Howard C. Ryan
Encyclopedia
Howard C. Ryan was an elected judge of the Supreme Court of Illinois
from 1970 to 1990, and the Chief Justice of this court in 1982–1985.
A native of Tonica, Howard C. Ryan grew up on a farm, and was educated at Tonica Schools, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College, the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois College of Law. He was admitted to the practice of law on April 14, 1942. On May 5, 1943 Ryan enlisted to the U.S. Army Air Corps, 2nd Ferry Division Air Transport Command
and served as a radio operator for 43 months.
After the war Ryan practiced law in Decatur, Illinois
for one and a half years and later returned to LaSalle County, residing in Tonica and moving his practice to Peru. He was appointed a part-time assistant LaSalle County state's attorney in 1952 and was elected county judge in 1954. In 1957 he was elected circuit judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, serving as chief judge from 1964-1968. He was elected to the 21-county 3rd District Appellate Court in 1968 and from that district was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1970. He served as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois from January 1982 to January 1985. Ryan retired in 1990 after serving 36 years as a judge, including 20 years on the Illinois Supreme Court. After retiring, he served three years of counsel to the Chicago firm Peterson and Ross.
Ryan issued a 1978 ruling in which he critiqued Illinois' death penalty and anticipated problems cited years later when Governor George H. Ryan ordered a sweeping review of capital punishment. In the beginning of his Supreme Court tenure (Carey v. Cousins, 1977) Ryan opposed the death penalty but later (People vs. Lewis, 1981) voted in favor of it. In a 1991 interview to the Chicago Tribune
Ryan said that he came to have fewer doubts about capital punishment and accepted it as the law of the land
.
Ryan's wife since 1943, Helen (née Cizek), died in 2002. Ryan was a member of the LaSalle County, Illinois State and American Bar Associations, the American Judicature Society, Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, the Odd Fellows and the Elks, as well as a 33rd degree Mason.
Supreme Court of Illinois
The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: Three justices from the First District and...
from 1970 to 1990, and the Chief Justice of this court in 1982–1985.
A native of Tonica, Howard C. Ryan grew up on a farm, and was educated at Tonica Schools, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College, the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois College of Law. He was admitted to the practice of law on April 14, 1942. On May 5, 1943 Ryan enlisted to the U.S. Army Air Corps, 2nd Ferry Division Air Transport Command
and served as a radio operator for 43 months.
After the war Ryan practiced law in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
for one and a half years and later returned to LaSalle County, residing in Tonica and moving his practice to Peru. He was appointed a part-time assistant LaSalle County state's attorney in 1952 and was elected county judge in 1954. In 1957 he was elected circuit judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, serving as chief judge from 1964-1968. He was elected to the 21-county 3rd District Appellate Court in 1968 and from that district was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1970. He served as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois from January 1982 to January 1985. Ryan retired in 1990 after serving 36 years as a judge, including 20 years on the Illinois Supreme Court. After retiring, he served three years of counsel to the Chicago firm Peterson and Ross.
Ryan issued a 1978 ruling in which he critiqued Illinois' death penalty and anticipated problems cited years later when Governor George H. Ryan ordered a sweeping review of capital punishment. In the beginning of his Supreme Court tenure (Carey v. Cousins, 1977) Ryan opposed the death penalty but later (People vs. Lewis, 1981) voted in favor of it. In a 1991 interview to the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Ryan said that he came to have fewer doubts about capital punishment and accepted it as the law of the land
Law of the land
The phrase law of the land is a legal term, equivalent to the Latin lex terrae . It refers to all of the laws in force within a country or region, including both statute law and common law....
.
Ryan's wife since 1943, Helen (née Cizek), died in 2002. Ryan was a member of the LaSalle County, Illinois State and American Bar Associations, the American Judicature Society, Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, the Odd Fellows and the Elks, as well as a 33rd degree Mason.