United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

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United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
(N.D. Ill.)
NDIL-Seal.gif
Illinois-District-Court-his.gif
Map indicating the changing Districts of Illinois
Location Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse
More locations
Appeals to Seventh Circuit
EstablishedFebruary 13, 1855
Judges23
Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer
Officers of the court
U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual (acting)
U.S. Marshal LaDon A. Reynolds
www.ilnd.uscourts.gov

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.

Contents

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 acting United States attorney is Morris Pasqual since March 12, 2023. [1]

History

The Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago, one of four locations where the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois holds sessions. Dirksen Federal Building.jpg
The Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago, one of four locations where the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois holds sessions.

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. [2] [3] 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. [3]

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. [3] 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, [3] 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, [3] 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 1,531 of the 1,828 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. [4]

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. [5]

Current judges

As of March 20,2024:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
Active Chief Senior
71Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer Chicago 19541998–present2019–present Clinton
80District Judge Virginia Mary Kendall Chicago 19622006–present G.W. Bush
82District Judge Robert Michael Dow Jr. Chicago 19652007–present G.W. Bush
84District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman Chicago 19602010–present Obama
85District Judge Edmond E. Chang Chicago 19702010–present Obama
87District Judge John Tharp Chicago 19602012–present Obama
89District Judge Sara L. Ellis Chicago 19692013–present Obama
90District Judge Andrea Wood Chicago 19732013–present Obama
91District Judge Manish S. Shah Chicago 19722014–present Obama
92District Judge Jorge L. Alonso Chicago 19662014–present Obama
93District Judge John Robert Blakey Chicago 19652014–present Obama
94District Judge Martha M. Pacold Chicago 19792019–present Trump
95District Judge Mary M. Rowland Chicago 19612019–present Trump
96District Judge Steven C. Seeger Chicago 19712019–present Trump
97District Judge John F. Kness Chicago 19692020–present Trump
98District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama Chicago 19622020–present Trump
99District Judge Iain D. Johnston Rockford 19652020–present Trump
100District Judge Nancy L. Maldonado Chicago 19752022–present Biden
101District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins Chicago 19772023–present Biden
102District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt Chicago 19702023–present Biden
103District Judge Jeremy C. Daniel Chicago 19782023–present Biden
104District Judge Jeffrey Cummings Chicago 19622023–present Biden
105District Judge Sunil Harjani Chicago 19742024–present Biden
45Senior Judge Marvin Aspen Chicago 19341979–20021995–20022002–present Carter
47Senior Judge Charles P. Kocoras Chicago 19381980–20062002–20062006–present Carter
53Senior Judge Charles Ronald Norgle Sr. inactive19371984–20222022–present Reagan
57Senior Judge Harry Leinenweber Chicago 19371985–20022002–present Reagan
60Senior Judge Suzanne B. Conlon inactive19391988–20042004–present Reagan
61Senior Judge George M. Marovich inactive19311988–20002000–present Reagan
64Senior Judge Philip Godfrey Reinhard Rockford 19411992–20072007–present G.H.W. Bush
68Senior Judge Robert Gettleman Chicago 19431994–20092009–present Clinton
69Senior Judge Elaine E. Bucklo Chicago 19441994–20092009–present Clinton
70Senior Judge Joan B. Gottschall Chicago 19471996–20122012–present Clinton
73Senior Judge Matthew Kennelly Chicago 19561999–20212021–present Clinton
74Senior Judge Ronald A. Guzman Chicago 19481999–20142014–present Clinton
75Senior Judge Joan Lefkow Chicago 19442000–20122012–present Clinton
81Senior Judge Frederick J. Kapala inactive19502007–20192019–present G.W. Bush
88Senior Judge Thomas M. Durkin Chicago 19532012–20232023–present Obama

Vacancies and pending nominations

SeatPrior judge's duty stationSeat last held byVacancy reasonDate of vacancyNomineeDate of nomination
1 Chicago Rebecca R. Pallmeyer Senior status August 1, 2024 [6] Georgia N. Alexakis February 27, 2024
5 Nancy L. Maldonado ElevationTBD

