D. J. Tegeler Would Make a Great Judge!

When you add up that I’m officially an unofficial columnist, there aren’t many GOP candidates who make me want to stand up and salute, and the effort generally cuts into my video game playin’ time, you’ll understand why I don’t do many endorsement pieces these days.

Not only that, but the last time your favorite columnist came out in journalistic support of Geneva attorney D. J. Tegeler, Judge David Akemann simply brushed it off. Ah! But the good news there is, the former Kane County State’s Attorney has done the black robe proud.

All that said, since I’m always willing to make an exception, most first-time candidates use that loss as a primer for their next run, and fools like me will always march forth when the angels are in full retreat, let’s give it another shot!

Because there’s also the unassailable fact that, when confronted with a judicial ballot, most of us scratch our heads, heave a heavy sigh, and start flippin’ coins which kinda subverts the process. The truth is, judges can often become the most powerful politicians you can possibly put in office.

So what I’m really saying is, when you find yourself at that March 18 primary polling place, you can’t go wrong by ticking off the box next to Sixteenth Circuit, Third Subcircuit Judge candidate D. J. Tegeler.

For the uninitiated, the Third Subcircuit basically consists of the western half of Kane County.

And I can unabashedly support D. J. because, as far as experience goes, he's really hard to beat. In the last 24 years, he’s tried cases in every courtroom in the county including, felony trials, misdemeanor trials, civil cases, divorces, traffic violations, small claims, business and real estate actions, juvenile cases, and even appellate proceedings.

Though I can certainly understand why some lawyers choose to specialize, I think that makes them far less effective as judges.

In addition, D. J. has lived in the Third Subcircuit for that same 24 years and there’s something to be said for having an implicit understanding of the folks you hope to serve.

There’s also this! Given our limited county resources, it’s important for Circuit Court Judges to keep an eye on the bottom line. To that end, D. J. has been the President of the Mill Creek Water Reclamation District with their $6 million budget for the last four years. And I’m pleased to say, that board has consistently balanced their budget while cutting administrative costs by one-third.

But as good as all that is, here’s really what really matters to me.

You see, when one of our fellow citizens finds themselves in front of a judge, it may well be they’ve come to a critical juncture in their lives. And that man or woman in black sitting on that lofty courtroom perch may be well be their last hope.

In that brief silent moment before the gavel comes down, I want our Kane County judges to understand that, for all the defendant’s flaws, in the end, a human being stands before them. I want judges who can and will tread that fine line between keeping us safe and attempting to retrieve those lost souls who aren’t yet irretrievable.

Put more simply, I want to elect a judge who, though a variety of life experiences, always remembers his own humanity and never lets the job go to his head.

And that, my friends, is D. J. Tegeler.

I also want to mention that, though I absolutely refuse to hold it against him, D. J. is the only consistent Republican in that race.

One of the joys of living in Kane County is that we’re been blessed with some bleepin’ phenomenal judges including, but not limited to, the retiring Karen Simpson, Clint Hull, David Akemann, John Barsanti, and, of course, my personal favorite, Chief Judge Judy Brawka.

Electing D. J. Tegeler on March 18 would mean one more.