United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (in case citations, N.D. Ill.) is the federal trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois | |
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(N.D. Ill.) | |
Map indicating the changing Districts of Illinois | |
Location | Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse (Chicago) |
Appeals to | Seventh Circuit |
Established | February 13, 1855 |
Judges | 22 |
Chief Judge | Rebecca R. Pallmeyer |
Officers of the court | |
U.S. Attorney | John R. Lausch Jr. |
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Appeals from the Northern District of Illinois are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
The court is divided into two geographical divisions:
The eastern division includes Cook, DuPage, McHenry, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, La Salle, Lake, and Will counties. Its sessions are held in Chicago and Wheaton.
The western division includes Boone, Carroll, De Kalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago. Its sessions are held in Freeport and Rockford.
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney is John R. Lausch Jr. since November 22, 2017.
History
The United States District Court for the District of Illinois was established by a statute passed by the United States Congress on March 3, 1819, 3 Stat. 502.[1][2] The act established a single office for a judge to preside over the court. Initially, the court was not within any existing judicial circuit, and appeals from the court were taken directly to the United States Supreme Court. In 1837, Congress created the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, placing it in Chicago, Illinois and giving it jurisdiction over the District of Illinois, 5 Stat. 176.[2]
The Northern District itself was created by a statute passed on February 13, 1855, 10 Stat. 606, which subdivided the District of Illinois into the Northern and the Southern Districts.[2] The boundaries of the District and the seats of the courts were set forth in the statute:
The counties of Hancock, McDonough, Peoria, Woodford, Livingston, and Iroquois, and all the counties in the said State north of them, shall compose one district, to be called the northern district of Illinois, and courts shall be held for the said district at the city of Chicago; and the residue of the counties of the said State shall compose another district, to be called the southern district of Illinois, and courts shall be held for the same at the city of Springfield.
The district has since been re-organized several times. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois was created on March 3, 1905, by 33 Stat. 992,[2] by splitting counties out of the Northern and Southern Districts. It was later eliminated in a reorganization on October 2, 1978, which replaced it with a Central District, 92 Stat. 883,[2] formed primarily from parts of the Southern District, and returning some counties to the Northern District.
The Northern District of Illinois, which contains the entire Chicago metropolitan area, accounts for 1531 of the 1828 public corruption convictions in the state between 1976 and 2012, almost 84%, also making it the federal district with the most public corruption convictions in the nation between 1976 and 2012.[3]
Cases
It is one of the busiest federal trial courts in the nation. Famous cases have included those of Al Capone and the Chicago Eight.[4]
Current judges
As of September 23, 2020:
# | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
71 | Chief Judge | Rebecca R. Pallmeyer | Chicago | 1954 | 1998–present | 2019–present | — | Clinton |
53 | District Judge | Charles Ronald Norgle Sr. | Chicago | 1937 | 1984–present | — | — | Reagan |
73 | District Judge | Matthew Kennelly | Chicago | 1956 | 1999–present | — | — | Clinton |
80 | District Judge | Virginia Mary Kendall | Chicago | 1962 | 2006–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
82 | District Judge | Robert Michael Dow Jr. | Chicago | 1965 | 2007–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
83 | District Judge | Gary Feinerman | Chicago | 1965 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
84 | District Judge | Sharon Johnson Coleman | Chicago | 1960 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
85 | District Judge | Edmond E. Chang | Chicago | 1970 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
86 | District Judge | John Z. Lee | Chicago | 1968 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
87 | District Judge | John Tharp | Chicago | 1960 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
88 | District Judge | Thomas M. Durkin | Chicago | 1953 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
89 | District Judge | Sara L. Ellis | Chicago | 1969 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
90 | District Judge | Andrea R. Wood | Chicago | 1973 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
91 | District Judge | Manish S. Shah | Chicago | 1972 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
