepared to serve as Circuit Court Judge. Vincent and Zina Cornelius have been married for twenty-six years. They are the proud parents of two college students.

Accomplishments:

Vincent F. Cornelius is the Immediate Past-President of the 32,000-member Illinois State Bar Association. He is the first and only lawyer from Will County to serve as president of the ISBA in the 141-year history of the Association. He has practiced law for twenty-eight years. He has tried hundreds of criminal cases as a prosecutor and in private practice, before both judges and juries. In addition to criminal defense cases, he represents clients in a wide variety of civil litigation matters, including personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and civil rights violations.

vincent@corneliuslaw.com

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