# Stephen P. McGlynn

Stephen Patrick McGlynn (born 1962) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

## Education

McGlynn earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dayton and his Juris Doctor from the Saint Louis University School of Law.

## Career

McGlynn was in private practice at McGlynn & McGlynn, Attorneys at Law. He has also served as a Special Assistant Attorney General of Illinois. McGlynn was very active in Republican politics and conservative causes. In 1996, McGlynn became the Chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Party and served in that capacity until 2003. He was a member of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee elected from Illinois's 12th congressional district and co-chair of the Illinois Republican Party.

### State judicial service

On June 8, 2005, the Illinois Supreme Court announced its appointment of McGlynn to succeed Justice Clyde L. Kuehn, an interim appointee, as a justice of the Appellate Court of the 5th Judicial District, effective July 8, 2005. In the 2006 general election, McGlynn lost to Democratic candidate and trial judge Bruce Stewart.
In 2010, on the recommendation of Lloyd A. Karmeier, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed McGlynn to a judgeship in the 20th Judicial Circuit to succeed Michael O’ Malley, who retired to return to private practice. In 2012, McGlynn ran unsuccessfully to again serve on the Illinois Appellate Court, narrowly losing to Democrat Judy Cates. In that same election, Democratic candidate Vincent Lopinot defeated Republican candidate Ronald Duebbert to fill the remainder of the term created by O'Malley's resignation.
From 2013 to 2020, McGlynn again served as a Circuit Judge for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit after being appointed by the Supreme Court of Illinois. McGlynn's service as a state court judge ended when he became a federal district judge. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed L. Dominic Kujawa Jr. to the vacancy created by McGlynn's elevation to the federal bench.

### Federal judicial service

On December 23, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate McGlynn to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. On February 4, 2020, his nomination was sent to the United States Senate. President Trump nominated him to the seat vacated by Judge Michael Joseph Reagan, who retired on March 31, 2019. A hearing on his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on June 24, 2020. On July 30, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–9 vote. On September 16, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 55–42 vote. His nomination was confirmed later that day by a 55–41 vote. He received his judicial commission on September 18, 2020.

## Notable opinions

In November 2024, McGlynn held that the Protect Illinois Communities Act, a 2023 law banning assault rifles, large capacity magazines, and other gun accessories, was unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

## Electoral history

2012 Illinois Appellate Court 5th district (Donovan vacancy) election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Judy Cates | 283,926 | 52.09 |
| | Republican | Stephen McGlynn | 261,170 | 47.91 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 545,096 | 100 |