92 | District Judge | Jorge Luis Alonso | Chicago | 1966 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
93 | District Judge | John Robert Blakey | Chicago | 1965 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
94 | District Judge | Martha M. Pacold | Chicago | 1979 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
95 | District Judge | Mary M. Rowland | Chicago | 1961 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
96 | District Judge | Steven C. Seeger | Chicago | 1971 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
97 | District Judge | John F. Kness | Chicago | 1969 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
98 | District Judge | Franklin U. Valderrama | Chicago | 1962 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
99 | District Judge | Iain D. Johnston | Rockford | 1965 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
45 | Senior Judge | Marvin E. Aspen | Chicago | 1934 | 1979–2002 | 1995–2002 | 2002–present | Carter |
47 | Senior Judge | Charles P. Kocoras | Chicago | 1938 | 1980–2006 | 2002–2006 | 2006–present | Carter |
49 | Senior Judge | John Albert Nordberg | inactive[5] | 1926 | 1982–1994 | — | 1994–present | Reagan |
50 | Senior Judge | William Thomas Hart | Chicago | 1929 | 1982–1996 | — | 1996–present | Reagan |
57 | Senior Judge | Harry Leinenweber | Chicago | 1937 | 1985–2002 | — | 2002–present | Reagan |
58 | Senior Judge | James Zagel | inactive | 1941 | 1987–2016 | — | 2016–present | Reagan |
60 | Senior Judge | Suzanne B. Conlon | inactive | 1939 | 1988–2004 | — | 2004–present | Reagan |
61 | Senior Judge | George M. Marovich | inactive | 1931 | 1988–2000 | — | 2000–present | Reagan |
64 | Senior Judge | Philip Godfrey Reinhard | Rockford | 1941 | 1992–2007 | — | 2007–present | G.H.W. Bush |
68 | Senior Judge | Robert Gettleman | Chicago | 1943 | 1994–2009 | — | 2009–present | Clinton |
69 | Senior Judge | Elaine E. Bucklo | Chicago | 1944 | 1994–2009 | — | 2009–present | Clinton |
70 | Senior Judge | Joan B. Gottschall | Chicago | 1947 | 1996–2012 | — | 2012–present | Clinton |
74 | Senior Judge | Ronald A. Guzman | Chicago | 1948 | 1999–2014 | — | 2014–present | Clinton |
75 | Senior Judge | Joan Lefkow | Chicago | 1944 | 2000–2012 | — | 2012–present | Clinton |
81 | Senior Judge | Frederick J. Kapala | inactive | 1950 | 2007–2019 | — | 2019–present | G.W. Bush |
Former judges
# | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thomas Drummond | IL | 1809–1890 | 1855–1869[Note 1] | — | — | Taylor/Operation of law | elevation to 7th Cir. |
2 | Henry Williams Blodgett | IL | 1821–1905 | 1870–1892 | — | — | Grant | retirement |
3 | Peter S. Grosscup | IL | 1852–1921 | 1892–1899 | — | — | B. Harrison | elevation to 7th Cir. |
4 | Christian Cecil Kohlsaat | IL | 1844–1918 | 1899–1905 | — | — | McKinley | elevation to 7th Cir. |
5 | Solomon Hicks Bethea | IL | 1852–1909 | 1905–1909 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | death |
6 | Kenesaw Mountain Landis | IL | 1866–1944 | 1905–1922 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | resignation |
7 | George Albert Carpenter | IL | 1867–1944 | 1910–1933 | — | — | Taft | resignation |
8 | James Herbert Wilkerson | IL | 1869–1948 | 1922–1940 | — | 1940–1948 | Harding | death |
9 | Adam C. Cliffe | IL | 1869–1928 | 1922–1928 | — | — | Harding | death |
10 | Charles Edgar Woodward | IL | 1876–1942 | 1929–1942 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
11 | John Peter Barnes | IL | 1881–1959 | 1931–1957 | 1948–1957 | 1957–1958 | Hoover | resignation |
12 | George E. Q. Johnson | IL | 1874–1949 | 1932–1933[Note 2] | — | — | Hoover | not confirmed |
13 | William Harrison Holly | IL | 1869–1958 | 1933–1943[Note 3] | — | 1943–1958 | F. Roosevelt | death |
14 | Philip Leo Sullivan | IL | 1889–1960 | 1933–1960[Note 3] | 1957–1959 | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
15 | Michael L. Igoe | IL | 1885–1967 | 1938–1965[Note 4] | — | 1965–1967 | F. Roosevelt | death |
16 | William Joseph Campbell | IL | 1905–1988 | 1940–1970 | 1959–1970 | 1970–1988 | F. Roosevelt | death |
17 | Walter J. LaBuy | IL | 1888–1967 | 1944–1961 | — | 1961–1967 | F. Roosevelt | death |
18 | Elwyn Riley Shaw | IL | 1888–1950 | 1944–1950 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
19 | Joseph Sam Perry | IL | 1896–1984 | 1951–1971 | — | 1971–1984 | Truman | death |
20 | Julius Hoffman | IL | 1895–1983 | 1953–1972 | — | 1972–1983 | Eisenhower | death |
21 | Winfred George Knoch | IL | 1895–1983 | 1953–1958 | — | — | Eisenhower | elevation to 7th Cir. |
22 | Julius Howard Miner | IL | 1896–1963 | 1958–1963 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
23 | Edwin Albert Robson | IL | 1905–1986 | 1958–1975[Note 5] | 1970–1975 | 1975–1986 | Eisenhower | death |
24 | Richard Bevan Austin | IL | 1901–1977 | 1961–1975 | — | 1975–1977 | Kennedy | death |
25 | James Benton Parsons | IL | 1911–1993 | 1961–1981 | 1975–1981 | 1981–1993 | Kennedy | death |
26 | Hubert Louis Will | IL | 1914–1995 | 1961–1979 | — | 1979–1995 | Kennedy | death |
27 | Bernard Martin Decker | IL | 1904–1993 | 1962–1980[Note 6] | — | 1980–1993 | Kennedy | death |
