Northern District of Illinois / Appointed 1987 / Served to 2023
James Block Zagel
Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 and confirmed by voice vote, James Block Zagel was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1965. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, April 21, 1987
- Appointed by
- Ronald Reagan, 1987
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- University of Chicago 1962 · Harvard Law School 1965
- Succeeded
- Frank James McGarr
- Succeeded by
- Steven Charles Seeger
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Northern District of Illinois · succeeded Frank James McGarr | Reagan (R) | voice |
A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.
Education
| University of Chicago | B.A. | 1962 |
| University of Chicago | M.A. | 1962 |
| Harvard Law School | J.D. | 1965 |
Sources
36 years on the Northern District of Illinois. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).