Judge George Leighton’s burial at Arlington set for November 5

It’s official . . .

The man was a giant among men.

The burial date of the late, great Chicago jurist and civil rights leader Judge George N. Leighton, whose final wish before he died this year at the age of 105 was to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, has been set for 3 p.m. November 5.

The service is open to all.

• Backstory: Leighton, a decorated World War II veteran; a stellar jurist and civil rights advocate, and the namesake of the Criminal Court Building, died on D-Day, June 6, before a decision was reached on permission for him to be buried at Arlington because of complicated burial requirements. (His cause was taken up by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and the Chicago City Council’s Veteran Caucus.)

• Extra special note: There will also be a Leighton memorial program at 4 p.m. Friday, October 5 in the Ceremonial Courtroom on the 25th floor of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, 219 N. Dearborn St. — done in conjunction with a federal-state judicial conference.