Ilana Rovner

Ilana Kara Diamond Rovner (born August 21, 1938) is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.[1] Rovner was the first woman appointed to the Seventh Circuit.[2] She was previously a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Ilana Kara Diamond Rovner
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Incumbent
Assumed office August 17, 1992
Appointed by	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Harlington Wood Jr.
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
In office September 12, 1984 – August 17, 1992
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Joel Flaum
Succeeded by	David H. Coar
Personal details
Born	(1938-08-21) August 21, 1938 Riga, Latvia
Political party	Republican
Education	Bryn Mawr College (A.B.) King's College London Georgetown University Law Center Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D.)

Early life, education and career

Rovner was born in Riga, Latvia. While an infant, Rovner and her mother immigrated to the United States during World War II from Latvia to escape the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany. She earned her Artium Baccalaureus degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1960. She studied at King's College London for one year and attended Georgetown University Law Center for two years before moving to Chicago. She received a Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1966. She was a legal researcher for Richard J. Phelan of Chicago, Illinois in 1971.[3]

She was a law clerk for Judge James Benton Parsons of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 1972 to 1973. She was an Assistant United States Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois from 1973-77, serving as Deputy Chief of the Public Protection Unit from 1975-76 and Chief of the Public Protection Unit from 1976-77. She was a deputy governor and legal counsel for Governor James R. Thompson of Illinois from 1977-84.[4]

Federal judicial service

Rovner was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on June 19, 1984, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois vacated by Judge Joel Flaum. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 12, 1984, and received commission the same day. Her service was terminated on August 17, 1992, due to elevation to the Seventh Circuit.[4]

Rovner was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on July 2, 1992, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated by Judge Harlington Wood Jr. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 12, 1992, and received commission on August 17, 1992.[4]

Notable cases

On August 9, 2013, Rovner ruled that Albanian single women constituted a protected social group in a 9-2 decision.[5] Daniel Anthony Manion and Frank Easterbrook dissented.

On April 20, 2018, Rovner ruled against Trump's policy punishing sanctuary cities. Rovner said allowing federal agencies to add conditions to grant funds without explicit congressional authority could lead toward "tyranny."[6] Rovner wrote, "The Attorney General in this case used the sword of federal funding to conscript state and local authorities to aid in federal civil immigration enforcement. But the power of the purse rests with Congress, which authorized the federal funds at issue and did not impose any immigration enforcement conditions on the receipt of such funds. It falls to us, the judiciary, as the remaining branch of the government, to act as a check on such usurpation of power."

Rovner was joined by William Joseph Bauer upholding the nationwide injunction against the policy. Daniel Anthony Manion partially dissented, saying he would narrow the injunction to protect only Chicago.[7]

On August 27, 2019, Rovner joined David Hamilton in blocking Indiana's parental notification requirement for abortions. Michael Kanne dissented. On November 1, 2019, the 7th circuit denied en banc by a vote of 6-5, with Rovner in the majority, however Frank Easterbrook, who provided a decisive vote, called on the Supreme Court to hear the case.[8]

References

1. Marquis Who's Who (1996). Who's Who of American Women, 1997-1998. Marquis Who's Who. ISBN 9780837904221. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
2. "Profiles of Women in Leadership". Archived from the original on 2003-09-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
3. Hageman, William (25 November 2011). "Remarkable Woman: Ilana Rovner". Chicago Tribune.
4. "Rovner, Ilana Kara Diamond - Federal Judicial Center". fjc.gov. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
5. Cece v. Holder 11-1989. U.S. Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
6. Chicago v. Sessions U.S. Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit. 17-2991. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
7. Gerstein, Josh (19 April 2018). "Appeals court rules against Trump policy punishing sanctuary cities". POLITICO.
8. "Full appeals court won't rehear Indiana abortion law case". AP NEWS. November 1, 2019.

Legal offices
Preceded by Joel Flaum	Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1984–1992	Succeeded by David H. Coar
Preceded by Harlington Wood Jr.	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 1992–present	Incumbent