Northern District of California (McKinleyville)
Career Highlights: U.S. magistrate Judge, Northern District of California, 20017-present; law clerk, Northern District of California, 2014-2017; law clerk, Middle District of Alabama, 2007-2014; assistant federal public defender, Middle District of Alabama, 2003-2007
Law School: University of Alabama School of Law
Northern District of California
Career Highlights: U.S. magistrate Judge, Northern District of California, 20017-present; law clerk, Northern District of California, 2014-2017; law clerk, Middle District of Alabama, 2007-2014; assistant federal public defender, Middle District of Alabama, 2003-2007
Law School: University of Alabama School of Law
Northern District of California
MCKINLEYVILLE — Robert M. Illman wears a lot of hats and, occasionally, a sword.
To be clear, the U.S. magistrate judge doesn’t actually strap the weapon to his belt. Instead, in an old tradition he places it on his desk when he hears a maritime case. This is to signify he is now operating under the venerable and somewhat unusual rules of maritime law, a role that goes by the poetically dated term “sitting in admiralty.... (continued)
