Anjana M.J. Hansen
Judge up for retention, on the Chicago ballot November 3, 2026. Incumbent.
Circuit Court of Cook County
Ratings
- Chicago Bar Association: Qualified
- Illinois State Bar Association: Yes
- Injustice Watch: Former prosecutor
Record
Elected to the Circuit Court from the 9th Subcircuit in 2014; a deputy presiding judge at the Skokie courthouse, where she hears felony cases after earlier hearing misdemeanor and traffic cases. Injustice Watch reports that in 2026 the appellate court ruled she should not have denied a certificate of innocence to Frank Drew, who spent 24 years in prison before his 2024 exoneration. She served as 9th Ward alderperson in Evanston from 2005 to 2009 and founded the Asian American Judges Association of Illinois. A judge stays on the bench with a yes from 60 percent of voters.
Background
Attorney in private practice and administrative hearing officer for the City of Evanston (2010-2014); before that, a Cook County assistant state's attorney in divisions including criminal, juvenile, and appellate (1997-2010). Law degree from UIC Law (formerly John Marshall Law School) (1997).
Compiled from public sources: