There is one current vacancy on the Seventh Circuit and one future vacancy.
Thirty-nine judges have served on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, but no longer do:
#
|
Judge
|
State
|
Born–died
|
Active
|
Chief
|
Senior
|
Appointed by
|
Reason for
termination
|
1
|
Gresham, Walter Q.Walter Q. Gresham
|
Indiana
|
1832–1895
|
1891–1893
|
——
|
——
|
Arthur, C.C. Arthur[2]
|
resignation
|
2
|
Woods, William AllenWilliam Allen Woods
|
Indiana
|
1837–1901
|
1892–1901
|
——
|
——
|
Harrison, B.B. Harrison
|
death
|
3
|
Jenkins, James GrahamJames Graham Jenkins
|
Wisconsin
|
1834–1921
|
1893–1905
|
——
|
——
|
Cleveland,Cleveland
|
retirement
|
4
|
Showalter, John WilliamJohn William Showalter
|
Illinois
|
1844–1898
|
1895–1898
|
——
|
——
|
Cleveland,Cleveland
|
death
|
5
|
Grosscup, Peter StengerPeter Stenger Grosscup
|
Illinois
|
1852–1921
|
1899–1911
|
——
|
——
|
McKinley,McKinley
|
resignation
|
6
|
Baker, Francis ElishaFrancis Elisha Baker
|
Indiana
|
1860–1924
|
1902–1924
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt
|
death
|
7
|
Seaman, William HenryWilliam Henry Seaman
|
Wisconsin
|
1842–1915
|
1905–1915
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt
|
death
|
8
|
Kohlsaat, Christian CecilChristian Cecil Kohlsaat
|
Illinois
|
1844–1918
|
1905–1918
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt
|
death
|
9
|
Alschuler, SamuelSamuel Alschuler[3]
|
Illinois
|
1859–1939
|
1915–1936
|
——
|
1936–1939
|
Wilson,Wilson
|
death
|
10
|
Evans, Evan AlfredEvan Alfred Evans
|
Wisconsin
|
1876–1948
|
1916–1948
|
——
|
——
|
Wilson,Wilson
|
death
|
11
|
Page, George TrueGeorge True Page
|
Illinois
|
1859–1941
|
1919–1930
|
——
|
1930–1941
|
Wilson,Wilson
|
death
|
12
|
Anderson, Albert BarnesAlbert Barnes Anderson
|
Indiana
|
1857–1938
|
1925–1929
|
——
|
1929–1938
|
Coolidge,Coolidge
|
death
|
13
|
Sparks, William MorrisWilliam Morris Sparks
|
Indiana
|
1872–1950
|
1929–1948
|
1948–1948
|
1948–1950
|
Hoover,Hoover
|
death
|
14
|
FitzHenry, LouisLouis FitzHenry
|
Illinois
|
1870–1935
|
1933–1935
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt
|
death
|
15
|
Major, James EarlJames Earl Major
|
Illinois
|
1887–1972
|
1937–1956
|
1948–1954
|
1956–1972
|
Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt
|
death
|
16
|
Treanor, Walter EmanuelWalter Emanuel Treanor
|
Indiana
|
1883–1941
|
1937–1941
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt
|
death
|
17
|
Kerner, Sr., OttoOtto Kerner, Sr.[3]
|
Illinois
|
1884–1952
|
1938–1952
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt
|
death
|
18
|
Minton, ShermanSherman Minton
|
Indiana
|
1890–1965
|
1941–1949
|
——
|
——
|
Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt
|
elevation to the Supreme Court
|
19
|
Duffy, F. RyanF. Ryan Duffy
|
Wisconsin
|
1888–1979
|
1949–1966
|
1954–1959
|
1966–1979
|
Truman,Truman
|
death
|
20
|
Finnegan, Philip J.Philip J. Finnegan
|
Illinois
|
1886–1959
|
1949–1959
|
——
|
——
|
Truman,Truman
|
death
|
21
|
Lindley, Walter C.Walter C. Lindley
|
Illinois
|
1880–1958
|
1949–1958
|
——
|
——
|
Truman,Truman
|
death
|
22
|
Swaim, Hardress NathanielHardress Nathaniel Swaim[3]
|
Indiana
|
1880–1957
|
1949–1957
|
——
|
——
|
Truman,Truman
|
death
|
23
|
Schnackenberg, Elmer JacobElmer Jacob Schnackenberg[3]
|
Illinois
|
1889–1968
|
1953–1968
|
——
|
——
|
Eisenhower,Eisenhower
|
death
|
24
|
Hastings, John SimpsonJohn Simpson Hastings
|
Indiana
|
1898–1977
|
1957–1969
|
1959–1968
|
1969–1977
|
Eisenhower,Eisenhower
|
death
|
25
|
Parkinson, William LynnWilliam Lynn Parkinson
|
Indiana
|
1902–1959
|
1957–1959
|
——
|
——
|
Eisenhower,Eisenhower
|
death
|
26
|
Knoch, Winfred GeorgeWinfred George Knoch
|
Illinois
|
1895–1983
|
1958–1967
|
——
|
1967–1983
|
Eisenhower,Eisenhower
|
death
|
27
|
Castle, LathamLatham Castle
|
Illinois
|
1900–1986
|
1959–1970
|
1968–1970
|
1970–1986
|
Eisenhower,Eisenhower
|
death
|
28
|
Kiley, Roger JosephRoger Joseph Kiley
|
Illinois
|
1900–1974
|
1961–1974
|
——
|
1974–1974
|
Kennedy,Kennedy
|
death
|
29
|
Swygert, Luther MerrittLuther Merritt Swygert
|
Indiana
|
1905–1988
|
1961–1981
|
1970–1975
|
1981–1988
|
Kennedy,Kennedy
|
death
|
30
|
Cummings, Jr., Walter J.Walter J. Cummings, Jr.