28 | Abraham Lincoln Marovitz | IL | 1905–2001 | 1963–1975 | — | 1975–2001 | Kennedy | death |
29 | William Joseph Lynch | IL | 1908–1976 | 1966–1976 | — | — | L. Johnson | death |
30 | Alexander J. Napoli | IL | 1905–1972 | 1966–1972 | — | — | L. Johnson | death |
31 | Frank James McGarr | IL | 1921–2012 | 1970–1986 | 1981–1986 | 1986–1988 | Nixon | retirement |
32 | Thomas Roberts McMillen | IL | 1916–2002 | 1971–1984 | — | 1984–1985 | Nixon | retirement |
33 | William Joseph Bauer | IL | 1926–present | 1971–1975 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 7th Cir. |
34 | Richard Wellington McLaren | IL | 1918–1976 | 1972–1976 | — | — | Nixon | death |
35 | Philip Willis Tone | IL | 1923–2001 | 1972–1974 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 7th Cir. |
36 | Prentice Marshall | IL | 1926–2004 | 1973–1988 | — | 1988–1996 | Nixon | retirement |
37 | Joel Flaum | IL | 1936–present | 1974–1983 | — | — | Ford | elevation to 7th Cir. |
38 | Alfred Younges Kirkland Sr. | IL | 1917–2004 | 1974–1979 | — | 1979–2004 | Ford | death |
39 | John F. Grady | IL | 1929–2019 | 1975–1994 | 1986–1990 | 1994–2019 | Ford | death |
40 | George N. Leighton | IL | 1912–2018 | 1976–1986 | — | 1986–1987 | Ford | retirement |
41 | John Powers Crowley | IL | 1936–1989 | 1976–1981 | — | — | Ford | resignation |
42 | Stanley Julian Roszkowski | IL | 1923–2014 | 1977–1991 | — | 1991–1998 | Carter | retirement |
43 | Nicholas John Bua | IL | 1925–2002 | 1977–1991 | — | — | Carter | retirement |
44 | James Byron Moran | IL | 1930–2009 | 1979–1995 | 1990–1995 | 1995–2009 | Carter | death |
46 | Milton Shadur | IL | 1924–2018 | 1980–1992 | — | 1992–2018 | Carter | death |
48 | Susan Christine O'Meara Getzendanner | IL | 1939–present | 1980–1987 | — | — | Carter | resignation |
51 | Paul Edward Plunkett | IL | 1935–2018 | 1982–1998 | — | 1998–2018 | Reagan | death |
52 | Ilana Rovner | IL | 1938–present | 1984–1992 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 7th Cir. |
54 | James F. Holderman | IL | 1946–present | 1985–2013 | 2006–2013 | 2013–2015 | Reagan | retirement |
55 | Ann Claire Williams | IL | 1949–present | 1985–1999 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 7th Cir. |
56 | Brian Barnett Duff | IL | 1930–2016 | 1985–1996 | — | 1996–2016 | Reagan | death |
59 | James Henry Alesia | IL | 1934–2003 | 1987–1998 | — | 1998–2003 | Reagan | death |
62 | George W. Lindberg | IL | 1932–2019 | 1989–2001 | — | 2001–2019 | G.H.W. Bush | death |
63 | Wayne R. Andersen | IL | 1945–present | 1991–2010 | — | — | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
65 | Rubén Castillo | IL | 1954–present | 1994–2019 | 2013–2019 | — | Clinton | retirement |
66 | Blanche M. Manning | IL | 1934–2020 | 1994–2010 | — | 2010–2020 | Clinton | death |
67 | David H. Coar | IL | 1943–present | 1994–2009 | — | 2009–2010 | Clinton | retirement |
72 | William J. Hibbler | IL | 1946–2012 | 1999–2012 | — | — | Clinton | death |
76 | John W. Darrah | IL | 1938–2017 | 2000–2017 | — | 2017 | Clinton | death |
77 | Amy J. St. Eve | IL | 1965–present | 2002–2018 | — | — | G.W. Bush | elevation to 7th Cir. |
78 | Samuel Der-Yeghiayan | IL | 1952–present | 2003–2018 | — | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
79 | Mark Filip | IL | 1966–present | 2004–2008 | — | — | G.W. Bush | resignation |
- Reassigned from the District of Illinois.
- Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
- Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1934, confirmed by the Senate on February 20, 1934, and received commission on March 1, 1934.
- Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1939, confirmed by the Senate on February 9, 1939, and received commission on March 4, 1939.
- Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 17, 1959, confirmed by the Senate on April 29, 1959, and received commission on April 30, 1959.
- Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1963, confirmed by the Senate on March 28, 1963, and received commission on April 2, 1963.
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
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See also
References
- Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 393.
- U.S. District Courts of Illinois, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
- Simpson, Dick; Nowlan, James; Gradel, Thomas J.; Mouritsen Zmuda, Melissa; Sterrett, David; Cantor, Douglas (February 15, 2012). "Chicago and Illinois, Leading the Pack in Corruption; Anti-Corruption Report Number 5" (PDF). University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science. Retrieved February 15, 2012. Cite journal requires
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(help) - Cahan, Richard (December 18, 2002). A Court That Shaped America: Chicago's Federal District Court from Abe Lincoln to Abbie Hoffman. Northwestern University Press.
- "United States District Judge John Nordberg Retires After 32 Years of Service" (PDF). United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Retrieved May 2, 2014.