ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers Consumer Fraud and attorney's fees (House Bill 1447), Qualifications for being a judge in Cook County (Senate Joint Resolution for Constitutional Amendment 7), Custodial interrogations (Senate Bill 1332), Identification by lineups and photo spreads (Senate Bill 1333), Statute of limitations and sex offenses (Senate Bill 1399) and Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (House Bill 1452). More information on the bill is available below the video.
Practice News
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February 7, 2013 |
Practice News
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February 6, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm is a 14 attorney firm in central Iowa. We have one office in Des Moines and have been considering opening an office in another city. We represent business organizations and very few individual clients. I would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.
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January 31, 2013 |
Practice News
The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has posted a notice that there are five vacancies in the office of associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Applications are being accepted for these vacancies, as well as additional vacancies which may occur during the nomination process, the will be filled by vote of the Circuit Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Any attorney who is a U.S. citizen, a resident of Cook County and licensed to practice law in Illinois may apply by completing two signed originals of the application prescribed by the Director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts to the address below:
- Michael J. Tardy, Director
- Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
- 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor
- Chicago, Illinois 60601
Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2013. An application can be obtained from the Offices of the Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 50 W. Washington, Room 2600, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, IL 60602. Applications may also be obtained from the Illinois Supreme Court's website at http://www.state.il.us/court/Administrative/Forms/Assoc_Judge/default.asp.
Applications may not be submitted electronically or via facsimile. At the close of the application process, the Director shall certify to the Chief Judge a list of those applications who have timely filed and provide a copy of those applications.
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January 31, 2013 |
Practice News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers IMDMA and temporary relief (House Bill 1004), Integrative Family Therapy (House Bill 1018), Family law and false allegations of child abuse or neglect (House Bill 1019), Child support and payor’s fee (House Bill 1041), Income-withholding notices (Senate Bill 1169) and Uniform Collaborative Law (House Bill 1029). More information on the bill is available below the video.
IMDMA and temporary relief. House Bill 1004 (Pritchard, R-DeKalb) allows party to request and the court to grant temporary relief that includes the following: (1) require a party to surrender to the court or the petitioner's attorney any United States or foreign passport issued in the name of a child; (2) require a party to place the name of a child in the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program of the United States Department of State; or (3) enjoin a party from applying on behalf of a child for a new or replacement passport or visa. Recently introduced.
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January 30, 2013 |
Practice News
President John E. Thies discusses the ISBA's Special Committee on Law School Debt. The committee recently completed the final of five hearings held around the state. The group heard testimony on the significance of law school debt on the long term delivery of legal services and found the impact of this crisis is being felt far and wide.
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January 30, 2013 |
Events | Practice News
The ISBA Senior Lawyers Section and the ABA Retirement Funds Program will co-host a program titled "Retirement Readiness" on March 6 from noon-1:30 p.m. at the ISBA's Chicago Regional Office.
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January 30, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am sole owner of a law firm in Western Kentucky. My practice consists of myself, a legal assistant, a part-time bookkeeper, and a part-time contract attorney. The practice is limited to employment law - both plaintiff and defense side. Approximately 80% of my business is contingency fee and 20% is time-billed and or retainer. While the practice has done OK over the past 15 or so years, worrying about paying bills (cash flow) is a constant source of stress for me and my family. I do no marketing - all of my business comes from lawyer referrals. Do you have any suggestions?
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January 25, 2013 |
Practice News
Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Friday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Poris v. Lake Holiday Property Owners Association and Bjork v. O'Meara and the criminal case People v. English.
CIVIL
Poris v. Lake Holiday Property Owners Association
By Jay Wiegman, Office of the State Appellate Defender
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January 24, 2013 |
Practice News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act (Senate Bill 110), Bail bonds and release (House Bill 130), Driver’s licenses and child support (House Bill 128) and Transfer on Death Instruments (TODI) (House Bill 169). More information on the bill is available below the video.
(1) The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. Senate Bill 110 (Steans, D-Chicago) creates the Religious Freedom and Marriage Act that recognizes civil marriages between persons of the same sex. Just introduced. House Bill 110 (Harris, D-Chicago) is an identical bill.
(2) Bail bonds and release. House Bill 130 (Monique Davis, D-Chicago. If a first-time offender is charged with a non-violent offense, it requires the court to order the defendant released on his or her own recognizance unless the court makes a specific finding that a cash bond is necessary to secure the defendant’s appearance. The court may, in addition to any other conditions, order as a condition of release that the defendant be monitored under electronic surveillance. Just introduced.
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January 24, 2013 |
Practice News
One year ago today, Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride announced that the Illinois Supreme Court approved a pilot project that would allow news cameras and electronic news recordings in Illinois trial courtrooms for the first time ever.
During that time, 25 counties in nine judicial circuits across Illinois have participated in the pilot program, opening the trial courtrooms to news photographers and electronic news media to cover cases.