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title: "Joel Martin Flaum | KnowJudges"
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# Joel Martin Flaum

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- State: National federal courts
- Role: U.S. Circuit Judge
- Service status: former
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1983-present
- Joel Martin Flaum (1936–2024) was a distinguished U.S. federal judge, serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for over 37 years, and later as a senior judge until his death in 2024
- Judge, District Court, N.D. Illinois, 1974-1983
- He later became First Assistant Attorney General (1970–1972) and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (1972–1975)
- Began in private practice in Chicago (1964–1965), then held the role of Assistant State’s Attorney of Cook County (1965–1969), Lecturer at Northwestern Law (1967–1969), and Assistant Attorney General of Illinois (1969–1970)
- Assistant state's attorney, Cook County, IL, 1965-1969
- Associate director, Police Legal Advisory Program, Northwestern University School of Law, 1967-1968
- Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

### Education

- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

### Additional information

- Judge Flaum died on December 4, 2024, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, at age 88.
- Senior Judge (November 30, 2020–December 4, 2024).
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1983–2020): Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, confirmed May 4, 1983.
- Chief Judge (2000–2006).
- He also held the role of a U.S. Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander in the JAG Corps from 1981 to 1992.
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1974–1983): Nominated by President Gerald Ford, confirmed December 18, 1974.
- Lecturer, Northwestern University School of Law, 1967-1969
- Private practice, Chicago, IL, 1964-1965
- Born November 26, 1936 in Hudson, New York, Flaum earned a B.A. from Union College in 1958, and a J.D. and LL.M. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1963 and 1964, respectively.
- Date of birth: 1936-01-01
- Birth place: Hudson, NY

## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1076/joel-martin-flaum/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1076/joel-martin-flaum/)
- [Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1076/joel-martin-flaum/)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1076/joel-martin-flaum/)
- [Wikidata: Joel Martin Flaum](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6213724)

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