State of the Court 2017 – Northern District of Illinois
Today, Northern District of Illinois Chief Judge Rubén Castillo delivered his annual state of the court address to a filled-to-capacity room at the Chicago Bar Association. Judge Castillo provided a retrospective on court performance and accomplishments over the past year, and a forecast of goals for the court in the coming year. Among Judge Castillo’s highlights:
- Volume of criminal and civil cases filed, as well as sub-classes within each (e.g., civil rights, employment, intellectual property, criminal fraud)
- Pro bono and public service by the court’s judges, staff, and bar
- Update on the newly unveiled Mandatory Initial Disclosure Pilot Project
- Multi-district cases referred to the district
- Court security
- Jury diversity and juror services
Click here to download Judge Castillo’s presentation slides with detailed data and insights from his address.
Wendy Stasell, Gabriela Kennedy, and Judge Castillo apply final touches and cue-up the presentation
Chicago Chapter President Sheri Mecklenburg introduces Judge Castillo
Judge Castillo elaborates on the number of trials last year and the civil/criminal and jury/bench trial breakdowns
Judge Castillo details successes of the released offender re-entry court program
Dual Judge Coxes: Magistrate Judge Susan Cox and Bankruptcy Judge Jacqueline Cox
Lori Lightfoot, partner at Mayer Brown LLP (Chicago) and recipient of the Chicago FBA Chapter’s 2017 Walter J. Cummings award for excellence in pro bono and public interest service
Elisabeth Muirhead and District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow
Page Hartzell and District Judge Ronald Guzman
Three District Judge Panel: Judges Rebecca Pallmeyer, Amy St. Eve, and Sharon Johnson Coleman
United States Trustee for the Northern District of Illinois and Bankruptcy Judge LaShonda Hunt
Chapter President Mecklenburg and Lori Lightfoot
Chapter Director and Law School & Student Committee Chair Tim Hudson
Chapter Events & Administrative Coordinator Lisa Norwood and Pat Layng troubleshoot the guest list
Magistrate Judge Sidney Schenkier reacts to Judge Castillo’s remarks
Mike Persoon and Chapter Director Joe Tilson
Presiding Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez
Judge Pallmeyer and Tom Bruton, Clerk of the Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Hon. Kim Soo Nagle and FBA National Treasurer Maria Vathis
Hon. Pamela Hollis—Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois—applauds remarks by Judge Castillo
Nieves Bolanos, Robin Potter, and Julie Herrera
Hon. Kim Soo Nagle and Chapter President Elect Jordan Vick
Chapter officers and directors converse as the event wraps-up and winds-down (Kevin Desharnais, Sheri Mecklenburg, Maria Vathis, Paul Freehling, Hon. Kim Soo Nagle, and Jordan Vick)
