08.03.11

Durbin: Senate Confirms Rock Island Resident To Fill Federal Judgeship In The Central District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that late last night the Senate unanimously approved Rock Island resident Sara Darrow for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. 

 

“For too long the Central District of Illinois was operating with only one active status judge in the district – Chief Judge Mike McCuskey – and three judgeships vacant.  Now, with Sara Darrow’s confirmation, we finally have a full complement of federal judges,” said Durbin.  “Ms. Darrow has an impressive record of service in the Rock Island area, prosecuting some of the most challenging cases.  She has the experience, qualifications and temperament to be an excellent federal judge.  I am pleased with her confirmation and I look forward to working along with my colleague Senator Kirk to fill future judicial vacancies in Illinois.”

 

Darrow has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois since 2003 and has prosecuted major federal crimes involving firearms, drugs, gangs, fraud, money laundering, bank robberies, and cybercrime.   From 1999-2003, she worked in the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office as an Assistant State’s Attorney and then as the First Assistant State’s Attorney.  From 1997-1998, she worked in the Law Offices of Clarence Darrow in Rock Island.  She is a graduate of Saint Louis University law school and Marquette University.

 

Durbin established three bipartisan screening committees to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges, U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. Marshals for Illinois. The screening committees were comprised of 22 distinguished Illinoisans drawn from various aspects of the legal profession and include former judges, prominent litigators, law professors, bar association leaders, former prosecutors and defenders.  Springfield attorney James Potter serves as chair of the Central District of Illinois screening committee. 

 

Members of the screening committees held meetings, reviewed applications and references, and conducted interviews.  The screening committees recommended the names of several individuals for each vacancy.  Durbin reviewed the screening committees’ recommendations, conducted interviews of finalists, and submitted his recommendations to the President, who makes the final decisions on nominees.