Matthew F. Kennelly
Encyclopedia
Matthew F. Kennelly is a federal district court judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
. He gained widespread attention when he presiding over the case of ACLU v. AT&T in 2006 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060725/ap_on_re_us/phone_records_lawsuit, "a lawsuit filed by the
American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois on behalf of author Studs Terkel
and other activists who said their constitutional rights were violated because of an NSA program of gathering phone company records." See NSA Wiretapping.
Judge Kennelly ruled that Terkel and the other plaintiffs in the lawsuit did not show that their particular records were seen by the government; therefore, they had no standing in suing the government.
. He graduated from University of Notre Dame
in 1978 and Harvard Law School
in 1981, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
. He was appointed as a judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
in 1999 by President Bill Clinton
.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is the trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois....
. He gained widespread attention when he presiding over the case of ACLU v. AT&T in 2006 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060725/ap_on_re_us/phone_records_lawsuit, "a lawsuit filed by the
American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois on behalf of author Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
and other activists who said their constitutional rights were violated because of an NSA program of gathering phone company records." See NSA Wiretapping.
- The court is persuaded that requiring AT&T to confirm or deny whether it has disclosed large quantities of telephone records to the federal government could give adversaries of this country valuable insight into the government's intelligence activities.
Judge Kennelly ruled that Terkel and the other plaintiffs in the lawsuit did not show that their particular records were seen by the government; therefore, they had no standing in suing the government.
Background
Kennelly was born in 1956 in Marion, IndianaMarion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
. He graduated from University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in 1978 and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1981, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
The Harvard Legal Aid Bureau is the oldest student-run legal services office in the country, founded in 1913. Located at 23 Everett Street in Cambridge, MA, the Bureau's mission is to provide an important community service while giving student attorneys the opportunity to develop professional...
. He was appointed as a judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is the trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois....
in 1999 by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Professional career
- Private practice, Chicago, IL, 1981-1982
- Law clerk, Hon. Prentice MarshallPrentice MarshallPrentice Henry Marshall was a United States District judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.- Early life and education :...
, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1982-1984 - Private practice, Chicago, IL, 1984-1999
Federal judicial service
- Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- Nominated by William J. Clinton on January 26, 1999, to a seat vacated by Paul E. Plunkett; Confirmed by the United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on April 15, 1999, and received his commission on April 22, 1999.