McDonough County is accepting applications for the position of public defender.

All applicants must provide proof of a valid Illinois law license, be in good standing with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, and have prior criminal law experience. The successful applicant must be willing to reside in McDonough County. 

Drew T. Erwin has been appointed at-large circuit judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit. 

Erwin is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mark A. Drummond on Aug. 5. The appointment takes effect on Sept. 6 and will conclude on Dec. 7, 2020, when the vacancy will be filled by the winner of the November 2020 general election. 

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is asking attorneys to take part in a practice analysis survey, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.  

The survey is designed to collect information about the work that newly licensed lawyers perform; the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to competently perform that work; and the technology used in law practice.

Hudson and subsequent caselaw is clear: If a plaintiff voluntarily dismisses a lawsuit after one count of a multicount complaint is dismissed with prejudice under either section 2-619 or section 2-1005 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure, any refiling will be barred by res judicata and the rule against claim-splitting (barring an exception). In his August 2019 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Don’t Overlook Hudson,” Adam T. Ernette, an associate at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP in Chicago, uses Hudson v. City of Chicago as a starting point for a state-of-the-law analysis regarding res judicata and the rule against claim-splitting for attorneys considering taking a voluntary dismissal.