Former Prosecutor

Judge since: 1994

Prior to becoming a judge, Agran was an assistant Cook County state’s attorney for six years and then a longtime a private practice attorney. He served on a Federal Defender Panel as a private attorney who took assignments to represent federal defendants. He was appointed to be judge in 1994 and won election later that year. He has had previous judicial assignments in the Child Protection Division and in the Juvenile Justice Division, including as supervisor.

Bar Association ratings

This year: The CCL rated Agran well qualified, noting his temperament, courtroom management skills, and fairness. The CBA rated him qualified and the ISBA recommended him for retention.

Past: Agran received positive ratings from all three bar groups in 2012, including “well qualified” from the CCL.

Notable: Agran has ruled in a number of high-profile cases. He ruled in 2007 against former Governor George Ryan, who sought to receive his pension after being convicted of corruption. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld Agran’s denial of Ryan’s pension. Agran also overturned former Cook County Sheriff Michael Sheahan’s pick for jail director after Sheahan did not follow proper protocol, and allowed for a civil rights lawsuit over the Illinois school funding system to proceed, finding there was sufficient evidence of discrimination.