United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (N.D. Ill.)
Map
The Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago, one of four locations where the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois holds sessions.
Appeals to	Seventh Circuit
Established	February 13, 1855
Judges assigned	22
Chief judge	Ruben Castillo
Official site

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (in case citations, N.D. Ill.) is the trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois.

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, 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, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago. Its sessions are held in Freeport and Rockford.

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 Illinois Northern District, which contains the entire Chicago metropolitan area, accounts for 1531 of the 1828 public corruption convictions in Illinois between 1976 and 2012, almost 84%, making it the federal district with the most public corruption convictions in the nation between 1976 and 2012.^[3]

Current judges

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
65	Chief Judge	Ruben Castillo	Chicago	1954	1994–present	2013–present	—	Clinton
53	District Judge	Norgle, Sr., Charles RonaldCharles Ronald Norgle, Sr.	Chicago	1937	1984–present	—	—	Reagan
58	District Judge	Zagel, JamesJames Zagel	Chicago	1941	1987–present	—	—	Reagan
71	District Judge	Pallmeyer, Rebecca R.Rebecca R. Pallmeyer	Chicago	1954	1998–present	—	—	Clinton
73	District Judge	Kennelly, Matthew F.Matthew F. Kennelly	Chicago	1956	1999–present	—	—	Clinton
76	District Judge	Darrah, John W.John W. Darrah	Chicago	1938	2000–present	—	—	Clinton
77	District Judge	St. Eve, Amy J.Amy J. St. Eve	Chicago	1965	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
78	District Judge	Der-Yeghiayan, SamuelSamuel Der-Yeghiayan	Chicago	1952	2003–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
80	District Judge	Kendall, Virginia MaryVirginia Mary Kendall	Chicago	1962	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
81	District Judge	Kapala, Frederick J.Frederick J. Kapala	Rockford	1950	2007–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
82	District Judge	Dow Jr., Robert MichaelRobert Michael Dow Jr.	Chicago	1965	2007–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
83	District Judge	Feinerman, Gary ScottGary Scott Feinerman	Chicago	1965	2010–present	—	—	Obama
84	District Judge	Coleman, Sharon J.Sharon J. Coleman	Chicago	1960	2010–present	—	—	Obama
85	District Judge	Chang, Edmond E.Edmond E. Chang	Chicago	1970	2010–present	—	—	Obama
86	District Judge	Lee, John Z.John Z. Lee	Chicago	1968	2012–present	—	—	Obama
87	District Judge	Tharp, Jr., John J.John J. Tharp, Jr.	Chicago	1960	2012–present	—	—	Obama
88	District Judge	Durkin, Thomas M.Thomas M. Durkin	Chicago	1953	2012–present	—	—	Obama
89	District Judge	Ellis, Sara L.Sara L. Ellis	Chicago	1969	2013–present	—	—	Obama
90	District Judge	Wood, Andrea R.Andrea R. Wood	Chicago	1973	2013–present	—	—	Obama
91	District Judge	Shah, Manish S.Manish S. Shah	Chicago	1972	2014–present	—	—	Obama
92	District Judge	Alonso, Jorge LuisJorge Luis Alonso	Chicago	1966	2014–present	—	—	Obama
93	District Judge	Blakey, John RobertJohn Robert Blakey	Chicago	1965	2014–present	—	—	Obama
45	Senior Judge	Marvin E. Aspen	Chicago	1934	1979–2002	1995–2002	2002–present	Carter
46	Senior Judge	Milton Irving Shadur	Chicago	1924	1980–1992	—	1992–present	Carter
47	Senior Judge	Charles Petros Kocoras	Chicago	1938	1980–2006	2002–2006	2006–present	Carter
50	Senior Judge	William Thomas Hart	Chicago	1929	1982–1996	—	1996–present	Reagan
51	Senior Judge	Paul Edward Plunkett	inactive	1935	1982–1998	—	1998–present	Reagan
57	Senior Judge	Harry Daniel Leinenweber	Chicago	1937	1985–2002	—	2002–present	Reagan
60	Senior Judge	Suzanne B. Conlon	inactive	1939	1988–2004	—	2004–present	Reagan
61	Senior Judge	George Michael Marovich	Chicago	1931	1988–2000	—	2000–present	Reagan
62	Senior Judge	George Wakem Lindberg	inactive	1932	1989–2001	—	2001–present	G.H.W. Bush
64	Senior Judge	Philip Godfrey Reinhard	Rockford	1941	1992–2007	—	2007–present	G.H.W. Bush
66	Senior Judge	Blanche M. Manning	inactive	1934	1994–2010	—	2010–present	Clinton
68	Senior Judge	Robert William 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

