Jeffrey Cummings

{{Infobox judge

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jeffrey Cummings

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Jeffrey Cummings, U.S. Magistrate Judge.png

| alt =

| caption =

| office = Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

| term_start = October 10, 2023

| term_end =

| appointer = Joe Biden

| predecessor = Seat established

| successor =

| office1 = Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

| term_start1 = February 1, 2019

| term_end1 = October 10, 2023

| predecessor1 = Michael T. Mason

| successor1 = Jeannice Williams Appenteng

| pronunciation =

| birth_name = Jeffrey Irvine Cummings

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1962}}

| birth_place = Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| party =

| spouse =

| residence =

| education = Michigan State University (BA)
Northwestern University (JD)

}}

Jeffrey Irvine Cummings (born 1962){{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Cummings%20SJQ%20Public%20Final1.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=February 14, 2023}} is an American lawyer from Illinois, who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois since 2023. He previously served as a United States magistrate judge of the same court from 2019 to 2023.

Education

Cummings received a Bachelor of Arts, with high honors, from Michigan State University in 1984. He then received a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, cum laude, in 1987,{{Cite press release |title=President Biden Names Twenty–Ninth Round of Judicial Nominees |date=January 18, 2023 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/18/president-biden-names-twenty-ninth-round-of-judicial-nominees/ |access-date=January 18, 2023}} {{PD-notice}} and was inducted into the Order of the Coif.{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2014 |title=Jeffrey Cummings and Stacie Young Join BPI's Board of Directors |url=https://www.bpichicago.org/blog/jeffrey-cummings-stacie-young-join-bpis-board-of-directors/ |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=BPI Chicago |language=en-US}}

Career

Cummings served as a law clerk for Judge Ann Claire Williams of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 1987 to 1989. From 1989 to 2019, he was an associate and ultimately a co-managing partner at Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois. Cummings served as counsel to Barack Obama from 1996 to his senate election in 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://vettingroom.org/2023/02/07/judge-jeffrey-cummings/|title=Judge Jeffrey Cummings – Nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois|first=Harsh|last=Voruganti|date=February 7, 2023}}

Cummings was sworn in as a magistrate judge on January 29, 2019.{{Cite web |last=Hudson |first=Courtney |date=April 30, 2019 |title=Jeffrey I. Cummings, MBG Former Partner, Inducted as a U.S. Magistrate Judge |url=https://www.lawmbg.com/2019/04/jeff-cummings-us-magistrate-judge/ |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. |language=en-US}} He assumed office on February 1, 2019.{{Cite web |title=Jeffrey I. Cummings |url=https://www.uscourts.gov/judicial-milestones/jeffrey-i-cummings |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=www.uscourts.gov |language=en}} Cummings is a former board member of Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.{{cite web | url=https://www.clccrul.org/making-good-delivering-on-the-promise-of-equity/jeff-cummings#:~:text=Jeff%20Cummings%20is%20U.S.%20Magistrate,a%20longtime%20Election%20Protection%20volunteer | title=Jeff Cummings }}

= Notable cases =

In 1995, Cummings, alongside Barack Obama, represented ACORN, a voter registration organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income families in suing the State of Illinois in seeking to have it comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/cnn/ap-cnn-report-obama-represented-acorn-not-doj-was-also-plaintiff-lawsuit|title=AP, CNN report that Obama represented ACORN, but not that DOJ was also a plaintiff in the lawsuit|first1=Eric|last1=Hananoki|first2=Lauren|last2=Auerbach|website=Media Matters for America|date=15 October 2008 }}{{Cite web|url=https://casetext.com/case/acorn-v-edgar-3|title=Acorn v. Edgar, 56 F.3d 791 | Casetext Search + Citator|website=casetext.com}}

