Hon. Milton I. Shadur, SB, '43, JD, '49: Judge Shadur, 93, to step down after 37 years on federal bench

Over 37 years, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur has gained recognition as the academic of Chicago's federal court, widely respected for his intellect, fairness and work ethic.

He was known to arrive early on weekdays and work most weekends, conducting legal research and writing opinions.

But on Tuesday, the court announced that Shadur, now 93, would be stepping down effective Sept. 1 because of complications from recent surgery.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo said Shadur has been unable to travel to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse since the surgery, but he still continued to keep up with a full calendar by issuing numerous opinions and orders from home.

But in a telephone interview, Shadur said it wouldn't be fair to attorneys or their clients to continue that arrangement.

"As a result, I made the only decision I thought was possible and fair to those two constituencies," said Shadur, who indicated he had never really thought about retiring before his surgery.

Nominated to the bench in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter, Shadur has become a bonafide legend at the downtown federal courthouse.

In the nearly four decades since, Shadur has authored more than 11,000 court opinions, Castillo noted, "many of which directly impacted the rights of thousands of individuals."

"No other member of our court can match this stunning body of written work," he said in a statement announcing the retirement.

Castillo also praised Shadur for his "truly encyclopedic" knowledge of the law and his "boundless" intellectual curiosity.

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