On Dec. 6th 2010 the Illinois Supreme Court announced that James L. Kaplan was appointed to the 8th Subcircuit vacancy created by the retirement of Cook County Circuit Court Judge Melvin J. Cole.
Kaplan was born in South Shore neighborhood and moved to Hyde Park. “When I was 11 we moved to Lakeview. I finished at Netttlehorst Grammar school and graduated from Lakeview High School,” he says.
Kaplan’s parents wanted him to be a doctor. “I didn’t like chemistry. I was a history major. I knew I would never be a doctor. Law was always my thing,” he recalls. Kaplan has an older sister. He is the first in his family to graduate from college from the University of Arizona. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent Law School. His father was a manager of an auto parts company called JC Whitney and his mother was a housewife. At 14 years old Kaplan worked at JC Whitney, his father’s workplace. He explains, “I passed out catalogues. I worked at an early age. My own kids did too- they worked at McDonalds when they were young.” Kaplan goes on to say “ I have had this discussion with a lot of folks over the years. It is important to establish a work ethic with your kids right away.” Kaplan recalls once when his daughter was young she saw a music CD that she wanted to buy. “ She said ‘Dad do you know how many hours I would have to work in order to buy this’.” At that moment Kaplan knew that she “got it.” She knew the value of money and hard work. Kaplan is married to Allin. He and his wife just celebrated their 36th anniversary. They have three children; Matthew, Daniel and daughter Lisa. Both of his parents are deceased.
His daughter Lisa graduated from the University of Toronto and is a special education teacher in the River Grove school system. “She will also be teaching at Northeastern Illinois University this fall in their special education program,” he says.
Judge Kaplan's middle son Daniel attended Duke. Dan is now a medical student and also serves in the US Army. “He just finished his medical rotation and is now doing anesthesiology. He will do two rotations in Walter Reed Army Medical Center which is what he really always wanted to do, to work with veterans,” he explains.
The Kaplan’s oldest son is 32 years old and he is mentally disabled. His name is Matthew. One look at Kaplan’s biography and it is easy to see the dominance of his activities include education. Kaplan says “ My experience with Matthew and our first IEP meeting is what set that off.” At his first IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) parent teacher meeting Kaplan felt helpless and misinformed. At this first IEP meeting the school wanted to take sign language away from Matthew because they could no longer afford to offer it. “I didn’t agree to sign off on this. I didn’t know what to do. I turned to friends because I felt like I was a terrible parent. The school counselors were professionals and I always took their word. I was having second thoughts,” he recalls.
Kaplan quickly turned this into an opportunity to become active in the issues that parents and special education students have to go through on a daily basis in the school system. “Governor Edgar wanted me to be a parent member of a State Advisory Council,” says Kaplan. In 1992 Governor Jim Edgar appointed him to the Illinois State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities. “My wife said ‘You finally found a hobby’ because I got really steeped into that council, and later became the chairman of this group,” recalls Kaplan. This council is still active and a part of the Illinois Board of Education. “They are a federally obligated board,” Kaplan explains, “ they have to get federal special education funds. They have to have an advisory council.” Kaplan was the primary author and lobbyist for the reform of the Due Process law back in the 90’s. Due process is an appeal process for parents to resolve issues with school districts about their child's IEP. Under the school code it sets up how parents, students, and school districts resolve their differences. “It took me three years to get it through,” Kaplan continues, “We were trying to get everyone on the same page and then get it through the legislators and finally get the Governor to sign off on it.”
Matthew now works in a workshop. “We waited six years to get him in the program. It is in Palatine,” he says. He is referring to the Countryside Association. He does small assembly type things, through a contract between Abbott and the Association. “It is very routine work but he flourishes with this work,” Kaplan says.
Judge James Kaplan sits on the Board of Overseers at Chicago-Kent Law School. Its comprised mostly of Alumni who are interested in the progress of the school. "We advise the faculty and the administrators of the school. They are the true operating board. Our oversee board is mostly practicing professionals," he explains.
Kaplan served on the Illinois Board of Higher Education from 1999 when he was appointed by former Governor George Ryan, until 2007. He was named Chairman in 2003. He led the Board and the higher education system through one of the most challenging fiscal periods in the state’s history. Kaplan began his tenure as IBHE Chairman as the Illinois economy was suffering through a severe recession that strained state tax revenues for governmental operations. He initiated a cost-saving plan under which public universities curbed administrative expenses by $100 million and reallocated the savings to high-priority academic endeavors. According to an IBHE press release Kaplan “promoted affordability, championed expanded access for students with disabilities, demanded increased scrutiny of the quality of academic programs, and fostered efficiency in higher education operations.” Kaplan also worked to sustain funding for financial assistance programs for low-income students and even achieve modest increases while most state agencies were experiencing budget reductions.
His vast experience in education has resulted in many board appointments, among them most recently to St. Patrick High School in Chicago. Brother Conrad is the President of St. Patrick High School. Recently Kaplan attended the graduation ceremony held at Holy Name Cathedral. His friends Justice Thomas Hoffman and Justice Daniel Pierce also sit on the board.
Judge Kaplan has also served as a Judge of the Illinois Court of Claims. “I was a Judge on the Illinois Court of Claims for 5 ½ years,” he explains, “Those are all civil cases regarding contracts, torts, personal injury, or those killed in the line of duty.” This was a part time job and he still had private practice. Kaplan worked at the Law Offices of Sheldon Sorosky, Ltd. (f/k/a Kaplan & Sorosky, Ltd.)
“I think it’s the dream of every lawyer who has been in litigation to ultimately become a Judge someday,” he says. It was his former partner and closest friend Justice Thomas Hoffman, who has been on the bench for about 25 years, who told him that he ought to look into it. “So I did,” says Kaplan.
Since being appointed in December 2010, he is on the trial level. Kaplan says he mostly hears traffic and misdemeanor cases. “The last few days I was in the eviction court. It is pretty overwhelming.” Kaplan says the eviction issue is serious. “There are a lot of people in hard economic times,” he continues to explain, “The statue is written for the benefit of the landlords because they theoretically are suffering by not getting their rent.” Kaplan also notes that most of the tenants are in hard times. Kaplan says, “Of course some are trying to scam the system. It’s a terrible circumstance in these economic times no matter if it’s the tenant or the landlord.”
Judge James Kaplan considers himself a people person. “I enjoy working with people. I am not a corporate guy,” Family and education remain his priorities today. “I never would have been involved in education if I hadn’t had that one experience,” says Kaplan referring to his first IEP parent-teacher meeting with his son Matthew. Regarding his free time, Kaplan says “We spend time together as much as we can. We recently went to the Taste of North Loop. Sometimes we go to my favorite hangout the Erie Café.” Smiling he says “Matthew loves the movies.”
By far Kaplan's inspiration is his son Matthew. “Matthew is my best friend. He has no guile. The difficulty with that is that he can’t tell friend from foe. On the other hand there is not a mean bone in his body,” he says.
Next Spotlight: State Representative Derrick Smith (D-10th)
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