In 2009, Cummings secured a $630,000 settlement for a class of black workers with Area Erectors, Inc., who alleged termination based on race.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c25f074d-d8bd-4ac0-990f-b699c4fa5656|title=Illinois construction firm settles class-action discrimination claim for $630,000|first1=Masuda Funai|last1=Eifert|first2=Mitchell Ltd-Frank J. Del|last2=Barto|date=June 1, 2009|website=Lexology}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/area-erectors-inc-pay-630000-class-black-workers-race-discrimination-lawsuit-0|title=AREA ERECTORS, INC. TO PAY $630,000 TO CLASS OF BLACK WORKERS IN RACE DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT|website=US EEOC}}

= Notable rulings =

As a magistrate judge in 2020, Cummings ruled that Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker would not be required to sit for a deposition as part of a discrimination case against his 2018 campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://illinoisnewsroom.org/gov-pritzkers-lawyers-trying-to-shield-him-from-deposition-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/|title=Gov. Pritzker's Lawyers Trying To Shield Him From Deposition In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit - Illinois Newsroom|first=Illinois|last=Newsroom|date=January 20, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nprillinois.org/statehouse/2020-01-20/gov-pritzkers-lawyers-trying-to-shield-him-from-deposition-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit|title=Gov. Pritzker's Lawyers Trying To Shield Him From Deposition In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit|date=January 20, 2020|website=NPR Illinois}}

In 2021, Cummings ordered the pretrial release of Jim Bob Elliott, a member of the group the Proud Boys, who was arrested for his participation of the January 6 United States Capitol attack.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/proud-boy-from-aurora-pleads-guilty-to-role-in-capitol-riot/2984953/|title=Proud Boy From Aurora Pleads Guilty to Role in Capitol Riot|date=2 November 2022 }}{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/11/2/23437164/capitol-riot-jan-6-illinois-man-james-robert-elliott-proud-boys|title=Proud Boy from Aurora bragged he 'bonked 2 cops,' pleads guilty to Jan. 6 role|date=November 2, 2022|website=Chicago Sun-Times}}

= Federal judicial service =

In December 2021, Cummings was recommended to the president by Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=David |date=December 16, 2021 |title=Democrats recommend judges for Chicago federal court |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/democrats-recommend-judges-chicago-federal-court-2021-12-16/ |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=Reuters |language=en}} On January 18, 2023, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Cummings to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.{{Cite web |last=Vazquez |first=Maegan |date=January 18, 2023 |title=First on CNN: Biden releases first slate of 2023 judicial nominees |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/18/politics/biden-judicial-nominees-2023/index.html |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sweet |first=Lynn |date=January 18, 2023 |title=Biden picks Jeffrey Cummings, LaShonda Hunt for Chicago-based U.S. District Court spots |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/1/18/23561095/biden-judges-jeffrey-cummings-lashonda-hunt-chicago-district-court |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}} On January 31, 2023, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Cummings to a new seat.{{Cite press release|title=Nominations Sent to the Senate|date=January 31, 2023|publisher=The White House|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/31/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-94/}} On February 15, 2023, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.{{Cite web|title=Nominations|date=February 14, 2023|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/02/15/2023/nominations}} On April 20, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–9 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2023-04-20%20-%20EBM%20-%20Results.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – April 20, 2023|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=April 20, 2023}} On September 12, 2023, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 51–44 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00225.htm|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Jeffrey Irvine Cummings to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois)|website=United States Senate|date=September 12, 2023|access-date=September 12, 2023}} Later that day, his nomination was confirmed by a 50–45 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00226.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Jeffrey Irvine Cummings, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois)|website=United States Senate|date=September 12, 2023|access-date=September 12, 2023}} He received his judicial commission on October 10, 2023.{{FJC Bio|nid=13760981|inline=yes}} He was sworn in on October 26, 2023.{{Cite press release|title=Judge Jeffrey Cummings Sworn in as U.S. District Judge|url=https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/FinalDist%20Judge%20Jeffrey%20Cummings%20press%20release.pdf|website=ilnd.uscourts.gov|access-date=October 26, 2023}}