Blanche M. Manning
Encyclopedia
Blanche M. Manning is a United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.
from Chicago Teachers College
in 1961. She received a Juris Doctor
from John Marshall Law School
in 1967. She received a Master of Arts (postgraduate)
from Roosevelt University
in 1972. She received an Master of Laws
from the University of Virginia School of Law
in 1992.
State Attorney's Office. From 1973-1977, Manning worked as a Supervisory trial attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
in Chicago
. She was also a lecturer at Malcolm X College
from 1970 to 1971.
In 1977, Manning began work as a corporate litigation attorney
for Chicago-based United Airlines
. A year later, Manning transitioned to the role of Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
, a role she held from 1978 to 1979. During that same time, Manning was an Adjunct Professor at the National Conference of Black Lawyers
Community College of Law. In 1979, she started her judicial career as an Associate Circuit Court Judge in Cook County, where she served until 1986.
Manning was a lead Circuit Judge in the Illinois Cook Judicial Circuit Court from 1986-1987. Subsequently, she was a Justice in the Illinois First District Appellate Court of the Illinois Appellate Court
from 1987 to 1994. From 1992-1994, Manning also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the DePaul University College of Law
.
, Manning was nominated to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
by President Bill Clinton
on May 5, 1994 to a seat vacated by Milton Shadur. Manning was confirmed by the Senate on August 9, 1994, and received her commission on August 10, 1994.
As of February 1, 2010, a fifth vacancy exists in the district due to the decision of Judge Manning to assume senior status
. No replacement nomination is pending at this time.
, a whistleblower in the Archer Daniels Midland
lysine pricefixing case
. Mr. Whitacre's sentence was harsher than that of his superiors at the company. The sentence has been spotlighted for deterring future whistleblowers.
Judge Manning presided over Robert E. Kolody vs. Simon Marketing and The Coca-Cola Company
, No. 97 C 190.
Early life and education
Manning was born in Chicago, Illinois. She received a Bachelor of EducationBachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
from Chicago Teachers College
Chicago State University
Chicago State University is a state university of the U.S. state of Illinois, located in Chicago.-History:Cook County Normal School was founded in 1867, largely through the initiative of John F. Eberhart, the Commissioner of Schools for Cook County...
in 1961. She received a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from John Marshall Law School
John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
The John Marshall Law School is a law school in Chicago, Illinois, that was founded in 1899 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1941. The school was named for the influential nineteenth century U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall....
in 1967. She received a Master of Arts (postgraduate)
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
in 1972. She received an Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
from the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1992.
Legal career
From 1968 to 1973, Manning served as an Assistant attorney in the Cook County, IllinoisCook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
State Attorney's Office. From 1973-1977, Manning worked as a Supervisory trial attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She was also a lecturer at Malcolm X College
Malcolm X College
Malcolm X College is a two-year college of the City Colleges of Chicago located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, USA, at 1900 W Van Buren St. It was founded as Crane Junior College in 1911 to serve graduates of the nearby Crane High School, and was the first of the City Colleges to be...
from 1970 to 1971.
In 1977, Manning began work as a corporate litigation attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for Chicago-based United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
. A year later, Manning transitioned to the role of Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, a role she held from 1978 to 1979. During that same time, Manning was an Adjunct Professor at the National Conference of Black Lawyers
National Conference of Black Lawyers
The National Conference of Black Lawyers , is an American association, formed in 1968, to serve as the Black Liberation movement’s legal arm and aid other black activists, it is made up of judges, law students, lawyers, legal activists, legal workers, and scholars.Noted clients included, Angela...
Community College of Law. In 1979, she started her judicial career as an Associate Circuit Court Judge in Cook County, where she served until 1986.
Manning was a lead Circuit Judge in the Illinois Cook Judicial Circuit Court from 1986-1987. Subsequently, she was a Justice in the Illinois First District Appellate Court of the Illinois Appellate Court
Illinois Appellate Court
The Illinois Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases arising in the Illinois Circuit Courts. Three Illinois Appellate Court judges hear each case and the concurrence of two is necessary to render a decision. The Illinois Appellate Court will render its opinion in...
from 1987 to 1994. From 1992-1994, Manning also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the DePaul University College of Law
DePaul University College of Law
DePaul University College of Law is a law school located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Founded in 1897 as the Illinois College of Law, the school became part of DePaul University in 1912 and is one of the academic colleges of DePaul, a Big East Conference university. The College is known for its...
.
Federal judicial service
Upon the recommendation of former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley BraunCarol Moseley Braun
Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun is an American feminist politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first and to date only African-American woman elected to the United States Senate, the first woman to defeat an incumbent senator in an...
, Manning was nominated to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is the trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois....
by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
on May 5, 1994 to a seat vacated by Milton Shadur. Manning was confirmed by the Senate on August 9, 1994, and received her commission on August 10, 1994.
As of February 1, 2010, a fifth vacancy exists in the district due to the decision of Judge Manning to assume senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
. No replacement nomination is pending at this time.
Notable rulings
Judge Manning is known for sentencing Mark WhitacreMark Whitacre
Mark Edward Whitacre came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the BioProducts Division at Archer Daniels Midland , he was the highest-level corporate executive in U.S. history to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation whistleblower...
, a whistleblower in the Archer Daniels Midland
Archer Daniels Midland
The Archer Daniels Midland Company is a conglomerate headquartered in Decatur, Illinois. ADM operates more than 270 plants worldwide, where cereal grains and oilseeds are processed into products used in food, beverage, nutraceutical, industrial and animal feed markets worldwide.ADM was named the...
lysine pricefixing case
Lysine price-fixing conspiracy
The lysine price-fixing conspiracy was an organized effort during the mid-1990s to raise the price of the animal feed additive lysine. It involved five companies that had commercialized high-tech fermentation technologies, including American company Archer Daniels Midland , Japanese companies...
. Mr. Whitacre's sentence was harsher than that of his superiors at the company. The sentence has been spotlighted for deterring future whistleblowers.
Judge Manning presided over Robert E. Kolody vs. Simon Marketing and The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
, No. 97 C 190.