George Neves Leighton (born George Neves Leitão; October 22, 1912 – June 6, 2018) was an American judge who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He was known for taking cases related to housing, voting, and jury service, especially if these cases were directly impacted by injustice, particularly racism.
George Neves Leighton
Illinois Northern District Court
Born 1912 in New Bedford, MA
Died 2018 in Brockton, MA
FJC ID: 1373
- Gender
- Male
- Race
- African American
Prior employment
- Private practice, Chicago, Illinois1946–1964, 1987–2011
- Illinois Appellate Court, First DistrictJudge · 1969–1976
- Illinois Circuit Court, Cook CountyJudge · 1964–1969
- Illinois Circuit Court, Cook CountyMaster in chancery · 1960–1964
State of IllinoisAssistant attorney general · 1949–1951
U.S. Army captain1942–1945
Appointments
1976–1987 · Appointed by Gerald Ford (Republican)Term ended: Retirement- 1969–1976
Education
LL.B. · 1946- Howard UniversityA.B. · 1940