James Glasgow's Office Faces Questions Over Joliet Election Challenges and Transparency

Court decisions and investigative reporting have raised questions about actions taken under Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, who continues serving his eighth term.

JolietVotes | On the Record

Drafted October 28, 2026

Will County State's Attorney James W. Glasgow has held the county's top prosecutorial office for most of the past three decades. His career includes high-profile criminal prosecutions and public safety initiatives.

However, several documented controversies involving his office have raised questions about government transparency, election challenges, and police accountability.

Attempt to remove a Joliet councilman

In September 2025, Glasgow's office filed a lawsuit seeking to remove newly elected Joliet Councilman Juan Moreno Jr., arguing that Moreno had not satisfied residency requirements before running for office.

Moreno's attorneys disputed the challenge and raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

On March 16, 2026, Judge Jennifer Lynch ruled in Moreno's favor, determining that the time for challenging his candidacy had expired.

The ruling did not establish that Glasgow acted with discriminatory or retaliatory motives.

Attorney General finds transparency violation

On February 10, 2026, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office issued a binding opinion finding that the Will County State's Attorney's Office improperly withheld a termination letter requested by The Herald-News.

Glasgow's office argued that releasing the document could interfere with a pending criminal prosecution and jury selection.

The Attorney General rejected that justification and determined that the record should be disclosed. The office subsequently released the letter.

Questions about police accountability

A December 2024 investigation by the Invisible Institute and IPM News examined how Will County handled public reporting following fatal encounters involving law enforcement.

Reporters identified at least 14 police shootings or in-custody deaths for which they found no publicly released report explaining why officers were not criminally charged.

The reporting revisited the 2020 death of Eric Lurry in Joliet police custody. Glasgow's office concluded that Lurry died from a fatal combination of drugs and that officers' actions did not directly cause his death.

Glasgow's office has maintained that responsibility for releasing certain investigative reports rests with the investigating agencies, an interpretation questioned by transparency advocates.

Why it matters

These controversies involve different legal questions and do not establish personal criminal wrongdoing by Glasgow.

They do, however, raise a broader public-interest issue: How should residents evaluate the transparency, independence, and accountability of an office responsible for prosecuting crimes and representing government interests?