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Otto Kerner Jr.

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 1968

Otto Kerner Jr., Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Otto Kerner Jr. (August 15, 1908 – May 9, 1976) was an American jurist and politician. He served as the 33rd governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968 and chaired the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Commission). He was then appointed a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Education

  • Brown UniversityA.B., 1930
  • Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law)J.D., 1934

Career

Illinois National Guard (highest rank: major general), 1934-1941, 1946-1954; Private practice, Chicago, Illinois, 1935-1942, 1946-1947; U.S. Army (highest rank: lieutenant colonel), 1941-1946; U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, 1947-1954; Judge, Illinois Circuit Court, Cook County, 1954-1961; Governor, Illinois, 1961-1968; Consultant, Special Services Center, Lewis University, 1975-1976

Biography

Otto Kerner Jr. (August 15, 1908 – May 9, 1976) was an American jurist and politician. He served as the 33rd governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968 and chaired the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Commission). He was then appointed a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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From Senate roll call votes, Wikidata, Wikipedia and Office of Government Ethics records.

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Capitol Receipts, “Otto Kerner Jr.: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/appointee/j1267/otto-kerner-jr (accessed 2026-10-13).

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