Iain David Johnston[1] (born 1965)[2] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and a former United States magistrate judge of the same court.
Iain D. Johnston | |
---|---|
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois | |
Assumed office September 23, 2020 | |
Appointed by | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Frederick J. Kapala |
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois | |
In office May 3, 2013 – September 23, 2020 | |
Preceded by | P. Michael Mahoney |
Succeeded by | Margaret J. Schneider |
Personal details | |
Born | 1965 (age 58–59) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Education | Rockford University (BA) UIC John Marshall Law School (JD) |
Johnston earned his Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Rockford University in 1987 and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from UIC John Marshall Law School in 1990.[3]
Johnston served as a law clerk to Judge Philip Godfrey Reinhard of the Illinois Second District Appellate Court and then the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He was a unit supervisor for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and in private practice at Altheimer & Gray, Holland & Knight, and Johnston Greene. He also serves as an adjunct professor at UIC John Marshall Law School.[3]
Johnston served as a United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, from May 3, 2013 to September 23, 2020 when he became a district judge.[4]
On February 5, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Johnston to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On February 12, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate.[5] President Trump nominated Johnston to the seat vacated by Judge Frederick J. Kapala, who assumed senior status on May 10, 2019. A hearing on his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on June 24, 2020.[6] On July 30, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote.[7] On September 16, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by an 81–15 vote.[8] On September 17, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 77–14 vote.[9] He received his judicial commission on September 23, 2020.[10] He was sworn in on September 29, 2020.[11]
He was a member of the Federalist Society from 1995 to 1998.[2]