Matthew Kennelly

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Matthew F. Kennelly is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He joined the court in 1999 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton (D). Kennelly assumed senior status on October 7, 2021.^[1]

Biography

Early life and education

Born in Marion, Indiana, Kennelly obtained a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame in 1978 and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1981.^[1]

Professional career

Private practice, Chicago, IL, 1981-1982
Law clerk, Hon. Prentice Marshall, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1982-1984
Private practice, Chicago, IL, 1984-1999^[1]

Judicial career

Northern District of Illinois

On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Kennelly was nominated to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by President Bill Clinton to a seat vacated by Paul Plunkett. Kennelly was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 15, 1999, on a Senate vote and received commission on April 22, 1999. He assumed senior status on October 7, 2021.^[1]

Noteworthy cases

"Fast Eddie" case: Chicago Alderman Edward Vrdolyak guilty of fraud (2009)

See also: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (United States, v. Edward R. Vrdolyak, 09-1891)

Judge Kennelly was assigned to re-sentence former Chicago Alderman Eddie Vrdolyak in 2009. The former alderman was convicted that year of being involved in a kickback scheme that defrauded money from a medical school as part of a real estate transaction. District Judge Milton Shadur sentenced Vrdolyak to five years probation, along with a fine and community service.^[2]

Judge Kennelly was assigned to handle the re-sentencing after a Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals panel led by Judge Richard Posner rejected the sentencing order by Judge Shadur that gave Vrdolyak no jail time. The Seventh Circuit said that Shadur's sentencing contained a "...cascade of errors and ommissions," and Posner's opinion commented that "...the crime suggests that there can be no assurance that if let off with a slap on the wrist, the defendant will not commit a future crime."^[2]

Judge Kennelly subsequently re-sentenced Vrdolyak to 10 months in federal prison, along with a period of work release and home confinement, as well as a fine. The former 10th Ward Alderman, age 72, was later put on electronic monitoring during his home imprisonment. Judge Kennelly, in April 2012, allowed Vrdolyak to end his home imprisonment three months early, and assigned him 300 hours of community service in order to complete his sentence.^[3]^[4]