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title: "Michael Stephen Kanne | KnowJudges"
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# Michael Stephen Kanne

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, 1987-present
- Michael Stephen Kanne (December 21, 1938 – June 16, 2022) was an American judge who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and previously on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- Judge on the 30th Judicial Circuit of Indiana from 1972 to 1982 and lectured in constitutional law at St. Joseph’s College (1976–1989) and St. Francis College (1990–1991)
- Judge, District Court, N.D. Indiana, 1982-1987
- Judge, Indiana Circuit Court, Thirtieth Judicial Circuit, 1972-1982
- After law school, Kanne practiced law in Rensselaer (1968–1972) and held the role of city attorney for Rensselaer in 1972.
- Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

### Education



### Additional information

- City attorney, Rensselaer, IN, 1972-present
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit: Nominated by Reagan on February 2, 1987; confirmed by the Senate on May 19, 1987; served until his death in 2022.
- Carolyn Colvin (2014).
- Lecturer, St. Frances College, 1990-1991
- Lecturer, St. Joseph's College, 1976-1989
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana: Nominated by President Ronald Reagan on December 4, 1981; confirmed by the Senate on February 8, 1982; served until May 21, 1987.
- Private practice, Rensselaer, IN, 1968-1972
- Born in Rensselaer, Indiana, Kanne earned a B.S. in 1962 from Indiana University Bloomington and a J.D. in 1968 from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
- U.S. Air Force lieutenant, 1962-1965
- Date of birth: 1938-01-01
- During his tenure, Kanne authored 558 published opinions for the Seventh Circuit, including notable cases such as Mildred Thomas v.

## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1700/michael-stephen-kanne/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1700/michael-stephen-kanne/)
- [Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1700/michael-stephen-kanne/)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1700/michael-stephen-kanne/)
- [Kanne, Michael Stephen | Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/kanne-michael-stephen)
- [Wikidata: Michael Stephen Kanne](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6834602)

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