Charles E. Freeman
Encyclopedia
Charles E. Freeman is an American
attorney
and first district justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was elected to his position on the court on November 6, 1990, becoming its first African-American justice. He served as chief justice from May 12, 1997 to January 1, 2000. His political affiliation is Democratic, and his home city is Chicago
.
, Freeman (the surname may have been adopted when his father's family was freed from slavery
by Quakers before the Civil War
) did his undergraduate work at Virginia Union University
and earned his J.D.
degree from John Marshall Law School
. Illinois governor Otto Kerner
appointed Freeman to the Illinois Industrial Commission in January, 1965 as an arbitrator, where he heard thousands of work-related injury
cases. In September, 1973 governor Dan Walker
named Freeman to the Illinois Commerce Commission, a rate regulatory
agency with power over telephone, electricity and gas companies. He worked on the commission until December, 1976.
Freeman also conducted a general law practice from 1962 to 1976, when he was elected to the Cook County
Circuit Court
. He served ten years on the court and swore in Harold Washington
, a personal friend, as mayor of Chicago. Freeman is a member of several bar association
s and professional judiciary
societies, and has won a number of awards throughout his career.
Freeman now ranks as the senior member of the Illinois Supreme Court after his re-election in 2002. While on the court he has shown particular interest in administrative
reform and prosecutor
ial misconduct cases. He is married and his son is also an attorney.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and first district justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was elected to his position on the court on November 6, 1990, becoming its first African-American justice. He served as chief justice from May 12, 1997 to January 1, 2000. His political affiliation is Democratic, and his home city is Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Biography
Originally from VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Freeman (the surname may have been adopted when his father's family was freed from slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
by Quakers before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
) did his undergraduate work at Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
and earned his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from John Marshall Law School
John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
The John Marshall Law School is a law school in Chicago, Illinois, that was founded in 1899 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1941. The school was named for the influential nineteenth century U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall....
. Illinois governor Otto Kerner
Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....
appointed Freeman to the Illinois Industrial Commission in January, 1965 as an arbitrator, where he heard thousands of work-related injury
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
cases. In September, 1973 governor Dan Walker
Dan Walker
Dan Meirion Walker is a British sports journalist. He is the current presenter of Football Focus, the BBC's Saturday lunchtime football show. He has also been seen presenting sport on the BBC News Channel and BBC Network News, as well as regularly reporting for Score, Football Focus and Match of...
named Freeman to the Illinois Commerce Commission, a rate regulatory
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
agency with power over telephone, electricity and gas companies. He worked on the commission until December, 1976.
Freeman also conducted a general law practice from 1962 to 1976, when he was elected to the Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
Circuit Court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
. He served ten years on the court and swore in Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
, a personal friend, as mayor of Chicago. Freeman is a member of several bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
s and professional judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
societies, and has won a number of awards throughout his career.
Freeman now ranks as the senior member of the Illinois Supreme Court after his re-election in 2002. While on the court he has shown particular interest in administrative
Administrator (law)
In law an administrator can be:* a person appointed by the court to handle the estate of someone who died without a will ....
reform and prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
ial misconduct cases. He is married and his son is also an attorney.