John Fitzgerald Kness
Appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2020 and confirmed by the Senate 81–12, John Fitzgerald Kness is a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He earned a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law) in 2003. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, February 12, 2020
- Appointed by
- Donald J. Trump, 2020
- Confirmed
- 81–12
- Education
- Northwestern 1991 · Northwestern Law (now Pritzker School of Law) 2003
- Succeeded
- Samuel Der-Yeghiayan
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Northern District of Illinois · succeeded Samuel Der-Yeghiayan | Trump (R) | 81–12 |
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.
| Northwestern University | B.A. | 1991 |
| Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law) | J.D. | 2003 |
6 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).