DATE OF APPOINTMENT
ENTERED ON DUTY
January 31, 1995
A graduate of DePaul Law School (1953, J.D.), he was a partner in the law firm of Ashman & Jaffe in the general practice of law from 1954 to 1970. In 1970 he continued in the general practice of law, including real estate and corporate law, but with some concentration in general litigation and municipal law until 1987 when he was appointed a Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court. He was elected to that position in 1988 and retained in 1994. As a Circuit Judge serving in the Circuit Court of Cook County, he inaugurated the well regarded Individual Commercial Calendar Section -- the only such court in the country outside of New York. He also served as a general trial judge in the Law Division and earlier in the Domestic Relations Division. In 1995 he was appointed a United States Magistrate Judge where he now serves, having been reappointed to a new eight-year term expiring in 2011. As a practicing lawyer he tried approximately 50 jury trials and as a judge has presided over approximately 70 jury trials.
He has appeared on radio and TV talk shows throughout the country and has debated and lectured constitutional issues before many organizations, both lay and legal.
He also served as a Commissioner of the Illinois Court of Claims from 1974 to 1987. During his time as Commissioner he wrote hundreds of opinions and was never overruled by the judges of the Illinois Court of Claims. He is the recipient of the DePaul College of Law Alumni Service
Award for Outstanding Service to the Legal Profession.
