Biography  

Stephen Norris

Stephen E. Norris is a 1978 graduate of the Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri College of Law, having received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his M.A. in 1965 from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and his B.A. (magna cum laude) in 1963 from Boston University, Boston Massachusetts.

 

He has been served as the Deputy Director of the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor since 1982, having been employed as a staff attorney from 1980-1982. Prior to that he worked in General Civil and Corporate Practice, St. Louis County, Missouri from 1978-1979.

 

Before becoming a lawyer, Stephen was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri from September 1969 - August 1976: and an  Instructor in Philosophy at Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio from July 1967 - June 1969.

 

Stephen is a frequent writer having authored:

 

“The Strange Logic of House Bill 2704,” published sub nom “No doubt about it: Strange logic at work in this bill,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 151, No. 64, Monday, April 4, 2005, p. 6.

 

“Logic, Language and Law: The Logic of Errata,” published sub nom “Logic, language and the law: Sorting out errata,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 149, No. 20, Wednesday, January 29, 2003, p.6.

 

“Is It a Blunder to Seek a Directed Verdict?,” published sub nom “Parsing the question: Is it a ‘blunder to seek directed verdict?,

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 148, No. 207, Tuesday, October 22, 2002, p. 5.

 

“The Lone Wolf’s Apprendi,” published sub nom “Illinois sentencing scheme fulfills ‘Apprendi’ rule,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 148, No. 20, Friday, February 1, 2002.

 

“The False Gods of the Sooner Disciples of Apprendi,” Presentation to the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association, Chicago, June 2001.

 

“A Strategy for Compliance With Public Act 91-953,” revised August 2001 (Distributed state-wide to interested attorneys and judges).

 

“Religious Hubris vs. ‘Judicial Tyranny’,” published sub nom “Judiciary answers to rule of law, not moral authority,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 147, No. 29,  February 9, 2001

 

“A Second Look at Apprendi Options,” published sub nom “Jury instructions alleviate need for ‘Apprendi’ law,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, November 8, 2000, p. 5.]

 

“Being Free to Speak and Speaking Freely,” Ted Honderich, ed., Social Ends and Political Means, London: Rutledge & Kegan Paul, 1976. [Analysis of issues in free speech and democratic participation]

 

“The Intelligibility of Practical Reasoning,” American Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 1 (January 1975). [Critical analysis of attempts to describe the logical form of means-ends reasoning.]

 

Stephen lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife Carol, five cats: Thales, Blanch Josephine, Zoe, Lillie (the youngest), one dog, Zackar.