Practice News

The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States magistrate judge for the Central District of Illinois at Springfield. The annual salary is $223,836. The eight-year term begins upon appointment. A court’s essential function is to dispense justice. A community’s belief that a court dispenses justice is heightened when the court reflects the community’s racial, ethnic, and gender diversity.

By Andrew Sharp, Esq.

"You've always had the power, my dear. You've had it all along" - Glinda, the Good Witch (Wizard of Oz)

"The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know."  - Albert Einstein

“Yeah, Al, but you know more than me!” - Apocryphal

Many attorneys shy away from pro bono work, not because they lack interest, but because they feel they don't have enough expertise (or time to gain the requisite knowledge) to truly make a difference. 

Justice Mary K. O’Brien and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced that Christina Soohee Kye has been appointed as a Circuit Judge in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Fourth Subcircuit. 

Ms. Kye is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Karen M. Wilson. Ms. Kye’s appointment is effective December 16, 2024, and will expire on Dec. 7, 2026. 

As part of continuing its mission to capture accurate and consistent court data from all 102 counties, the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of a Data Task Force (Task Force). Data is crucial to state courts for effective case management, court performance, allocating resources efficiently, making informed decisions, understanding the communities the courts serve, and maintaining public trust through transparency and accountability.