{ "id": "ep23fqxt7h", "slug": "martha-m-pacold", "title": "Martha M. Pacold", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Martha M. Pacold, also known as Martha Maria Pacold, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in the Northern District of Illinois since 2019.", "snippet": "Martha M. Pacold, also known as Martha Maria Pacold, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in the Northern District of Illinois since 2019.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "markdown": "# Martha M. Pacold\n\nMartha Maria Pacold (born 1979) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois) since 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) She was appointed by President Donald J. Trump and received her commission on August 16, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) She is the first Asian-American woman to serve as a district judge in the Northern District of Illinois.[2](https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/Judge%20Pacold.pdf)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) |\n| Confirmed | July 31, 2019, by a vote of 87 to 3[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160257) |\n| Born | 1979 in Richmond, Virginia[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) |\n| Education | B.A., Indiana University, 1999; J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 2002[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nPacold was born in 1979 in [Richmond, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/richmond-virginia).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) She earned her B.A. from [Indiana University](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiana-university) in 1999 and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 2002.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) According to a statement released by Illinois senators [Dick Durbin](https://www.edgepedia.org/dick-durbin) and Tammy Duckworth after her confirmation, she graduated from Indiana University with highest distinction and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and earned her law degree with honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as editor-in-chief of the University of Chicago Law Review.[4](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-confirms-nominations-of-martha-pacold-and-mary-rowland-to-serve-as-us-district-judges-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois)\n\n## Legal career\n\nPacold began her career as a law clerk to Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2002 to 2003, then clerked for Judge Jay S. Bybee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2003 to 2004, and for Justice Clarence Thomas of the [Supreme Court of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-the-united-states) from 2004 to 2005.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716)\n\nFrom 2005 to 2006, she served as counsel to the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, and from 2006 to 2007 as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) In 2007, she joined the Chicago office of the law firm Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP as an associate and later became a partner.[2](https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/Judge%20Pacold.pdf) She also served as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School.[4](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-confirms-nominations-of-martha-pacold-and-mary-rowland-to-serve-as-us-district-judges-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois)\n\nIn 2017, Pacold left private practice to join the U.S. Department of the Treasury, serving as executive secretary in 2017 and then as deputy general counsel from 2017 to 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPacold was first nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on June 11, 2018, but no Senate vote was taken on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) She was renominated on May 21, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) The Senate confirmed her on July 31, 2019, by a vote of 87 to 3.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160257) She received her commission on August 16, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716)\n\nAfter the Senate vote, Durbin and Duckworth released a joint statement saying that Pacold and fellow nominee [Mary M. Rowland](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-m-rowland) had the qualifications, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction as district court judges in the Northern District of Illinois, and noting that the nominees had been selected with input from a nonpartisan screening committee.[4](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-confirms-nominations-of-martha-pacold-and-mary-rowland-to-serve-as-us-district-judges-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois)\n\nPacold was sworn in as a district judge in a private ceremony.[2](https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/Judge%20Pacold.pdf) Upon taking the bench, she received a caseload of 342 randomly assigned civil cases and was added to the court's civil case assignment system for new cases.[2](https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/Judge%20Pacold.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Pacold, Martha Maria - Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840716)\n2. [Judge Martha M. Pacold Sworn-in as District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois](https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/Judge%20Pacold.pdf)\n3. [U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote RS1160257](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160257)\n4. [Senate Confirms Nominations of Martha Pacold & Mary Rowland To Serve As U.S. District Judges For The Northern District of Illinois](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-confirms-nominations-of-martha-pacold-and-mary-rowland-to-serve-as-us-district-judges-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames N to P*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Martha M. Pacold\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Martha M. Pacold](https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold](https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Martha M. Pacold\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/martha-m-pacold. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Martha M. Pacold, also known as Martha Maria Pacold, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in the Northern District of Illinois since 2019." }