|
Illinois
|
1916–1999
|
1966–1999
|
1981–1986
|
——
|
Johnson, L.L. Johnson
|
death
|
31
|
Fairchild, Thomas E.Thomas E. Fairchild
|
Wisconsin
|
1912–2007
|
1966–1981
|
1975–1981
|
1981–2007
|
Johnson, L.L. Johnson
|
death
|
32
|
Kerner, Jr., OttoOtto Kerner, Jr.
|
Illinois
|
1908–1976
|
1968–1974
|
——
|
——
|
Johnson, L.L. Johnson
|
resignation
|
33
|
Pell, Jr., Wilbur FrankWilbur Frank Pell, Jr.
|
Indiana
|
1915–2000
|
1970–1984
|
——
|
1984–2000
|
Nixon,Nixon
|
death
|
34
|
Stevens, John PaulJohn Paul Stevens
|
Illinois
|
1920–present
|
1970–1975
|
——
|
——
|
Nixon,Nixon
|
elevation to the Supreme Court
|
35
|
Sprecher, Robert ArthurRobert Arthur Sprecher
|
Illinois
|
1917–1982
|
1971–1982
|
——
|
——
|
Nixon,Nixon
|
death
|
36
|
Tone, Philip WillisPhilip Willis Tone
|
Illinois
|
1923–2001
|
1974–1980
|
——
|
——
|
Nixon,Nixon
|
resignation
|
38
|
Harlington Wood, Jr.
|
Illinois
|
1920–2008
|
1976–1992
|
——
|
1992–2008
|
Ford,Ford
|
death
|
40
|
Eschbach, Jesse E.Jesse E. Eschbach
|
Indiana
|
1920–2005
|
1981–1985
|
——
|
1985–2005
|
Reagan,Reagan
|
death
|
42
|
John Louis Coffey
|
Wisconsin
|
1922–2012
|
1982–2004
|
——
|
2004–2011
|
Reagan,Reagan
|
retirement
|
50
|
Terence T. Evans
|
Wisconsin
|
1940–2011
|
1995–2010
|
——
|
2010–2011
|
Clinton,Clinton
|
death
|
In order to qualify for the office of Chief Judge, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as Chief Judge. A vacancy in the office of Chief Judge is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The Chief Judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position. Unlike the Chief Justice of the United States, a Chief Judge returns to active service after the expiration of his or her term and does not create a vacancy on the bench by the fact of his or her promotion. See 28 U.S.C. § 45.
The above rules have applied since October 1, 1982. The office of Chief Judge was created in 1948 and until August 6, 1959 was filled by the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as Chief Judge. From then until 1982 it was filled by the senior such judge who had not turned 70.
The court has eleven seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were filled. Judges who retire into senior status remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the president.
Seat 1
|
Established on December 10, 1869, by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Seventh Circuit
|
Reassigned to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891
|
Gresham
|
IN
|
1891–1893
|
Jenkins
|
WI
|
1893–1905
|
Seaman
|
WI
|
1905–1915
|
E. Evans
|
WI
|
1916–1948
|
Duffy
|
WI
|
1949–1966
|
Fairchild
|
WI
|
1966–1981
|
Coffey
|
WI
|
1982–2004
|
Sykes
|
WI
|
2004–present
|
|
Seat 2
|
Established on June 16, 1891, by the Judiciary Act of 1891
|
Woods
|
IN
|
1892–1901
|
Baker
|
IN
|
1902–1924
|
Anderson
|
IN
|
1925–1929
|
Sparks
|
IN
|
1929–1948
|
Finnegan
|
IL
|
1949–1959
|
Castle
|
IL
|
1959–1970
|
Sprecher
|
IL
|
1971–1982
|
Flaum
|
IL
|
1983–present
|
|
Seat 3
|
Established on February 8, 1895, by 28 Stat. 643
|
Showalter
|
IL
|
1895–1898
|
Grosscup
|
IL
|
1899–1911
|
Alschuler
|
IL
|
1915–1936
|
Treanor
|
IN
|
1937–1941
|
Minton
|
IN
|
1941–1949
|
Lindley
|
IL
|
1949–1958
|
Knoch
|
IL
|
1958–1967
|
Kerner, Jr.
|
IL
|
1968–1974
|
Bauer
|
IL
|
1974–1994
|
D. Wood
|
IL
|
1995–present
|
|
Seat 4
|
Established on March 3, 1905, by 33 Stat. 992
|
Kohlsaat
|
IL
|
1905–1918
|
Page
|
IL
|
1919–1930
|
FitzHenry
|
IL
|
1933–1935
|
Major
|
IL
|
1937–1956
|
Hastings
|
IN
|
1957–1969
|
Pell
|
IN
|
1970–1984
|
Manion
|
IN
|
1986–2007
|
Tinder
|
IN
|
2007–present
|
|