Former Judges

#	Judge	State	Born/Died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Drummond, ThomasThomas Drummond	IL	1809–1890	1855–1869[Note 1]	—	—	Taylor, Taylor	reappointment
2	Blodgett, Henry WilliamsHenry Williams Blodgett	IL	1821–1905	1870–1892	—	—	Grant, Grant	retirement
3	Grosscup, Peter StengerPeter Stenger Grosscup	IL	1852–1921	1892–1899	—	—	Harrison, B.B. Harrison	reappointment
4	Kohlsaat, Christian CecilChristian Cecil Kohlsaat	IL	1844–1918	1899–1905	—	—	McKinley, McKinley	reappointment
5	Bethea, Solomon HicksSolomon Hicks Bethea	IL	1852–1909	1905–1909	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	death
6	Landis, Kenesaw MountainKenesaw Mountain Landis	IL	1866–1944	1905–1922	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	resignation
7	Carpenter, George AlbertGeorge Albert Carpenter	IL	1867–1944	1910–1933	—	—	Taft, Taft	resignation
8	Wilkerson, James HerbertJames Herbert Wilkerson	IL	1869–1948	1922–1940	—	1940–1948	Harding, Harding	death
9	Cliffe, Adam C.Adam C. Cliffe	IL	1869–1928	1922–1928	—	—	Harding, Harding	death
10	Woodward, Charles EdgarCharles Edgar Woodward	IL	1876–1942	1929–1942	—	—	Coolidge, Coolidge	death
11	Barnes, John PeterJohn Peter Barnes	IL	1881–1959	1931–1957	1948–1957	1957–1958	Hoover, Hoover	resignation
12	Johnson, George E. Q.George E. Q. Johnson	IL	1874–1949	1932–1933[Note 2]	—	—	Hoover, Hoover	not confirmed
13	Holly, William HarrisonWilliam Harrison Holly	IL	1869–1958	1933–1943[Note 3]	—	1943–1958	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
14	Sullivan, Philip LeoPhilip Leo Sullivan	IL	1889–1960	1933–1960[Note 4]	1957–1959	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
15	Igoe, Michael L.Michael L. Igoe	IL	1885–1967	1938–1965[Note 5]	—	1965–1967	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
16	Campbell, William JosephWilliam Joseph Campbell	IL	1905–1988	1940–1970	1959–1970	1970–1988	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
17	LaBuy, Walter J.Walter J. LaBuy	IL	1888–1967	1944–1961	—	1961–1967	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
18	Shaw, Elwyn RileyElwyn Riley Shaw	IL	1888–1950	1944–1950	—	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
19	Perry, Joseph SamJoseph Sam Perry	IL	1896–1984	1951–1971	—	1971–1984	Truman, Truman	death
20	Hoffman, JuliusJulius Hoffman	IL	1895–1983	1953–1972	—	1972–1983	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
21	Knoch, Winfred GeorgeWinfred George Knoch	IL	1895–1983	1953–1958	—	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	reappointment
22	Miner, Julius HowardJulius Howard Miner	IL	1896–1963	1958–1963	—	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
23	Robson, Edwin AlbertEdwin Albert Robson	IL	1905–1986	1958–1975[Note 6]	1970–1975	1975–1986	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
24	Austin, Richard BevanRichard Bevan Austin	IL	1901–1977	1961–1975	—	1975–1977	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
25	Parsons, James BentonJames Benton Parsons	IL	1911–1993	1961–1981	1975–1981	1981–1993	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
26	Will, Hubert LouisHubert Louis Will	IL	1914–1995	1961–1979	—	1979–1995	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
27	Decker, Bernard MartinBernard Martin Decker	IL	1904–1993	1962–1980[Note 7]	—	1980–1993	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
