Draft:Jonathan E. Hawley

Jonathan E. Hawley is an American lawyer who has served as a United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois since 2014. He is a nominee to serve as a United States district judge of the same court.

Education
Hawley received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the University of Illinois Chicago in 1992. Before attending law school, he received postgraduate studies in philosophy and theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. He received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law in 1997.

Career
From 1997 to 1998, Hawley served as a law clerk to Judge Michael P. McCuskey on the Illinois Third District Appellate Court and again on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois in 1998. From 1998 to 1999, he served as a law clerk for Justice James D. Heiple on the Illinois Supreme Court. From 1999 to 2014, Hawley served in the Federal Public Defender's Office for the Central District of Illinois, ultimately becoming chief attorney in that office.

Federal judicial service
On February 28, 2014, Hawley was selected to serve as a United States magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge John A. Gorman.

Nomination to district court
On July 3, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Hawley to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. On July 8, 2024, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Hawley to the seat being vacated by Judge James Shadid, who will assume senior status on September 27, 2024. His nomination is pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hawley was one of four people recommended for the vacancy by Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.