Quick Facts
Biography
James Edward Shadid (born 1957) is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
Early life and education
Shadid was born in 1957 in Peoria, Illinois. His father is George Shadid, who eventually became sheriff of Peoria County and Illinois state senator. James Shadid earned a Bachelor of Science from Bradley University in 1979 and his Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1983.
Law career
Shadid was in private practice from 1983 to 2001, additionally acting as part-time public defender in Peoria County from 1986 to 2001 and a Commissioner of the Illinois Court of Claims from 1996 to 2001.
In December 2001, Shadid was appointed to the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois. He was primarily in felony court, with other work in misdemeanor and civil court.
On May 27, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Shadid to replace Michael Mihm on the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. On March 7, 2011 he was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 89 ayes to 0 nays and received his commission on March 10, 2011. Shadid became chief judge of the Central District on March 12, 2012; the position is rotated to a different judge in the district every seven years, and Shadid was sworn in by Michael P. McCuskey, who became chief judge in 2004 or 2005.