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed byReason for
termination
1 Thomas Drummond IL 1809–18901855–1869 [Note 1] Taylor/Operation of law elevation to 7th Cir.
2 Henry Williams Blodgett IL 1821–19051870–1892 Grant retirement
3 Peter S. Grosscup IL 1852–19211892–1899 B. Harrison elevation to 7th Cir.
4 Christian Cecil Kohlsaat IL 1844–19181899–1905 McKinley elevation to 7th Cir.
5 Solomon Hicks Bethea IL 1852–19091905–1909 T. Roosevelt death
6 Kenesaw Mountain Landis IL 1866–19441905–1922 T. Roosevelt resignation
7 George Albert Carpenter IL 1867–19441910–1933 Taft resignation
8 James Herbert Wilkerson IL 1869–19481922–19401940–1948 Harding death
9 Adam C. Cliffe IL 1869–19281922–1928 Harding death
10 Charles Edgar Woodward IL 1876–19421929–1942 Coolidge death
11 John P. Barnes IL 1881–19591931–19571948–19571957–1958 Hoover resignation
12 George E. Q. Johnson IL 1874–19491932–1933 [Note 2] Hoover not confirmed
13 William Harrison Holly IL 1869–19581933–1943 [Note 3] 1943–1958 F. Roosevelt death
14 Philip Leo Sullivan IL 1889–19601933–1960 [Note 3] 1957–1959 F. Roosevelt death
15 Michael L. Igoe IL 1885–19671938–1965 [Note 4] 1965–1967 F. Roosevelt death
16 William Joseph Campbell IL 1905–19881940–19701959–19701970–1988 F. Roosevelt death
17 Walter J. LaBuy IL 1888–19671944–19611961–1967 F. Roosevelt death
18 Elwyn Riley Shaw IL 1888–19501944–1950 F. Roosevelt death
19 Joseph Sam Perry IL 1896–19841951–19711971–1984 Truman death
20 Julius Hoffman IL 1895–19831953–19721972–1983 Eisenhower death
21 Winfred George Knoch IL 1895–19831953–1958 Eisenhower elevation to 7th Cir.
22 Julius Howard Miner IL 1896–19631958–1963 Eisenhower death
23 Edwin Albert Robson IL 1905–19861958–1975 [Note 5] 1970–19751975–1986 Eisenhower death
24 Richard Bevan Austin IL 1901–19771961–19751975–1977 Kennedy death
25 James Benton Parsons IL 1911–19931961–19811975–19811981–1993 Kennedy death
26 Hubert Louis Will IL 1914–19951961–19791979–1995 Kennedy death
27 Bernard Martin Decker IL 1904–19931962–1980 [Note 6] 1980–1993 Kennedy death
28 Abraham Lincoln Marovitz IL 1905–20011963–19751975–2001 Kennedy death
29 William Joseph Lynch IL 1908–19761966–1976 L. Johnson death
30 Alexander J. Napoli IL 1905–19721966–1972 L. Johnson death
31 Frank James McGarr IL 1921–20121970–19861981–19861986–1988 Nixon retirement
32 Thomas Roberts McMillen IL 1916–20021971–19841984–1985 Nixon retirement
33 William J. Bauer IL 1926–present1971–1975 Nixon elevation to 7th Cir.
34 Richard Wellington McLaren IL 1918–19761972–1976 Nixon death
35 Philip Willis Tone IL 1923–20011972–1974 Nixon elevation to 7th Cir.
36 Prentice Marshall IL 1926–20041973–19881988–1996 Nixon retirement
37 Joel Flaum IL 1936–present1974–1983 Ford elevation to 7th Cir.
38 Alfred Younges Kirkland Sr. IL 1917–20041974–19791979–2004 Ford death
39 John F. Grady IL 1929–20191975–19941986–19901994–2019 Ford death
40 George N. Leighton IL 1912–20181976–19861986–1987 Ford retirement
41 John Powers Crowley IL 1936–19891976–1981 Ford resignation
42 Stanley Julian Roszkowski IL 1923–20141977–19911991–1998 Carter retirement
43 Nicholas John Bua IL 1925–20021977–1991 Carter retirement
44 James Byron Moran IL 1930–20091979–19951990–19951995–2009 Carter death
46 Milton Shadur IL 1924–20181980–19921992–2018 Carter death
48 Susan Christine O'Meara Getzendanner IL 1939–present1980–1987 Carter resignation
49 John Albert Nordberg IL 1926–20211982–19941994–2021 Reagan death
50 William Thomas Hart IL 1929–20231982–19961996–2023 Reagan death
51 Paul Edward Plunkett IL 1935–20181982–19981998–2018 Reagan death
52 Ilana Rovner IL 1938–present1984–1992 Reagan elevation to 7th Cir.
54 James F. Holderman IL 1946–present1985–20132006–20132013–2015 Reagan retirement
55 Ann Claire Williams IL 1949–present1985–1999 Reagan elevation to 7th Cir.
56 Brian Barnett Duff IL 1930–20161985–19961996–2016 Reagan death
58 James Zagel IL 1941–20231987–20162016–2023 Reagan death
59 James Henry Alesia IL 1934–20031987–19981998–2003 Reagan death
62 George W. Lindberg IL 1932–20191989–20012001–2019 G.H.W. Bush death
63 Wayne Andersen IL 1945–present1991–2010 G.H.W. Bush retirement
65 Rubén Castillo IL 1954–present1994–20192013–2019 Clinton retirement
66 Blanche M. Manning IL 1934–20201994–20102010–2020 Clinton death
67 David H. Coar IL 1943–present1994–20092009–2010 Clinton retirement
72 William J. Hibbler IL 1946–20121999–2012 Clinton death
76 John W. Darrah IL 1938–20172000–20172017 Clinton death
77 Amy St. Eve IL 1965–present2002–2018 G.W. Bush elevation to 7th Cir.
78 Samuel Der-Yeghiayan IL 1952–present2003–2018 G.W. Bush retirement
79 Mark Filip IL 1966–present2004–2008 G.W. Bush resignation
83 Gary Feinerman IL 1965–present2010–2022 Obama resignation
86 John Z. Lee IL 1968–present2012–2022 Obama elevation to 7th Cir.
  1. Reassigned from the District of Illinois.
  2. Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
  3. 1 2 Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1934, confirmed by the Senate on February 20, 1934, and received commission on March 1, 1934.
  4. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1939, confirmed by the Senate on February 9, 1939, and received commission on March 4, 1939.
  5. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 17, 1959, confirmed by the Senate on April 29, 1959, and received commission on April 30, 1959.
  6. 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

List of U.S. attorneys since 1857

See also

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References

  1. "Northern District of Illinois | Meet the U.S. Attorney". www.justice.gov. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  2. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 393.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 U.S. District Courts of Illinois, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center .
  4. 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.
  5. Cahan, Richard (December 18, 2002). A Court That Shaped America: Chicago's Federal District Court from Abe Lincoln to Abbie Hoffman. Northwestern University Press.
  6. "Future Judicial Vacancies | United States Courts". www.uscourts.gov. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  7. "The Political Graveyard: U.S. District Attorneys in Illinois". politicalgraveyard.com.
  8. "ACLU Of Illinois welcomes new board members". February 23, 2009.

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