Sharon J. Coleman
Encyclopedia
Sharon Johnson Coleman is a United States district judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
. She previously was a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, 3rd Division
.
in 1981 with a B.A.
in History. She went on to receive her J.D.
degree in 1984 from Washington University School of Law
.
of Cook County, Illinois
where she worked in the child protection division and the law division. She sat on the Illinois Appellate Court
in Chicago, a position she held from 2008 to 2010.
has nominated Coleman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She was one of several recommendations for the seat from Senator Durbin.
The United States Senate confirmed Coleman in an 86-0 vote on July 12, 2010.
neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is the trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois....
. She previously was a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, 3rd Division
Illinois Appellate Court
The Illinois Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases arising in the Illinois Circuit Courts. Three Illinois Appellate Court judges hear each case and the concurrence of two is necessary to render a decision. The Illinois Appellate Court will render its opinion in...
.
Early life and education
Coleman was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois UniversityNorthern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
in 1981 with a B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in History. She went on to receive her J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1984 from Washington University School of Law
Washington University School of Law
Washington University School of Law , is a private American law school located in St. Louis, Missouri. The law school is one of the seven graduate and undergraduate schools at Washington University in St. Louis....
.
Legal career
After law school graduation, Coleman was an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County from 1984 until 1989. From 1989 to 1993, Justice Coleman served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. Between 1993 and 1996, she held the position of Deputy State’s Attorney and Bureau Chief for the Public Interest Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. From 1996 until 2008, Coleman served as a judge of the Circuit CourtIllinois Circuit Courts
The Illinois Circuit Courts are state courts of the U.S. state of Illinois. They are trial courts of original jurisdiction. There are 23 judicial circuits in the state, each comprising one or more of Illinois' 102 counties. Five circuits comprise solely of a single county - Cook, Will, DuPage,...
of Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
where she worked in the child protection division and the law division. She sat on the Illinois Appellate Court
Illinois Appellate Court
The Illinois Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases arising in the Illinois Circuit Courts. Three Illinois Appellate Court judges hear each case and the concurrence of two is necessary to render a decision. The Illinois Appellate Court will render its opinion in...
in Chicago, a position she held from 2008 to 2010.
Federal judiciary nomination
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
has nominated Coleman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She was one of several recommendations for the seat from Senator Durbin.
The United States Senate confirmed Coleman in an 86-0 vote on July 12, 2010.
Personal
Coleman and her husband, Wheeler Coleman, live in the Calumet HeightsCalumet Heights, Chicago
Calumet Heights, located on the South Side of the city, is one of the 77 well defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois. Calumet Heights is bounded by 87th Street on the north, South Chicago Avenue on the east, and railroad lines on the west and south . It includes the neighborhoods of Calumet...
neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.