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Central Illinois

  • December 13, 2012 | People
    Mary Lee Leahy 1940-2012

    ISBA Laureate Mary Lee Leahy passed away Wednesday in Chicago. She was 72. Leahy was best known for winning the U.S. Supreme Court case Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois – which banned most political hiring. She passed away in her Chicago condominum following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

    Here is the bio from her 2001 Laureate induction: Two years after she graduated from law school in 1966, Mary Lee Leahy was principal attorney in the first of several landmark cases she has won in her distinguished career.

    Pickering versus Board of Education, argued in the U.S. Supreme Court, established the right of public employees to publicly criticize their employers.

    Perhaps her most familiar case – Rutan – was a class action decided in 1990 by the U.S. Supreme Court. It established the right of public employees to support or not to support a political party or candidate for public office without being denied promotion, transfer, recall from lay-off and employment due to a political patronage system. As the saying goes, "this changed everything."

  • December 6, 2012 | Practice News
    Comment sought on reappointment of federal magistrate judge Byron G. Cudmore

    The current term of office of the Honorable Byron G. Cudmore, incumbent United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of Illinois at Springfield, is due to expire August 31, 2013. The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of the magistrate judge to a new eight-year term.

  • November 28, 2012 | People
    Stanley B. Balbach Sr. 1919-2012

    ISBA Laureate and Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. founder Stanley B. Balbach, Sr., 92 of Savoy died November 12, 2012 at his Savoy home.

    Mr. Balbach was born December 26, 1919 in Normal, the son of Nyle Jacob and Gertrude (Cory) Balbach. He married Sarah T. Witherspoon on May 22, 1944 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and she survives. He is also survived by a son, Byron Balbach. (Jeanne) of Urbana, daughters, Nancy Fehr (Tom) of St. George, Utah, Barbara Balbach-Haines (Jack) of Champaign, Edith Balbach of Palm Springs, California, six grandchildren, two step grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, seven step great grandchildren and one step great-great grandchild. He is preceded in death by a son, Jacob.

  • November 27, 2012 | Practice News
    Broch appointed associate judge in 6th Circuit

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday that the Sixth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Richard L. Broch, Jr. as an associate judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

    Mr. Broch received his undergraduate degree in 1978 from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, and his Juris Doctor in 1981 from Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City. Mr. Broch is currently engaged in solo practice in Tuscola.  

  • November 14, 2012 | Practice News
    Vespa appointed Circuit Judge in 10th Circuit - Stark County

    The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed retired Judge Joe R. Vespa to be Resident Circuit Judge of Stark County. This fills a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Stuart P. Borden.This appointment is effective Dec. 3, 2012 and terminates on April 1, 2013.

  • November 7, 2012 | Practice News
    Results from Tuesday’s judicial elections for all circuits outside of Cook

    Here are the results for Tuesday's judicial elections for all circuits outside of Cook.

    View the 1st District results

  • November 2, 2012 | People
    John T. McCullough 1931-2012

    Justice John T. McCullough; fondly referred to as "The Judge", 81, of Lincoln, passed away at his home on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012.

    Born June 15, 1931 in Streator, he was the son of Mark and Margaret Manes McCullough, the youngest of four children. His family moved to Lincoln when he was 10 years old, where he remained in the town he loved.

  • October 23, 2012 | People
    Thomas E. Harrington Sr. 1931-2012

    Thomas E. Harrington Sr. passed away at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday (Aug. 8, 2012) at home in Champaign.

    Tom was born March 2, 1931, in Urbana, the son of Earl C. and Genevieve E. Harrington. He attended Holy Cross School and Champaign High School, graduating as a member of the 1949 class known as the 49er's. Tom loved athletics and lettered in golf, basketball and football in high school. He attended the University of Illinois, graduating in 1953 and was a member of varsity golf team from 1950 to 1953. He then graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law school in 1955.

    Tom married Andrea Gunn on Aug. 21, 1954, in Danville, and she survives. They raised four sons, Tom Harrington Jr. (Barb) of Champaign, Dan Harrington (Marianne) of Delray Beach, Fla., Tim Harrington (Kris) of Champaign and Steve Harrington (Lee) of Cocoa Beach, Fla. He is also survived by grandchildren, Elizabeth Wellman (Rob) of Indianapolis, Thomas E. Harrington III of Peoria, Patrick Harrington, Andrew (Emily) Harrington, Danielle (Ryan) Bender, Blakely Harrington, Richard Harrington, Jack Harrington, Joe Harrington, Genevieve Harrington, Kassie Jones and Kyler Jones, all of Champaign, and Amelia Harrington, Michael Harrington, Hannah Jane Harrington and Katherine Harrington, all of Cocoa Beach, Fla.

    Also surviving are brother and sister-in-law, Donald J. Porter and Peggy Porter of Urbana. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brother and sister-in-law, W. Kenneth Porter and Leta Porter, and sister, Sister Teresa Ann Harrington OSB.

  • October 22, 2012 | CLE
    CLE: Attorney Education in Child Custody and Visitation Matters in 2012 and Beyond

    This two-day program – which takes place in Champaign on November 1-2, 2012 – is designed as an update to the programs that were presented in 2006, 2008 and 2010 to help attorneys who represent children in Illinois courts fulfill the training requirements. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 906(c), attorneys should receive ten hours of education every two years in child development; roles of guardian ad litem and child representatives; ethics in child custody cases; relevant substantive state, federal, and case law in custody and visitation matters; and family dynamics, including substance abuse, domestic abuse, and mental health issues.

  • October 22, 2012 | People
    August B. Black 1915-2012

    August B. Black passed away on October 20, 2012. August (Augie) was born in Morris, Illinois on August 1, 1915, the son of Frank Black and Kate (Ryan) Black.

    Augie graduated from Morris High School in 1933. He attended St. Viator's College and graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1940. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1940. He served 51 months in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Special Military Intelligence Agent.

    Augie and his brother, John Black, formed the law partnership of Black & Black in 1947, and Black & Black has continued with sons George, Frank, Donald, Richard, James, and grandsons, Timothy and Bryan Black. Augie Black was elected State's Attorney of Grundy County in 1948. He was re-elected 3 times for 16 years of public service. He became President of the Illinois State's Attorney's Association.

    Augie married Marie Weber of Bellwood, Illinois on October 19, 1944. He is survived by Marie and their 9 children: George, Don, (Kathy), Frank, Jean, Ed, Linda, Jim (Marifran), Michael (Tricia), and Richard. Also surviving are his sister, Sister Lorraine Black, Sisters of The Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana; 11 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.