Arguably one of the most significant developments in recent Illinois criminal justice reform was Public Act 100-284. Signed into law on Aug. 24, 2017, this amendment to the Illinois Criminal Identification Act (ICIA) enacted among the nation’s broadest sealing and expungement reforms to date. As a result of the ICIA (one might also add the automatic expungement provisions included in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act signed into law this summer), there has never been a better time to file an expungement or sealing petition in Illinois. But clients seeking to take advantage of criminal record reforms are going to have questions—lots of them. You’ll need answers. In his September 2019 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Make It Go Away,” criminal-defense attorney Paul Meyers examines typical questions and concerns clients have when pursuing relief under the ICIA.
Practice News
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September 3, 2019 |
Practice News
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August 28, 2019 |
Practice News
Attorney Marie Sarantakis discusses the five things every attorney should know about handling a divorce, which include being familiar with the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, focusing on the facts of your case, familiarizing yourself with your county’s rules, being aware of a judge’s preferences, and knowing your clients.
1 comment (Most recent August 30, 2019) -
August 26, 2019 |
Practice News
“I’ve spent most of my 55 years thinking of myself as an undercover introvert,” writes Karen Erger in her Your Life’s Work column in the August 2019 Illinois Bar Journal. “I love what I do, and my work puts me behind a podium and face-to-face with strangers all the time. But I don’t enjoy or seek out those activities for their own sake, and my idea of a great day (at work, anyway) is one spent alone in my office reading, writing, and delving so deeply into my projects that I lose track of time.” In her column, Erger reflects on life as an introverted lawyer, coming to peace with that, and how she refuses to let it get the best of her.
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August 23, 2019 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has issued a request for proposals (RFP) from all judicial circuits in Illinois for self-represented litigant (SRL) coordinators.
SRL coordinators are intended as a bridge, linking their courthouses with others throughout the state to share ideas, develop new resources, and establish programs for assisting SRLs. Monetary grants will be awarded to a limited number of judicial circuits to support the work and programs of the coordinator. Even if a grant is not awarded, the designated coordinator may participate in the SRL coordinator program.
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August 21, 2019 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court will leave the Illinois Supreme Court Building in Springfield behind for a day to hear oral arguments at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases starting at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the Hatheway Cultural Center, located at 5800 Godfrey Rd, Godfrey.
The upcoming arguments at Lewis & Clark Community College will be the Court’s first road trip since March 15, 2018, when arguments were heard at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
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August 20, 2019 |
Practice News
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.
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August 20, 2019 |
Practice News
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.
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August 19, 2019 |
Practice News
eFileIL will be unavailable for filing Sunday, Aug. 25, beginning at 6 a.m. for scheduled maintenance. It is anticipated that this maintenance activity to take four hours to complete.
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August 19, 2019 |
Practice News
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.
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August 14, 2019 |
Practice News
The Illinois Lawyers' Assistance Program (LAP) is seeking a project and event manager.
Qualifications:
- Masters, or JD preferred.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook (mail merges).
- Knowledge of management platforms (Eventbrite, MailChimp).