28	Marovitz, Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln Marovitz	IL	1905–2001	1963–1975	—	1975–2001	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
29	Lynch, William JosephWilliam Joseph Lynch	IL	1908–1976	1966–1976	—	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
30	Napoli, Alexander J.Alexander J. Napoli	IL	1905–1972	1966–1972	—	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
31	McGarr, Frank JamesFrank James McGarr	IL	1921–2012	1970–1986	1981–1986	1986–1988	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
32	McMillen, Thomas RobertsThomas Roberts McMillen	IL	1916–2002	1971–1984	—	1984–1985	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
33	Bauer, William JosephWilliam Joseph Bauer	IL	1926–present	1971–1975	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	reappointment
34	McLaren, Richard WellingtonRichard Wellington McLaren	IL	1918–1976	1972–1976	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	death
35	Tone, Philip WillisPhilip Willis Tone	IL	1923–2001	1972–1974	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	reappointment
36	Marshall, PrenticePrentice Marshall	IL	1926–2004	1973–1988	—	1988–1996	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
37	Flaum, Joel MartinJoel Martin Flaum	IL	1936–present	1974–1983	—	—	Ford, Ford	reappointment
38	Kirkland, Sr., Alfred YoungesAlfred Younges Kirkland, Sr.	IL	1917–2004	1974–1979	—	1979–2004	Ford, Ford	death
39	Grady, John FrancisJohn Francis Grady	IL	1929–present	1975–1994	1986–1990	1994–2015	Ford, Ford	retirement
40	Leighton, George NevesGeorge Neves Leighton	IL	1912–present	1976–1986	—	1986–1987	Ford, Ford	retirement
41	Crowley, John PowersJohn Powers Crowley	IL	1936–1989	1976–1981	—	—	Ford, Ford	resignation
42	Roszkowski, Stanley JulianStanley Julian Roszkowski	IL	1923–2014	1977–1991	—	1991–1998	Carter, Carter	retirement
43	Bua, Nicholas JohnNicholas John Bua	IL	1925–2002	1977–1991	—	—	Carter, Carter	retirement
44	Moran, James ByronJames Byron Moran	IL	1930–2009	1979–1995	1990–1995	1995–2009	Carter, Carter	death
48	Getzendanner, Susan Christine O'MearaSusan Christine O'Meara Getzendanner	IL	1939–present	1980–1987	—	—	Carter, Carter	resignation
49	Nordberg, John AlbertJohn Albert Nordberg	IL	1926–present	1982–1994	—	1994–2014	Reagan	retirement[4]
52	Rovner, IlanaIlana Rovner	IL	1938–present	1984–1992	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	reappointment
54	Holderman, James F.James F. Holderman	IL	1946–present	1985–2013	2006–2013	2013–2015	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
55	Williams, Ann ClaireAnn Claire Williams	IL	1949–present	1985–1999	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	reappointment
56	Duff, Brian BarnettBrian Barnett Duff	IL	1930–2016	1985–1996	—	1996–2016	Reagan, Reagan	death
59	Alesia, James HenryJames Henry Alesia	IL	1934–2003	1987–1998	—	1998–2003	Reagan, Reagan	death
63	Andersen, Wayne R.Wayne R. Andersen	IL	1945–present	1991–2010	—	—	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	retirement
67	Coar, DavidDavid Coar	IL	1943–present	1994–2009	—	2009–2010	Clinton, Clinton	retirement
72	Hibbler, William J.William J. Hibbler	IL	1946–2012	1999–2012	—	—	Clinton, Clinton	death
79	Filip, MarkMark Filip	IL	1966–present	2004–2008	—	—	Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush	resignation

