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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE SERVICE OF HON. ABISHI C. CUNNINGHAM JR. AS PUBLIC DEFENDER OF COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor of Science in 1969; and the Northwestern University School of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 1972. The Honorable Abishi C. Cunningham Jr., a native of West Virginia, became a member of the Illinois Bar; and
WHEREAS, after a brief stint as legal advisor to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction he joined the Cook County State's Attorney's office as a felony trial assistant, Judge Cunningham would also serve as Chief of the Vertical Prosecutions Unit. Later in his career, he would rejoin the State's Attorney's office as a supervisor of all misdemeanor and quasi-criminal cases; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the State's Attorney's office in 1976, Judge Cunningham joined the Criminal Defense Consortium of Cook County as a Supervisor of that organization's Lawndale office; and
WHEREAS, Judge Cunningham joined the bench as a Cook County Circuit Court Judge in 1986. During his time on the bench, he presided over thousands of bench trials, hundreds of jury trials, and was appointed by the Chief Judge to mentor newly appointed and elected judges. His last judicial assignment was in the Law Division, where he presided over an array of civil matters; and
WHEREAS, on April 1, 2009, after being appointed by then County Board President, Todd Stroger, Judge Cunningham was sworn into the office of Public Defender of Cook County by his sister and Presiding Judge of the Sixth Municipal District, Hon. Marjorie Laws; and
WHEREAS, during his six-year term as Public Defender, Judge Cunningham has diligently carried out his mission to uphold the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Illinois; and protect the rights, liberties, and dignities of every person his office was appointed to represent.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners that we, along with his family, friends, and the citizens of Cook County whom he has spent his exemplary career serving and protecting, honor him for his dedicated service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to Hon. Abishi C. Cunningham Jr.
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