Meet Amari Dawson

Candidate for Cook County Judge - 17th Subcircuit

Amari is C.U.T. out to fill the vacancy of the Honorable James R. Carroll in the 17th Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County, Illinois.

Throughout her youth, Amari Dawson lived in various locations throughout Illinois. As a young child she resided in North Lawndale and as she grew older, she resided in the Roseland community. Amari’s parents devoted a considerable amount of their time to supporting disadvantaged communities throughout the Chicagoland region. Watching her parents assist other families in need instilled in Amari the passion to live up to her name. Afterall, the name Amari, which originates from the root word love, in multiple languages, meant that she would have love for people. Amari’s love for people inspired her to set a goal at an early age to become an attorney.

In her teenage years, Amari experienced what she refers to as “growing pains.” These “growing pains” included challenges such as dealing with emotional trauma caused by violence, managing motherhood while still in adolescence, and confronting the flaws present within the justice system.

Overcoming the challenges that she faced, Amari graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1999 from Rust College, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and a Juris Doctor in 2004, from the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford, Mississippi. After law school Amari continued her education by obtaining a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Non-Profit Management at the Kellogg School of Management in 2007 in Evanston, Illinois. Amari currently holds an active law license from both the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Illinois. She also holds a certification in Restorative Justice.

Amari has served the public as an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, Illinois, for over 18 years. She currently serves in the division of Criminal Appeals where she analyzes the outcomes of the trial courts and practices appellate advocacy. Prior to her service in that division, Amari served as a trial lawyer who prosecuted crimes as minor as traffic offenses, to crimes as serious as murder. Amari has served as an advisor and supervisor to other attorneys within the Office. Outside of her career as a prosecutor, Amari served as the Director of Community Corrections and Interventions at Beloved Community Family Services, a non-profit community-based organization in Englewood, a Senior Parole Agent for the State of Illinois, and a Public Administration Intern for the Office of the Governor in Illinois. 

Amari currently resides in south suburban Cook County and has done so for over 16 years. Prior to doing so Amari resided in Roseland. Amari has provided services through volunteerism at entities such as the Woodlawn Community Food Pantry, Primo Center, and Operation Care. Her volunteerism at these entities and others were due to her affiliation with the local chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA), where she previously served as President. Amari is a member of the Cook County Bar Association.

Amari is Compassionate, Unbiased, and Trained. As she continues in her role as a public servant she operates with love for all of humanity.