Under the leadership of Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride, the Illinois Supreme Court established the Access to Justice Commission in June 2012 with the goal of removing barriers and increasing the ease of interacting with courts by persons who can’t afford lawyers to represent their interests and needs.
Illinois Supreme Court
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August 16, 2013 |
Practice News
1 comment (Most recent August 16, 2013)
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August 5, 2013 |
Practice News
Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride announced Monday that Lake County will participate in the pilot project that allows attorneys, parties and appellate justices to view, access, and work electronically from the official record of cases on appeal in the Second Judicial District.
The Order is effective immediately and allows the electronic transfer of the official record of cases on appeal filed after October 1, 2013 in Lake County.
"Lake County is the Second Judicial District's most populous county; the appeals process will be greatly streamlined with the trial record being filed electronically," Chief Justice Kilbride said. "Since the project's launch in 2011, cost savings and greater efficiencies in the Illinois court system have been demonstrated through the increased use of technology.
"The Court is grateful for the continued cooperation between the courts and the circuit clerks in this endeavor."
Since he became Chief Justice in October 2010, Justice Kilbride has pledged to make the Illinois courts more user friendly by implementing improvements in technology. Since then, the Supreme Court has opened avenues for e-filing, creating a special E-Business Committee in June 2011; announcing statewide standards and new and amended Supreme Court rules that will allow all courts in Illinois to begin electronic filing of civil cases in October 2012; and greatly expanding the pilot project that allows the e-filing of the trial record in the Appellate courts. -
August 1, 2013 |
Practice News
Gruszeczka v. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission
By Karen Kies DeGrand, Donohue Brown Mathewson & Smyth LLC
As the Illinois Supreme Court moves the state toward electronic filing, here the court implicitly acknowledged the continuing relevance of the “mailbox rule.” The issue arose in the context of obtaining circuit court review of a decision of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. The supreme court interpreted section 19(f)(1) of the statute and held that mailing the requisite documents commences circuit court review and satisfies the strict statutory compliance needed to vest subject matter jurisdiction in the circuit court. See Workers’ Compensation Act, 820 ILCS 305/19(f)(1) (West 2008). Thus, mailing the documents within 20 days, rather than obtaining file-stamped documents by the clerk within that time frame, “commenced” the action under the statute.
3 comments (Most recent August 2, 2013) -
July 31, 2013 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has adopted procedures for lawyers engaging in limited-scope representation on behalf of clients who choose not to, or can't afford to, hire legal counsel for all aspects of a case.
Effective July 1, amended Rules 11, 13, and 137 allow lawyers to file "limited scope" appearances and represent clients for part, but not all, of a civil lawsuit or transaction.
The new rules also address "ghost-writing" by lawyers who assist clients in drafting or reviewing documents without actually signing the document or appearing in court. Find out more in the August IBJ.
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July 1, 2013 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday that it has amended rules that would expand mediation for child custody cases to include requests by a custodial parent to move a minor child to another state.
Mediation programs for child custody and visitation cases have been a requirement for each judicial circuit in Illinois through Supreme Court Rule 905.
1 comment (Most recent July 2, 2013) -
June 28, 2013 |
Practice News
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138, amended to protect against identity theft and the disclosure of sensitive information through electronic filing, goes into effect Monday, July 1 with two of its provisions being deferred.
A requirement that birth dates and the names of minor individuals be excluded from documents in civil cases has been deferred until Jan. 1, 2014. The delay will allow attorneys and state agencies that handle high volumes of affected cases additional time to adapt to the new requirements. In the interim, the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committeee will schedule a public hearing on the deferred provisions.
In response to additional inquiries from judges, practitioners, clerks and other court partners, the following clarifications are offered:
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June 25, 2013 |
People
John L. Nickels was raised on a dairy farm in rural Illinois, started his education in a one-room country schoolhouse at the age of four and rose to become a Justice on the Illinois Supreme Court.
Justice Nickels passed away in the company of his family on Monday after a long illness. He had served on Illinois’ highest court from December 1992 to his retirement in December 1998, earning a reputation as a quiet, private man but one who was unafraid to express his fidelity to fundamental beliefs and to call out publicly those he felt had abused their trust. Justice Nickels was 82.
"He was a gentle and most hospitable man," Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride said. "He carried a wealth of compassion and internal resolve to bring out the best in all of us -- to be respectful professionals. He was a real role model and epitomized that it was quite acceptable 'to agree to disagree.' "
1 comment (Most recent June 28, 2013) -
June 18, 2013 |
Practice News
Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced Tuesday several important new measures to improve equal access to justice for all of the people of Illinois, and especially for the poor and vulnerable.
1 comment (Most recent June 21, 2013) -
June 14, 2013 |
Practice News
Move is expected to lower fee costs for clients of limited means
Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride announced Friday that the Illinois Supreme Court has approved a proposal designed to lessen the legal costs in civil cases for clients of limited means.
The proposal deals with a concept known as "limited scope representation" which more than 20 other states also permit. Limited scope representation allows attorneys to provide paid legal services on a portion of a client's legal matter, rather than seeing it through from beginning to end. By providing services, specifically limited by agreement between the lawyer and the client, total legal fees should be more affordable for the client.
The proposal, first made several years ago by the Lawyers Trust Fund, is contained in amendments to three Supreme Court rules. It had the formal support of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association, who formed a joint task force to study the matter in detail.
2 comments (Most recent June 17, 2013) -
June 10, 2013 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court issued an amended Rule 138 on June 3. Check out the changes at http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Rules/Amend/2013/060313.pdf
1 comment (Most recent June 13, 2013)