Sara Darrow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois | |
| Assumed office March 12, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | James Shadid |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois | |
| Assumed office August 3, 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Joe Billy McDade |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sara Lynn Frizzell 1970 (age 54–55) Pontiac, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouse | Clarence Darrow |
| Relatives | Clarence A. Darrow (father-in-law) |
| Education | Marquette University (BA) Saint Louis University (JD) |
Sara Lynn Darrow (néeFrizzell; born 1970)[1] is thechief United States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. She was formerly an assistant United States attorney in theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, where she was chief of theviolent crimes section.[2]
Darrow earned herBachelor of Arts in 1992 fromMarquette University and herJuris Doctor fromSaint Louis University School of Law in 1997.[3]
After graduating from law school, Darrow worked in the law offices of Clarence Darrow inRock Island, Illinois.[4] Between 1999 and 2003, she worked in theHenry County, Illinois State's Attorney's Office inCambridge, Illinois. In 2003 Darrow became anassistant United States attorney for the Central District of Illinois, where she prosecuted significant criminal cases, involvingfirearms,drugs,gangs,fraud,money laundering, andcorruption.[2][3]
On the recommendation of SenatorDick Durbin, Darrow was nominated to the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois by PresidentBarack Obama on November 17, 2010 to fill a vacancy created by JudgeJoe Billy McDade, who assumedsenior status.[4] The United States Senate confirmed Darrow byunanimous consent on August 2, 2011,[5] and she received her commission the next day.[3] She started her term as chief judge on March 12, 2019.
Darrow's husband Clarence Michael Darrow serves as an Illinois Circuit Court judge. Her father-in-lawClarence A. Darrow also served as an Illinois state court judge and served in theIllinois General Assembly.[6][7][8]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois 2011–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois 2019–present | |