2003 Articles

Residential treatment program created for female offenders P.A. 92-0806

April
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 168
Recent amendments to the Unified Code of Corrections, 730 ILCS 5/5 et seq., establish residential drug treatment programs for certain female offenders.

Responsibility Imposed for Drug and Alcohol Impairment of Minors P.A. 93-0588

November
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 550
Effective January 1, 2004, any person over the age of 18 who supplies alcohol or illegal drugs to a minor will be liable for any death or injuries to people or property caused by the drug or alcohol impairment of that minor.

Retaliatory discharge protection extends to employees testifying in other employees’ workers’ compensation actions; scope of employment approach proper test for hearsay

June
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 280
On March 25, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, reversed and remanded the order of the circuit court of Cook County granting summary judgment for the defendant corporation.

Return of the Petrillo doctrine for hospital defendants

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2003
LawPulse
, Page 544
Beginning next year, a new law will once again ban ex parte conversations between a hospital's lawyers and a plaintiff's treating physicians.

Rule 23 proposals headed soon to the supreme court

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2003
LawPulse
, Page 8
An ISBA committee prepares to forward proposals to the Illinois Supreme Court for changing the rule that governs unpublished opinions.

Rules adopted to prevent spread of chronic wasting disease

March
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 116
On December 27, 2002, the Department of Natural Resources (department) adopted amendments adding new sections to its rules regulating wildlife conservation measures and practices and the spreading of disease. 17 Ill Adm Code 635.

Rules for aiding alleged survivors of sexual assault amended

April
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 168
On January 15, 2003, the Department of Public Health (department) adopted amendments, regarding new rules regulating emergency hospital service to be provided to all alleged sexual assault survivors.

Rules in Place for Vouchers on Riverboats

December
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 600
The Illinois Gaming Board recently adopted significant amendments to 86 Ill. Adm. Code 3000, providing the regulatory framework for the implementation of voucher payment systems in Illinois riverboat gambling facilities.

Sale of a Law Practice: Out of the Shadows and into the Rules

By John H. Maville
June
2003
Article
, Page 292
A look at the ISBA's proposed transfer-of-practice rule.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: How Will it Affect D&O Insurance Coverage?

By Steven R. Smith
March
2003
Article
, Page 128
A review of the D&O insurance-policy terms likely to come up in litigation under the Act.

Sarbanes-Oxley and document retention

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
April
2003
LawPulse
, Page 162
Do the new requirements governing retention, destruction and alteration of financial records apply to e-mail and other electronic documents? It's better to be safe than sorry.

School legal drug policy prohibits disciplinary action for refusal of psychostimulants P.A. 92-0663

January
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
Effective January 1, 2003, Illinois school boards will be required to adopt and implement a policy that prohibits any disciplinary action that is based totally or in part on the refusal of a student's parent or guardian to administer or consent to the administration of psychotropic or psychostimulant medication to the student.

The “Science” of Citation Analysis

By Paul D. Callister
September
2003
Column
, Page 473
Is legal research a science grounded in precise measurements or is it an art based on subjective editorial judgments? And does it matter?

Search and Seizure of E-Evidence in Illinois: Cybercrime and the Internet Frontier

By Rachel J. Hess
July
2003
Article
, Page 344
A review of the search-and-seizure issues that arise in the investigation of Internet crimes.

Secretary of state tightens vehicle interlock regulations

June
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 280
The Illinois Secretary of State's Office recently adopted amendments to 92 Ill Adm Code 1001.

Section 11-20.1(f) of Illinois child pornography statute, including virtual children within the definition of “child,” unconstitutionally overbroad; sexually explicit computer depictions of actual children still validly prohibited under statute

August
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 384
On May 22, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that section 11-20.1(f) of the Illinois child pornography statute, 720 ILCS 5/11.20.1(f) (2001).

Section 2-6.5 of Probate Act requires trial court to first find that parent satisfies one criteria for misconduct and then determine what effect that misconduct had before reducing parent’s interest in child’s estate

January
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
On October 15, 2002, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, reversed in part and reversed and remanded in part the order of the circuit court of Cook County entering an adjudication of parental neglect pursuant to section 2-6.5 of the Probate Act.

Section 6-16(c) of Illinois Liquor Control Act of 1934, which subjects individual to criminal liability for allowing persons under 21 to leave his or her residence after consuming alcohol, is unconstitutionally vague on its face

March
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 116
On December 5, 2002, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court and held that section 6-16(c) of the Liquor Control Act of 1934, 235 ILCS 5/6-16(c), was unconstitutionally vague on its face.

Section 9-3(b) of Criminal Code of 1961 is unconstitutional because it creates mandatory presumption of recklessness

April
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 168
On January 24, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court, and held that section 9-3(b) of the Criminal Code of 1961, 720 ILCS 5/9-3(b).

Sentence in excess of maximum for involuntary manslaughter violates Apprendi, but subject to harmless error analysis where uncontradicted evidence in support of sentencing enhancement

May
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 226
On February 6, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the sentencing court's imposition of an enhanced sentence for involuntary manslaughter based on a judicial finding was harmless error.

Should Criminal Defendants be Required to Produce Handwriting Exemplars?

By David G. Duggan
February
2003
Article
, Page 86
No, this author says.

Small firms, big cases

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2003
LawPulse
, Page 486
How three lawyers from small-practice settings and different parts of Illinois teamed up to bring a high-stakes whistleblower lawsuit.

Small juries are beautiful

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
March
2003
LawPulse
, Page 110
Six-person juries are easier to pick, more responsive to case themes, and more likely to reach a unanimous verdict, some criminal defense lawyers say.

Standards for nursing applicants and nursing curricula amended

February
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 62
On November 18, 2002, the Department of Professional Regulation (department) amended its regulations relating to qualifications and application procedures for professional nurses and professional nursing curricula in title 68 of the Illinois Administrative Code.

State does not have the burden to prove probable cause to arrest in order to establish that a defendant is in “lawful custody” for the purpose of proving felony escape

December
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 600
On September 19, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, affirmed the defendant's conviction for escape in the circuit court of Stephenson County.

State Lawsuit Immunity Act opens Illinois to lawsuits from state employees

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2003
LawPulse
, Page 486
The new law, which allows state employees to bring race, age, and other discrimination suits, has claimants' lawyers cheering.

The State may not discriminately select when to grant use immunity when doing so would prevent the defendant from fully and meaningfully presenting his defense

October
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 492
On July 11, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Third District, vacated the order of the Circuit Court of LaSalle County denying the defendant's motion to suppress evidence.

State must provide evidence of serious extent and nature of injury received by victim to meet burden of proof for aggravated battery

April
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 168
On January 10, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, modified the order of the circuit court of Cook County finding the minor delinquent of aggravated battery and remanded the cause for resentencing consistent with the adjudication.

State police amend procedures under Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act

September
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 436
The Department of Illinois State Police has adopted amendments that affect the issuance of firearm owner's identification cards and clarify the definition of an "antique firearm."

State violated Speedy Trial Act; delays attributable to defendant on contributing charge not attributable to defendant on murder charge filed 168 days later

June
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 280
On April 3, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court concluded that defendant Williams was deprived of a fair trial based on plain error.