Congratulating Judge Jim Knecht on 50 Years of Service
Floor Speech
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Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court Justice, James ``Jim'' Knecht, as he reaches the milestone of serving 50 years as a judge.
Jim was born in Lincoln, Illinois in 1944 and graduated from Lincoln Community High School in 1962. Afterwards, he attended Illinois State University and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of law in 1973. While in law school, Jim was an editor of the Law Review and was honored as a member of the prestigious national law school honors society, the Order of the Coif.
Jim began his judicial career as a law clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert C. Underwood before serving as an Associate Circuit Judge for 3 years and as a Circuit Judge for 8 years. In 1986, Judge Knecht was elected to the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court. Currently, he is the longest serving judge in Illinois court history and an accredited leader within the Illinois law community. He is a member of the Illinois State and McLean County Bar Associations, the American Judicature Society, the Illinois Judges' Association, the Appellate Lawyers Association, and is a fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation.
Outside of the courtroom, Judge Knecht is heavily involved in our Illinois communities and within his alma maters. He serves on the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council and on the National Advisory Board of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. Additionally, he spent time as an adjunct professor at both Illinois State University and the University of Illinois College of Law. At Illinois State University, his time as an adjunct professor lasted nearly three decades and he is a recipient of their Distinguished Alumni Award.
I want to congratulate Judge Knecht on this momentous achievement and thank him for his continued service to the state of Illinois. I wish Judge Knecht, his wife Ruth, their children and grandchildren many years of happiness and success in the future.
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