1st Hispanic judge in Lake Co. earns promotion

While acknowledging Tuesday that he is a history-maker, Lake County Judge Jorge Ortiz said he will keep his eye on the larger prize.

The first Hispanic to ever be appointed to an associate judge position in Lake County is now moving into management with his appointment by the state Supreme Court as a full circuit judge.

"I am honored and humbled by my appointment, and will work hard to justify the Supreme Court's faith in me," Ortiz said. "While I recognize the significance of my elevation and my heritage, I want ultimately to be remembered as a good judge for all the people."

Ortiz, 48, was born in Chicago to parents who moved here from Puerto Rico.

The youngest of nine children, he crossed the language barrier from the opposite side in that his parents taught him to speak English, but he had to go to school to learn how to speak Spanish.

Bilingual by whatever method, he began his law career dedicated to making the Hispanic community more aware of the legal system.

He helped design Spanish-language traffic court forms and has conducted a Spanish-language law clinic in Round Lake Park.

A 1989 graduate of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Oritz worked as an assistant state's attorney in Lake County before going into private practice in 1990.

By 1994, he was a full partner in the law firm of Soffietti, Johnson, Teegen, Ortiz and Morozin Ltd., and remained there until his appointment as an associate judge in 2002.

Ortiz is being promoted to circuit judge to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Circuit Judge Mary Seminara-Schostok to the appellate court.

She said Tuesday that she had no doubt Ortiz was the right choice for the Supreme Court to make.

"Jorge is very deserving of the position," Seminara-Schostok said. "He has worked hard, is very conscientious and will do a great job representing the Hispanic community and all of Lake County."