Can a parent inherit from a stillborn child?By Helen W. GunnarssonDecember 2003Lawpulse, Page 594A fascinating, if perplexing, Illinois Supreme Court opinion seems to say that a fetus can have an estate for inheritance purposes.
Interrogatories: the numbers gameBy Helen W. GunnarssonDecember 2003Lawpulse, Page 594What if you're presented by an opponent with too many interrogatories, or what if you want to exceed the limits yourself? Here are some ideas.
Jury instruction revisions now on the WebBy Helen W. GunnarssonDecember 2003Lawpulse, Page 594You'll find revisions to IPI instructions on the supreme court's Web site before they appear in hard copy.
Counseling gay couplesBy Helen W. GunnarssonNovember 2003Lawpulse, Page 544While the issues that arise in gay relationships are familiar, the legal framework is different. It's a difference that family practitioners and estate planners should learn to navigate.
Making UIM arbitration awards binding in more casesBy Helen W. GunnarssonNovember 2003Lawpulse, Page 544Effective January 1, an ISBA-backed bill more than doubles the statutory limits on binding arbitration awards in UIM cases, reducing the incentive for insurers to reject them.
Return of the Petrillo doctrine for hospital defendantsBy Helen W. GunnarssonNovember 2003Lawpulse, Page 544Beginning next year, a new law will once again ban ex parte conversations between a hospital's lawyers and a plaintiff's treating physicians.
The Structured Settlement Protection Act helps judges say "no"By Helen W. GunnarssonNovember 2003Lawpulse, Page 544Some damage-award recipients don't act wisely when trading in their structured settlements for lump-sum payouts. A new law helps courts say "no" to bad deals.
Breathing new life into forum non conveniens?By Helen W. GunnarssonOctober 2003Lawpulse, Page 486A new supreme court case may signal a new willingness to police forum shopping, legal scholars say.
Business-law clean-up bill now on the booksBy Helen W. GunnarssonOctober 2003Lawpulse, Page 486The new Act reconciles inconsistencies, removes obsolete provisions, and makes compliance with the law easier.
Small firms, big casesBy Helen W. GunnarssonOctober 2003Lawpulse, Page 486How three lawyers from small-practice settings and different parts of Illinois teamed up to bring a high-stakes whistleblower lawsuit.
Hospitals potentially liable even if doctor takes the blameBy Helen W. GunnarssonSeptember 2003Lawpulse, Page 430The supreme court recently affirmed a med-mal plaintiff's right to proceed against a hospital even where the physician falls on his sword.
MJP: it's not just a large-firm issueBy Helen W. GunnarssonSeptember 2003Lawpulse, Page 430Do any of your clients winter in Florida? Do you do legal work with your laptop and cell phone while on vacation out of state? Find out what ISBA has done to promote clearer rules defining the dos and don'ts of multijurisdictional practice.
Will Ozik inspire more p.i. settlements?By Helen W. GunnarssonSeptember 2003Lawpulse, Page 430According to plaintiffs' lawyers, a recent appellate court ruling means that more defendants will be found jointly, rather than just severally, liable. And that could make them more willing to settle.
Assessing reassessmentsBy Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2003Lawpulse, Page 374Appellate court precedent makes it difficult for assessors to change the valuation of property more often than once every four years. But what are the limits on assessors' authority to "revise and correct"?
Guardian ad litem 101By Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2003Lawpulse, Page 374Veteran ISBA members offer advice to lawyers who find themselves appointed as guardian ad litem for disabled respondents.
Illinois says "no" to estate-tax eliminationBy Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2003Lawpulse, Page 374The feds are phasing out the estate tax, but beginning this year cash-strapped Illinois will no longer cap its estate tax at the federal maximum.
The perils of POA agencyBy Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2003Lawpulse, Page 374Serving as agent under a durable power of attorney for property is a good deed that, too often, does not go unpunished.
Workin' overtimeBy Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2003Lawpulse, Page 374Proposed federal regs would redefine exemptions from overtime laws, particularly for managerial employees.
Bankrupt employees; no firing after filing?By Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2003Lawpulse, Page 326Employers may not "discriminat[e] or retaliat[e] against" employees who have filed for bankruptcy. But what does that mean?
Child custody: Easing the way for out-of-state removalBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2003Lawpulse, Page 326The supreme court rules that a divorced parent can move a child outside of Illinois without showing a direct benefit to the child from the relocation.
For whom the statute tollsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2003Lawpulse, Page 326When does a statute of limitations begin to run for a cause of action held by a deceased minor? Surprisingly, Illinois courts of review have never answered the question.
Honor thy POABy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2003Lawpulse, Page 326What can you do when a bank refuses to honor a duly executed POA for property? Here are some suggestions.
Murphy's Law: A judge says "no" to UPLBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2003Lawpulse, Page 326An Illinois-based federal district judge takes a bold stand against UPL, and the seventh circuit affirms.
