Judge since: 1994

E. Kenneth Wright, Jr. was appointed to the bench and later elected in 1994, and has served in many of the sections of the First Municipal District, including the civil section, the felony preliminary hearings section, and the traffic section. Wright was first appointed presiding judge of the First Municipal District, the largest of the court’s districts, in 2003. Prior to becoming a judge, Wright was a solo practitioner in the private sector, specializing in criminal, divorce, and probate real estate matters. Wright holds both a law degree and a PhD in education.

Bar Association ratings

This year: The CCL rated him well-qualified, citing his “compassionate and professional demeanor.” The CBA rated him qualified and the ISBA recommended him for retention.

Past: Wright was rated qualified to stay on the bench in 2012 by the CCL, CBA, and ISBA.

Notable: As presiding judge of the county’s largest district, Wright is credited with various efforts to make the courts accessible to unrepresented residents, including increasing a pool of pro bono attorneys and providing court sessions before and after normal work hours.