Julius Hoffman

Julius Hoffman (July 7, 1895 – July 1, 1983) was a Chicago, Illinois native attorney and judge best known for his role in the Chicago Seven trial.

Related Topics:
July 7 - 1895 - July 1 - 1983 - Chicago, Illinois - Chicago Seven

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Hoffman attended Lewis Institute and Northwestern University before being admitted to the bar in 1915. He worked as an associate and partner of the firm White and Hawxhurst until 1936, when he became general counsel for the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, where he remained until 1944 when he joined the law firm of Markheim, Hoffman, Hungerford and Sollo. In 1947, he was elected judge of the Superior Court of Cook County. When his term expired, Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Hoffman to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.

Related Topics:
Lewis Institute - Northwestern University - 1915 - 1936 - 1944 - 1947 - Cook County - Dwight D. Eisenhower - U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

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Over the course of his career as a judge, Hoffman presided over numerous important cases, including a tax evasion case against Tony Accardo, a deportation suit against alleged Nazi war criminal Frank Walus and desgregation suits. His most famous case, however, was the Chicago Seven Trial from April 9, 1969 to February 20, 1970. All seven were found by a jury to be not guilty of conspiracy, but five of the defendants were found guilty of inciting a riot, and Judge Hoffman gave each of the five the maximum penalty: five years in prison and a fine of $5,000. In addition Judge Hoffman sentenced all seven defendents and both of their lawyers to lengthy jail terms for contempt. On May 11, 1972, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed all of the contempt convictions, and on November 21, 1972 reversed all of the jury convictions, because the court had not sufficiently measured the biases of the jury and because of Judge Hoffman's "deprecatory and often antagonistic attitude toward the defense".

Related Topics:
Tony Accardo - Nazi - Frank Walus - Chicago Seven - April 9 - 1969 - February 20 - 1970 - May 11 - 1972 - November 21

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In 1982, the Executive Committee of the U.S. District Court ordered that Hoffman not be assigned any new cases because of his age and complaints that he was acting erratically and abusively from the bench. Nevertheless, Hoffman continued to preside over cases until his death from natural causes.

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