Campaign donations tops judge's race

Two candidates for a Kane County judgeship disagree on whether accepting campaign contributions from trial attorneys crosses ethical lines.

Democrat challenger John Noverini says Republican incumbent Patricia Piper Golden gives "at least the appearance of impropriety" by accepting money from lawyers who could one day argue a case before her. But Golden insists supporting a campaign is a "right of democracy" and one that shouldn't be stripped away simply because of a donor's profession.

"In instances where I ever know of contributions from an attorney, I would not hear cases from that attorney," Golden said. "This issue has been raised in other judicial races before, basically by people who don't have much support."

Noverini, a county board member, and Golden, a 12-year judge, are squaring off in the race for a six-year term on the 16th Judicial Circuit's 2nd Subcircuit bench in northeastern Kane County.

Golden, 58, is campaigning as the "only candidate with judicial experience," while Noverini, 50, of Carpentersville, is drawing on his background as an elected politician, attorney and professor. "My passion is the law, government and public service," Noverini said.

Noverini has been an attorney for more than 20 years and a circuit clerk arbitrator since 1995. The former Republican teaches law and ethics at Judson University in Elgin and has represented District 23 on the county board for six years. He previously was a village trustee in Carpentersville and is involved with numerous community groups.

If elected Tuesday, Noverini says he would push "vigorously" for the creation of a night court program that he believes would help move cases through the judicial system more quickly.

Golden has been on the bench since 1996, when she was appointed associate judge in Kane County. In 2006, she was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to her current position. She also has experience as an assistant state's attorney in Kane and Ogle counties, and was a founding director of Kane County's Child Advocacy Center, which prosecutes crimes against children. She was elected state's attorney of Carroll County, Ill., for two years in the late 1970s.