[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATING JUDGE JIM KNECHT ON 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DARIN LaHOOD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 2025

  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate 
Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court Justice, James ``Jim'' Knecht, 
as he reaches the milestone of serving 50 years as a judge.
  Jim was born in Lincoln, Illinois in 1944 and graduated from Lincoln 
Community High School in 1962. Afterwards, he attended Illinois State 
University and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois 
College of law in 1973. While in law school, Jim was an editor of the 
Law Review and was honored as a member of the prestigious national law 
school honors society, the Order of the Coif.
  Jim began his judicial career as a law clerk to Illinois Supreme 
Court Justice Robert C. Underwood before serving as an Associate 
Circuit Judge for 3 years and as a Circuit Judge for 8 years. In 1986, 
Judge Knecht was elected to the Illinois Fourth District Appellate 
Court. Currently, he is the longest serving judge in Illinois court 
history and an accredited leader within the Illinois law community. He 
is a member of the Illinois State and McLean County Bar Associations, 
the American Judicature Society, the Illinois Judges' Association, the 
Appellate Lawyers Association, and is a fellow of the Illinois Bar 
Foundation.
  Outside of the courtroom, Judge Knecht is heavily involved in our 
Illinois communities and within his alma maters. He serves on the 
Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council and on the National 
Advisory Board of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. 
Additionally, he spent time as an adjunct professor at both Illinois 
State University and the University of Illinois College of Law. At 
Illinois State University, his time as an adjunct professor lasted 
nearly three decades and he is a recipient of their Distinguished 
Alumni Award.
  I want to congratulate Judge Knecht on this momentous achievement and 
thank him for his continued service to the state of Illinois. I wish 
Judge Knecht, his wife Ruth, their children and grandchildren many 
years of happiness and success in the future.

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