Ashonta C. Rice
Candidate for Cook County Circuit Court Judge
Ashonta C. Rice is a Chicago Bar Association approved Child Representative and Guardian ad litem. She is routinely appointed by the Cook County Circuit Court to serve as Child Representative and Guardian ad litem in some of the most contentious and complex cases.
Ms. Rice received a B.A. in Finance from University of Illinois Champaign, a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, and a certificate in Divorce Mediation Skills from Northwestern University School of Professional Studies.
She was recognized as one of the10 Best Attorneys for Exceptional and Outstanding Client Service by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys SEVEN years in a row - 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and was recently named one of Best Divorce Lawyers of Chicago, IL 2023 by Forbes advisor. She has been called upon for her expertise to speak as a panelist in continuing legal education seminars for the Illinois State Bar Association and the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago.
A message from Ashonta:
I am the child of high school sweethearts and grew up in the far south suburb of Chicago Heights in a faith community. As a result, I have been called upon as a trusted person to consult on a myriad of legal issues in our court system. I have served in my faith community's legal clinic, reviewing, explaining and preparing pro se documents for those that could not afford an attorney, and also with the broader community preparing expungement applications and orders for returning citizens.
I understand that litigants' families are greatly affected by the decisions made in our justice system. Litigants' families are concerned about paying judgments that are entered, and also the potential legal ramifications in the event a litigant becomes delinquent on that judgment. I understand the impact to a child when, even for his/her own safety, their relationship with their parents is limited in some capacity, and how it impacts that child’s sense of self and the ability to overcome personal obstacles. I understand the social and economic loss to a family when a parent is sentenced to a term of incarceration after having been found guilty of a crime.
Our justice system is affecting not only the life of the individual standing before the court, but also those persons who are either invested in or depending upon the potential of that litigant to directly affect the outcome of their own life. Therefore, I understand that nothing done in the court system is to be taken lightly and true justice should be delivered in every matter before the court.
