Rolling meadows judge retires, but not for long daily herald
1. 8/1/12 Rolling Meadows judge retires, but not for long ‑ DailyHerald.com
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Article updated: 7/10/2012 1:50 PM
Rolling Meadows judge retires, but not for long
By Barbara Vitello
Cook County Judge James Etchingham retired Monday after nearly 18 years on the bench.
Today he goes back to work, practicing law with his brother Joseph Etchingham in their newly established
Arlington Heights firm, Etchingham Law.
He leaves what he describes as the greatest job in the world and the greatest calling in law with mixed emotions.
But change is good, he says, and at 60, his energy and desire to help people hasn’t diminished.
“Public service was always at the back of my mind,” Etchingham said of his decision to become a judge.
But it came with a price. As a judge, “it’s easy to make the popular decision,” Etchingham said; the challenge is
making the right one.
Presiding over trials like that of Elgin resident Jose Marquez, who doused his wife with lighter fluid and set her on
fire, took its toll, admits Etchingham.
“You see terrible injuries. and you get frustrated with the cycle of violence,” he said.
“Some cases haunt you,” he said, referring to the 2007 case of Michael Giroux, 60, who stalked and killed his
former girlfriend, Arlington Heights Realtor Cindy Bischof, then killed himself. Etchingham had granted Bischof’s
request for orders of protection against Giroux, imposed a high bond for infractions, and ordered Giroux held at
Cook County jail for psychiatric evaluation.
He did all the law allowed. Still, he said, “You wonder, ‘Is there more I could have done?’”
In retirement, Etchingham will receive 78 percent of his salary, or about $135,000, plus an annual 3 percent cost of
living increase, after contributing 11 percent of his salary over his 18year career.
Etchingham spent a year in sales before pursuing his lifelong passion for the law. After law school, he maintained
a private practice and served as an assistant city attorney and prosecutor for Park Ridge and later for Norridge
and Barrington. In 1980, he opened a firm with onetime adversary Sam Amirante until Amirante’s appointment to
the bench in 1988.
“He was the best partner a lawyer could have,” said Amirante, who represented serial killer John Wayne Gacy. “In
eight years we never argued one time. We certainly had legal arguments but never cross words.”
Amirante was responsible for Etchingham meeting his wife, Beth, who worked on Amirante’s failed bid for the state
legislature in 1984. Married for 27 years, the couple have four sons, who are the reason for Etchingham’s routine
of driving a scooter to work. All the boys were about driving age when Etchingham faced a decision: buy a second
car or buy a scooter to get from his Arlington Heights home to Rolling Meadows’ 3rd Municipal District courthouse.
He opted for the scooter.
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