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James Block Zagel
Former judge · U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
James Block Zagel served on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Appointed by Ronald Reagan and confirmed Apr 21, 1987. ABA rating: Qualified.
- Appointed by
- Ronald Reagan
- Confirmed
- Apr 21, 1987
- ABA rating
- Qualified
- Born
- 1941
Appointments
- Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of IllinoisRonald Reagan · Apr 21, 1987 – Jul 15, 2023
Education
- University of ChicagoB.A., 1962
- University of ChicagoM.A., 1962
- Harvard Law SchoolJ.D., 1965
Career
Assistant state's attorney, Cook County, Illinois, 1965-1969; Assistant attorney general, State of Illinois, 1969-1977; deputy chief, Criminal Justice Division, 1969-1970; chief, Criminal Justice Division, 1970-1977; Chief prosecutor, Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, 1973-1975; Chief assistant attorney general, State of Arizona (on leave from Illinois), 1975; Executive director, Illinois Law Enforcement Commision, 1977-1979; Director, Illinois Department of Revenue, 1979-1980; Chairman, Illinois Governor's Advisory Counsel on Criminal Justice Legislation, 1980-1987; Director, Illinois State Police, 1980-1987
More
From the Federal Judicial Center’s biographical directory of federal judges.
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Capitol Receipts, “Judge James Block Zagel, District Court for the Northern District of…,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/judge/j1390251/james-block-zagel (accessed 2026-10-13).