Judge Jack B. Schmetterer has announced his retirement from the bankruptcy court effective September 30, 2021.

Judge Schmetterer has served as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for 36 years, making him the longest-serving judge in the court’s history.  He was originally appointed in 1985 and reappointed for a second term in 1999.  He was then recalled in 2012 and has served as a recalled bankruptcy judge ever since.  During his judicial career, he has published more than 920 opinions.

An Illinois native and a graduate of Oak Park High School, Judge Schmetterer received his B.A. from Yale University in 1952 and his J.D. from Yale in 1955.  He had a long career in public service even before his appointment to the bench, serving as a Northbrook Village Trustee, a Trustee of the North Shore Mass Transit District, First Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.  In 2018, the Decalogue Society honored Judge Schmetterer with its inaugural Ilana Diamond Rovner Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Bankruptcy Court expresses its deep appreciation and sincere gratitude to Judge Schmetterer for his service and for his tireless and selfless devotion to the court and the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois.