Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald announced Friday that Gov. Pat Quinn has restored $20 million to the Supreme Court’s current budget to help fund probation services throughout the state.
The governor responded to an appeal by the Chief Justice for the second year in a row to add funds for probationary services to remain a viable component of public safety.
For Fiscal Year 2011, the legislature appropriated $36.4 million to the Supreme Court for grants and awards, including probation services. That is the same amount it appropriated last year, and less than half of what had been appropriated for probation services in 2002.
In a letter to the governor last month asking to increase funds under the governor’s statutory budget authority, the Chief Justice noted that even with the additional funds last year 90 probation officer jobs throughout the state were eliminated because of a shortfall of funding.
“I am compelled to once again write, with an even more heightened sense of urgency and concern for probation’s continued viability and capacity to promote public safety,” the Chief Justice said in a letter to the governor dated July 7, 2010. “Absent an additional allocation of funds in Fiscal Year 2011, there will be a compounded and an accelerated deterioration in probation services. This predictable sequence will begin with a loss of probation officer jobs and the attendant increase in caseload size, reductions in both frequency and quality of offender supervision, and heightened threats to public safety.”
Illinois Supreme Court
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August 6, 2010 |
Practice News
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July 30, 2010 |
Practice News
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman announced Friday the formation of a judicial screening committee to help fill a vacancy in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Justice Garman established the screening committee to assess the qualifications of those persons who have applied for appointment to the Circuit Court vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Thomas Appleton to the Fourth District Appellate Court in June. Under the Illinois Constitution, the vacancy will be filled by Supreme Court appointment. After the committee has received public input, gathered information and interviewed each of the applicants, it will report its findings to Justice Garman, who will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court from among those applicants submitting their credentials to the committee. The person appointed will serve until the General Election to be held in November 2012.
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July 26, 2010 |
Practice News
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts announced today that John M. Madonia, received a majority of the votes cast by the circuit judges in the Seventh Judicial Circuit and is declared to be appointed to the office of associate judge. Mr. Madonia received his undergraduate degree in 1994 from the University of Illinois in Urbana, and his Juris Doctor in 1997 from the University of Illinois in Urbana. Mr. Madonia is currently engaged in solo practice in Springfield, Illinois.
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July 26, 2010 |
Practice News
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts announced Monday that the Fifth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Derek J. Girton and Karen E. Wall as associate judges of the Fifth Judicial Circuit. Mr. Girton received his undergraduate degree in 1988 from Pennsylvania State University in University Park, and his Juris Doctor in 1993 from Ohio Northern University in Ada. Mr. Girton has been affiliated with Acton & Sndyer, LLP in Danville. Ms. Wall received her undergraduate degree in 1994 from Illinois State University in Normal, and her Juris Doctor in 1997 from John Marshall Law in Chicago. Ms. Wall has been affiliated with Spiros & Wall, P.C. in Danville.
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July 20, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has recalled retired Associate Judge Charles J. Gramlich effective August 2, 2010, to hold court in the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit through September 30, 2010.
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July 19, 2010 |
Practice News
The Rules Committee of the Illinois Supreme Court will hear comments at a public hearing on Wednesday, July 28 on three proposals dealing with discovery issues in civil cases. The hearing is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m., 160N. LaSalle Street, Room C-500 in Chicago. One of the proposals would allow a party's discovery deposition to be used as evidence at trial in "extremely limited" circumstances at the discretion of the trial judge. The proposal would amend Rule 212 to allow as evidence a party's discovery deposition if the party deponent is unable to testify at trial because of death or infirmity and the judge finds" such evidence will do substantial justice."
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July 14, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday appointed Associate Judge Richard A. Brown to fill the Circuit Court vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William A. Schuwerk Jr. The appointment is effective Wednesday, July 14. Judge Brown is a lifelong resident of Randolph County, served as the county’s public defender for 18 years, maintained a private law practice in the county for more than 25 years and has served as an associate judge since 2004. He has received excellent judicial advisory poll results conducted by the Illinois State Bar Association. Judge Brown is the only candidate seeking to succeed Judge Schuwerk, and will be unopposed on the November ballot. Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier made the recommendation to the full Court after Chief Judge C. John Baricevic of the 20th Circuit requested that the vacancy be filled before the election.
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July 1, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Robert G. Gibson as Circuit Judge in DuPage County. Gibson replaces the Hon. Perry R. Thompson, who is retiring. The appointment is effective Aug. 2 and terminates on Dec. 3, 2012.
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June 24, 2010 |
Practice News
CRIMINAL
People v. Boeckmann
By Kerry J. Bryson, Office of the State Appellate Defender These consolidated cases involved a constitutional challenge to Section 6-206(a)(43) of the Illinois Vehicle Code, the statutory provision which requires suspension of driving privileges for 90 days for any person receiving court supervision for unlawful consumption of alcohol under 21 years of age. The circuit court held that the statute, as applied, violated due process because a vehicle was not involved in the commission of the offense. The Supreme Court disagreed. The purpose of 6-206(a)(43) is to "promote the safe and legal operation and ownership of motor vehicles." Suspension of driving privileges bears a rational relationship to that purpose because "young people who have a driver's license and consume alcohol illegally may also drive after consuming alcohol regardless of whether a motor vehicle is involved." And, the suspension of driving privileges is a reasonable method of furthering the public interest in safe and legal operation of motor vehicles, despite the absence of a vehicle or any plan to drive. So, for persons under 21, it doesn't matter if a vehicle is involved in the commission of the offense of unlawful consumption of alcohol. It doesn't even matter if a person under 21 who commits the offense of unlawful consumption of alcohol contemplates driving or not. -
June 22, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Brendan A. Maher as Circuit Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit, Third Subcircuit, Judgeship A. This appointment is effective Aug. 2, 2010 and terminates on Dec. 3, 2012.