Chicago Judge Charged With DUI Faces Discipline

Our DUI Lawyers having been following the case of Judge Shelia McGinnis.

Recent High-Profile Arrests Highlight DUI Crackdown – Chicago DUI Lawyers Examine

McGinnis, you may recall, pled guilty to DUI after a car accident that she was involved in resulted in her arrest. Now it appears that McGinnis may also be disciplined by the Judicial Inquiry Board for her actions.

Full story below:

Judge could get lightest penalty for driving drunk

BY KRISTEN SCHORSCH Staff writer

The Cook County judge busted for drunken driving in Tinley Park is likely to essentially get a slap on the wrist from a state judicial inquiry board.

The Chicago attorney representing Judge Sheila McGinnis – convicted of driving drunk in Tinley Park last May – and the board that has filed a professional complaint against her, have recommended a reprimand for the judge, her attorney said.

That would be the lightest penalty McGinnis, 48, of Chicago’s Beverly community, could receive, attorney William Harte said.

The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, which investigates judge misconduct, filed a complaint Wednesday against McGinnis, who in January pleaded guilty to DUI. She was fined $1,000 and ordered to complete an 18-month probation stint and to attend counseling and a victim impact panel.

McGinnis is a veteran judge with 15 years on the bench.

Harte said John Gallo, a spokesman for the board, offered to reprimand McGinnis. Gallo said he would not comment on anything that’s not public record.

Commission records show the panel usually reprimands judges investigated for drunken driving.

In May 2008, McGinnis slammed her 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer sport utility vehicle into the rear of a minivan after swerving across the southbound lanes of Harlem Avenue near 182nd Street in Tinley Park, police said. She sounded her horn and flashed her brights before hitting the minivan, which was carrying a 28-year-old Joliet mom and three of her children, police said.

Nobody was injured in the crash, but McGinnis refused to take a Breathalyzer test at the scene and attempted to continue driving even after officers arrived, police said. She has been on administrative desk duty since summer 2008.

The Judicial Inquiry Board alleges McGinnis violated the state Supreme Court Code of Judicial Conduct, meaning she did not abide by a high standard of conduct, according to the complaint. She also did not respect or comply with the law at all times, the complaint alleges.

A judicial commission will decide what, if any, punishment McGinnis should receive. That could include suspension or removal from the bench. The commission likely will meet this month, Harte said. The commission referred questions to Gallo.

The Law Offices of James E. Fabbrini have years of experience protecting people charged with drunk driving. From first time offenders to felony DUI, our Chicago DUI lawyers have successfully fought DUI charges in Chicago and the surrounding areas.