Nan Nolan
Nan R. Nolan was a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She joined the court on July 6, 1998 and retired from the court on September 30, 2012.[1][2]
Early life and education
Nolan received her bachelor's degree from Loyola-Chicago University and her Juris Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.[3]
Career
After law school, Judge Nolan began her legal career as a staff attorney for the Federal Public Defender Program in Chicago assisting indigent clients and low income client before being a noted private practice attorney. Nolan served as a private practice attorney in the State of Illinois before her appointment to the federal bench.[3]
Federal judicial career
Nolan was appointed by Chief Judge Marvin Aspen to an eight-year full time term as a magistrate judge in 1998 and was re-appointed by Chief Judge Charles Kocoras to another eight-year term in 2006.
Noteworthy cases
Bank robbery bail
Judge Nolan presided in the initial court appearance of Art Rachel and Jerry Saclise, who are charged with plotting a bank robbery in the South Chicago suburb of LaGrange. During a hearing on April 21, 2010, Judge Nolan found that neither of the two defendants in the case posed a flight risk and was ready to set bail for the two individuals awaiting trial.[4]
Mumbai terrorist case
Judge Nolan presided over the initial court appearance of Tahawwur Rana, who was accused of having advance knowledge of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India in November of 2008. On December 15, 2009, Judge Nolan denied bail to Rana as the judge found evidence that he would be a flight risk because of over $1.6 million in financial resources he owns.[5]
Governor Blagojevich Case
Nolan served as the duty (Emergency) Magistrate judge who hears cases with grave importance like in the case of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich on December 9, 2008, appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Nolan in a bond hearing in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Governor Blagojevich was arrested earlier in the morning on an arrest warrant from the FBI and the Illinois U.S. Attorney's Office on charges on conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and also on charges of threatening to withhold state funds.[6]
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, along with his Chief of Staff John Nolan, were named in a 76 page FBI indictment on charges of bribery and corruption over the appointment of the open junior U.S. Senate seat for Illinois due to the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.[7]
Nolan said the purpose of the hearing was to explain the charges against the men and make sure they understood their rights protected in the constitution as the first case is a bail hearing and arraignment. As part of normal court procedure, Assistant U.S. Attorney Red Schar then read into the record the two counts detailed in the criminal complaint as of charges of mail and wire fraud.[6]
Nolan agreed to release the men on a $4,500 recognizance (signature) bond. Blagojevich nodded during the court proceedings as Nolan also ordered him to surrender his passport and any gun ownership cards which is a standard practice for federal court cases involving prosecution.[6]
See also
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ United States Courts, "Judicial Milestones," January 7, 2012
- ↑ United States Courts, "Judicial Milestones," August 1998
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lexis Nexis, "Judge Nolan's Biography," December 9, 2008
- ↑ ABC 7 Chicago, "Judge wants alleged mob burglars free on bond," April 22, 2010
- ↑ Associated Press, "Chicago judge denies bond for terrorism suspect," December 16, 2009 (dead link)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Chicago Tribune, "Blagojevich released on bond," December 9, 2008
- ↑ FOX Chicago, "Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested," December 9, 2008 (dead link)
