Boyd laid down the law on spoliationBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2002Lawpulse, Page 338Want to learn the law governing destruction of evidence in Illinois? Start with this 1995 Illinois Supreme Court decision.
Future injuries; the high court charts a new courseBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2002Lawpulse, Page 338When the Illinois Supreme Court held that plaintiffs can be compensated for the risk of future injury, it departed from precedent and followed the trend.
Perspectives on death-penalty reformBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2002Lawpulse, Page 338A prosecutor and criminal defense attorney react to the recommendations of Governor Ryan's Commission on Capital Punishment.
Uncle Sam sidesteps tenancy-by-the-entirety restrictionsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2002Lawpulse, Page 338A recent U.S. Supreme Court case holds that tax liens against one spouse attach to property held in tenancy by the entirety by both spouses, putting the IRS in a better position than other creditors.
...and to secretary of state's officeBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2002Lawpulse, Page 282You can now file articles of incorporation by fax, with more soon to come.
New 7CA limits on arbitration agreementsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2002Lawpulse, Page 282Employer-employee arbitration agreements that require each party to pay its own attorney fees in civil rights and sexual harassment cases are unenforceable, the seventh circuit rules.
The supreme court does a retake on quick-takeBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2002Lawpulse, Page 282The Illinois Supreme Court has limited the power of governments to acquire property and transfer it to private owners.
The ABCs of the ADABy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2002Lawpulse, Page 226Every lawyer should know something about this far-reaching statute.
Rule 213 changes take effect July 1By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2002Lawpulse, Page 226Litigators from both the plaintiffs' and defense bar like the amended rule's new three-class system for opinion witnesses: lay, independent expert, and controlled expert.
A sizzling Rice soup for public officials?By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2002Lawpulse, Page 226Public bodies violate the Open Meetings Act by acting on items that didn't appear on the agenda, the fourth district ruled recently in Rice v Board of Trustees.
An even brighter start for college saversBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2002Lawpulse, Page 168Beginning last January 1, section 529 college savings plans allow contributions to grow tax-free.
A new law makes tenancy by the entirety easierBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2002Lawpulse, Page 168Thanks to recent legislation, lawyers can create this under-appreciated form of ownership for their married clients without expressly stating in the deed that the parties are husband and wife.
No honor in "redskins," says Native American bar groupBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2002Lawpulse, Page 168"Redskins" is hate speech and not fit for use as a sports mascot, according to the Illinois Native American Bar Association.
Nonprofit hospitals not "public entities" under the Tort Immunity ActBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2002Lawpulse, Page 168According to a recent Illinois Supreme Court ruling, most nonprofit hospitals are not immune from liability under the Tort Immunity Act, and plaintiffs have two years, not one, to bring malpractice suits against them.
IRPTA; goodbye and good riddanceBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2002Lawpulse, Page 114Real estate lawyers applaud the demise of the Illinois Responsible Property Transfer Act, which they say produced useless paperwork and little else.
Making mediation workBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2002Lawpulse, Page 114Experienced lawyer-mediators offer tips for getting the most out of this increasingly popular alternative to litigation.
Prenups help couples put their cards on the tableBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2002Lawpulse, Page 114Even though courts have broad discretion to ignore prenuptial agreements, couples can benefit from the process of creating them, a family practitioner says.
Probate Court Report #1: Protect children of divorce before probateBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2002Lawpulse, Page 114Take steps during the divorce to protect ex-spouses/children after their ex-partner/parent's death, or they might get no higher priority in probate court than magazine subscriptions and utility bills.
Probate Court Report #2: Take care with heirshipBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2002Lawpulse, Page 114Do a little probate work? Then take heed: failing to properly prepare an affidavit of heirship can lead to embarrassment or worse if the will falls through.
All in the FamilyBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2002Lawpulse, Page 62Perhaps your family-owned-business clients can take advantage of this special estate-tax exclusion.
New Legislation: Real-Estate RoundupBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2002Lawpulse, Page 62Real estate; they're not making any more of it. But that doesn't mean they aren't passing new real-estate-related laws.
A New, Improved Rule 213?By Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2002Lawpulse, Page 62Rule 213, introduced a few years ago to solve problems caused by old Rule 220, is causing problems of its own. The Supreme Court Rules Committee has proposed another fix for the rule governing admission of opinion testimony.
Avoiding settlement surprisesBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2002Lawpulse, Page 10What do you do to keep a settlement from unraveling? And what do you do when it unravels despite your best efforts? Seasoned negotiators offer advice.
Can we talk (to the other side's employees)?By Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2002Lawpulse, Page 10If you're suing a company that's represented by counsel, when can you talk directly to its employees?
