Roy Solfisburg

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Roy John Solfisburg Jr.^[1] (September 9, 1912 – April 19, 1991)^[2] was the Chief Justice of Illinois for the 1962–63 term and again from 1967 to 1969. Solfisburg was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1960, the first time in the states history a sitting Justice was defeated by a challenger. This created a political stir having a historically Republican candidate unseat a "Daley Democrat". As the then youngest Justice his brethren selected Solfisburg as chief justice for the 1962–63 term and in 1967, his colleagues again later elected him to an additional 3-year term as chief justice. Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen championed Solfisburg for an opening on the U.S. Supreme Court. Both in Illinois and Washington D.C. it was widely reported he was at the top of the U.S. Supreme Court nominee "short list".

After Solfisburg's death, Edward M.Burke, "The Dean of The Chicago City Council", long time Daley associate, presented a resolution that was unanimously passed and signed by Richard M. Daley concluding "Whereas, Justice Solfisburg proved to be a wise and effective judge during his nine years on the Supreme Court and contributed greatly to the legal system in Illinois – May 22nd, 1991 Resolution, The City Council, City of Chicago, Illinois.^[3]

The significance of Burke's honoring Solfisburg, a former active Republican, derives from Burke's role as the longtime chairman of the judicial slating subcommittee of the Cook County Democratic Party, as Illinois judges are elected in partisan elections.

Solfisburg's aspirations to the highest court were thwarted following a finding of "an appearance of impropriety" and "certain positive acts of impropriety" based on Sherman Skolnick's accusations. Solfisburg and Associate Justice Ray Klingbiel were accused of corruptly accepting stock from the Civic Center Bank & Trust Company (CCB) of Chicago at the same time that litigation involving the CCB was pending at the Illinois Supreme Court. Solfisburg was in fact found to have purchased his stock while Klingbel had received his stock as a gift or contribution. Solfisburg resigned from the court to run a private legal practice.