1. Reassigned from the District of Illinois
2. Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
3. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1934, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20, 1934, and received commission on March 1, 1934.
4. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1934, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20, 1934, and received commission on March 1, 1934.
5. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1939, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 9, 1939, and received commission on March 4, 1939.
6. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 17, 1959, confirmed by the United States Senate on April 29, 1959, and received commission on April 30, 1959.
7. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1963, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 28, 1963, and received commission on April 2, 1963.

United States Attorney

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. Patrick Fitzgerald was the most recent U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, having served from September 1, 2001 to June 30, 2012.^[5] On May 23, 2013, President Obama nominated Zachary Fardon to fill this vacancy.^[6] He began serving as the United States Attorney on October 23, 2013.^[7]

Succession of seats

Seat 1 Established on February 13, 1855 by 10 Stat. 606 Drummond 1855–1869 Blodgett 1870–1892 Grosscup 1892–1899 Kohlsaat 1899–1905 Bethea 1905–1909 Carpenter 1910–1933 Holly 1934–1943 LaBuy 1944–1961 Austin 1961–1975 Crowley 1976–1981 Hart 1982–1996 Pallmeyer 1998–present

Seat 2 Established on March 3, 1905 by 33 Stat. 992 Landis 1905–1922 Wilkerson 1922–1940 Seat abolished on December 31, 1940 (Temporary judgeship expired)

Seat 3 Established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) Cliffe 1922–1928 Seat made permanent on May 29, 1928 by 45 Stat. 974 Woodward 1929–1942 Shaw 1944–1950 Perry 1951–1971 Bauer 1971–1974 Kirkland, Sr. 1974–1979 Kocoras 1980–2006 Dow, Jr. 2007–present

Seat 4 Established on February 25, 1931 by 46 Stat. 1417 Barnes 1931–1957 Miner 1958–1963 Marovitz 1963–1975 Leighton 1976–1987 Alesia 1987–1998 Hibbler 1999–2012 Wood 2013–present

Seat 5 Established on February 25, 1931 by 46 Stat. 1417 Johnson 1932–1933 Sullivan 1934–1960 Parsons 1961–1981 Plunkett 1982–1998 Kennelly 1999–present

Seat 6 Established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584 Igoe 1938–1965 Lynch 1966–1976 Bua 1977–1991 Castillo 1994–present

Seat 7 Established on May 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 (temporary) Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 2 on December 31, 1940 Campbell 1940–1970 McMillen 1971–1984 Conlon 1988–2004 Kendall 2006–present

Seat 8 Established on August 14, 1950 by 64 Stat. 443 Hoffman 1953–1972 McLaren 1972–1976 Roszkowski 1977–1991 Andersen 1991–2010 Durkin 2012–present

Seat 9 Established on August 14, 1950 by 64 Stat. 443 Knoch 1953–1958 Robson 1959–1975 Grady 1975–1994 Gettleman 1994–2009 Feinerman 2010–present

Seat 10 Established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Will 1961–1979 Shadur 1980–1992 Manning 1994–2010 Tharp, Jr. 2011–present

Seat 11 Established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Decker 1963–1980 Nordberg 1982–1994 Bucklo 1994–2009 Chang 2010–present

Seat 12 Established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Napoli 1966–1972 Marshall 1973–1988 Lindberg 1989–2001 St. Eve 2002–present

Seat 13 Established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 McGarr 1970–1986 Zagel 1987–present

Seat 14 Established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Tone 1972–1974 Flaum 1974–1983 Rovner 1984–1992 Coar 1994–2009 Lee 2012–present

Seat 15 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Moran 1979–1995 Gottschall 1996–2012 Ellis 2013–present

Seat 16 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Aspen 1979–2002 Der-Yeghiayan 2003–present

Seat 17 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Getzendanner 1980–1987 Marovich 1988–2000 Darrah 2000–present

Seat 18 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Norgle, Sr. 1984–present

Seat 19 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Holderman 1985–2013 Blakey 2014–present

Seat 20 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Williams 1985–1999 Lefkow 2000–2012 Shah 2014-present

Seat 21 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Duff 1985–1996 Guzman 1999–2014 Alonso 2014–present

Seat 22 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 (temporary) Seat made permanent on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Leinenweber 1985–2002 Filip 2004–2008 Coleman 2010–present

Seat 23 Established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Reinhard 1992–2007 Kapala 2007–present

See also

• Courts of Illinois
• List of United States federal courthouses in Illinois

References

1. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 393.
2. U.S. District Courts of Illinois, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
3. Simpson, Dick; Nowlan, James; Gradel, Thomas J.; Mouritsen Zmuda, Melissa; Sterrett, David; Cantor, Douglas (2012-02-15). "Chicago and Illinois, Leading the Pack in Corruption; Anti-Corruption Report Number 5" (PDF). University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science. Retrieved 2012-02-15. External link in |publisher= (help)
4. "UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE JOHN NORDBERG RETIRES AFTER 32 YEARS OF SERVICE" (PDF). United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
5. "U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stepping down June 30". Chicago Tribune. May 23, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
6. http://www.mainjustice.com/2013/05/23/fardon-nominated-to-be-next-chicago-u-s-attorney/
7. "Office of the United States Attorneys". Executive Office for United States Attorneys. United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 25 January 2014.

External links

• Official website
• United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Official Website
• Office of Special Counsel, Northern District of Illinois