Diane Wood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Diane Wood
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| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
| In office September 7, 2022 – April 30, 2024 |
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| Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
| In office October 1, 2013 – July 3, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Frank H. Easterbrook |
| Succeeded by | Diane S. Sykes |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
| In office June 30, 1995 – September 7, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | William J. Bauer |
| Succeeded by | John Z. Lee |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Diane Pamela Wood
July 4, 1950 Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Spouses | Steve Van (Early 1970s) Dennis J. Hutchinson
(m. 1978; div. 1998)Robert L. Sufit
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA, JD) |
Diane Pamela Wood (born July 4, 1950) is an American lawyer and former judge. She currently leads the American Law Institute, which works to make laws clearer. She also teaches at the University of Chicago Law School. Before this, she was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. This court hears appeals from federal cases in parts of the Midwest.
Diane Wood was one of the first women to hold many important legal jobs. She was known for her smart ideas and for helping people agree on legal issues.
Contents
Early Life and School
Diane Pamela Wood was born on July 4, 1950, in Plainfield, New Jersey. Her father was an accountant, and her mother worked for the Girl Scouts. She was the middle child of three.
When she was 16, her family moved to Houston, Texas. In 1968, she graduated at the top of her class from Westchester High School.
Diane went to the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1972. Then, she went to the University of Texas School of Law. She worked on the Texas Law Review, a student-run legal magazine. In 1975, she earned her law degree with high honors. She was one of the first women to join the Friar Society, a special honor group at the university.
Her Career Journey
After law school, Diane Wood worked for important judges. From 1975 to 1976, she helped Judge Irving Loeb Goldberg. Then, from 1976 to 1977, she worked for Justice Harry Blackmun at the United States Supreme Court. She was one of the first women to be a law clerk for a Supreme Court justice. A law clerk helps a judge with research and writing.
After that, she worked for the U.S. Department of State. She gave legal advice there from 1977 to 1978. She also worked at a law firm in Washington, D.C. from 1978 to 1980.
In 1981, Diane Wood started teaching law at the University of Chicago Law School. She was only the third woman ever hired as a law professor there. For a while, she was the only woman on the law faculty. She became a full professor and later held a special named teaching position. Even after becoming a judge, she continued to teach law at the university.
She also worked for the United States Department of Justice. From 1985 to 1987, she was a special assistant. Later, from 1993 to 1995, she helped lead the Antitrust Division. This division works to make sure businesses compete fairly.
Diane Wood is a member of several important legal groups. These groups work to improve laws and legal practices. She is a leader in the American Law Institute and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Serving as a Federal Judge
On March 31, 1995, President Bill Clinton chose Diane Wood to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The United States Senate approved her nomination, and she became a judge on June 30, 1995. She was the second woman to serve on this court.
As a judge, she was known for bringing judges together and for her clear thinking. She was seen as someone who offered different ideas compared to some of the more conservative judges on the court. She served as the Chief Judge of the Seventh Circuit from 2013 to 2020. This means she was the main leader of the court.
In 2022, she took "senior status." This means she worked a reduced schedule but could still hear cases. She fully retired from the court in April 2024.
Diane Wood was also considered a possible candidate for the United States Supreme Court when Barack Obama was president. Many people thought she would be a great choice for the highest court in the country.
Important Decisions
As a judge, Diane Wood made many important decisions. Here are a few examples:
Fairness and Rights
- In a case about a Catholic school, Judge Wood agreed that a state did not have to provide busing if there was another nearby school. She looked at whether the state was fair to all schools.
- In a case about a Christian student group, she wrote a dissenting opinion. This means she disagreed with the other judges. She felt there wasn't enough information to make a final decision yet. She believed that if a university was unfairly treating a group, it should be stopped.
Fair Housing Act
- In a case called Bloch v. Frischholz, a Jewish family put a mezuzah (a small religious item) on their apartment door. The apartment association kept removing it. The family sued, saying this was unfair. Judge Wood believed there was enough proof that the family was being treated unfairly because of their religion. The full court later agreed with her, saying that the family had the right to display their mezuzah.
Voting Rights
- In a case about voting, League of Women Voters v. Sullivan, Judge Wood wrote a decision that stopped a law in Indiana. This law allowed the state to remove voters from registration lists without telling them first. Her decision helped protect people's right to vote.
Improving Laws
Diane Wood has spent time working to improve laws. She is part of the American Law Institute, where she helps guide projects that aim to make laws clearer and more effective. She helps decide who should join the Institute and advises on new legal ideas.
Her Writings
Diane Wood is known for her many writings on law. She has written articles and books on many different legal topics. Her work helps other lawyers and judges understand complex legal issues.
Personal Life
Diane Wood is married to Robert L. Sufit, who is a professor of medicine. She has six children, including three stepchildren.
She enjoys playing music in her free time. She plays the oboe and English horn in several orchestras and bands in Illinois. She lives in Hinsdale, Illinois, and is a Protestant.
See also
- List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 2)
- Barack Obama Supreme Court candidates
- Hively v. Ivy Tech
