John W. Darrah (December 11, 1938 – March 23, 2017) was a
United States district judge
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...
of the
.
Education and career
Born in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, Darrah received a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree from
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...
in 1965 and a
Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the law school of Loyola University Chicago, in Illinois. Established in 1909, by the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic order of the Jesuits, the School of Law is located in downtown Chicago. Loyol ...
in 1969. He was an attorney advisor for the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
from 1969 to 1971. He was a deputy public defender in the
DuPage County Public Defender Office from 1971 to 1973. He was in private practice in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
from 1971 to 1973. He also began teaching as an adjunct professor in the
Northern Illinois University College of Law
Northern Illinois University College of Law (NIU Law) is one of four public law schools in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is one of two public law schools in the Chicago area. The College of Law was founded as the Lewis University College of Law ...
in 1972. He was an Assistant state's attorney of Office of State's Attorney, Illinois from 1973 to 1976. He was in private practice in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
from 1976 to 1986. He was a Circuit court judge of the Illinois 18th Judicial Circuit Court from 1986 to 2000. He was instrumental in establishing Keith Roberts Trial Advocacy Program that the Du Page County Bar Association has been putting on for lawyers since about 1995 – a program that concluded one on its programs on March 18, 2017, just days before his death.
Federal judicial service
On May 11, 2000, Darrah was nominated by President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
to a seat on the
vacated by
George Michael Marovich. Darrah was confirmed by the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
on June 30, 2000, and received his commission on July 14, 2000. He continued to teach as an adjunct professor at
The John Marshall Law School
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is a public law school in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1899, the school offers programs for both part-time and full-time students, with both day and night classes available, and offers January enroll ...
, teaching evidence and trial advocacy. He assumed
senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges. To qualify, a judge in the Federal judiciary of the United States, federal court system must be at least 65 years old, and the sum of the judge's age and years of servi ...
on March 1, 2017, serving in that status until his death on March 23, 2017, at his residence in
Lisle, Illinois.
"John Darrah, served 17 years as federal judge in Chicago, dies" ''Chicago Tribune'', March 24, 2017
/ref>
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Darrah, John W.
1938 births
2017 deaths
Illinois state court judges
Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States district court judges appointed by Bill Clinton
Loyola University Chicago School of Law alumni
Northern Illinois University faculty
Public defenders
Lawyers from Chicago
20th-century American judges
21st-century American judges