Diane S. Sykes at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- Jurisdiction
- National federal courts · Federal
- Judicial service
- July 1, 2004–present
Diane S. Sykes
Judge · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Available research
Biography
Professional career
- Justice, Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1999-2004
- Practitioner, 1998-1998
- Judge, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Milwaukee County, 1992-1999
- Private practice, Milwaukee, WI, 1985-1992
- Law clerk, Hon. Terence T. Evans, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1984-1985
Judicial service
- Judge, 1998-1998
- Judge, Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1999-2004
- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2004-present
- Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Education
- Northwestern University · B.S., 1980
- Marquette University · J.D., 1984
- Brown Deer High School
- Medill School of Journalism
Personal record
Born December 23, 1957 · Milwaukee, WI
Courtroom rules and guidance
Appellate Oral Argument
In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation.
Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessaryFederal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392206CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3156/diane-s-sykes/Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure