[3] Conlon no longer maintains a docket in the Northern District of Illinois, but continues to hear cases as a visiting judge on other Federal courts.
"[6] The Seventh Circuit reversed and remanded with instructions to the district court to reopen the case and allow the amended complaint and enter a preliminary injunction enjoining the State's Attorney from applying the Illinois eavesdropping statute against the ACLU.
Conlon was rated by lawyers as a judge that had the lowest number of pending cases in the entire Northern District of Illinois but was criticized over her temperament throughout her career.
The Chicago Bar Association and many judicial rating websites claimed she had unacceptable behavior for a federal judge.
"[8] Her written opinions were rated as consistently thoughtful and well reasoned; however, she received the worst mark of any judge in the category of "gives due consideration to the convenience of lawyers and litigants in scheduling proceedings" and was described by attorneys as "abrupt, unpleasant, intolerant, and condescending.
"[8] The council's assessment of Judge Conlon concluded: "In summary, Judge Conlon's rigidity in scheduling matters, her poor judicial temperament, and her refusal to facilitate settlements in civil matters appear to have overshadowed her excellent legal abilities and diligence on the bench.
Second, she fired a law clerk on September 11, 2001 for complying with an evacuation order on the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Downtown Chicago.