Practice News

As Charles N. Insler observes in his March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Appellate Practice in Motion,” motion practice is not just for the trial courts. Persuasive motions can be filed in the Illinois Appellate Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. And these are not motions for an extension of time, Insler notes. Rather, these are motions to dismiss, to strike, to supplement, or to consolidate. Such critical motions can help to frame or outright win your appeal.

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) is charged with promoting accessible, responsive, fair, inclusive, safe, unbiased, and welcoming courts. To help achieve this vision, the ATJ Commission created the Community Trust and Disability Access Committees, both of which are seeking applications for new volunteer members from Illinois who would like to contribute to these efforts.

If approved, members are expected to serve three-year, renewable terms and are expected to prepare for, attend, and contribute to monthly Committee meetings.

The Illinois Supreme Court issued attorney disciplinary orders during its March 2026 Term of Court. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

In his March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Don’t SLAPP the Messenger,” Bryan G. Lesser explores why the General Assembly amended the Illinois Citizens Participation Act to expressly cover the freedom of the press. The amendment, effective Jan. 1, 2026, aims to protect the First Amendment and deter politically-motivated lawsuits in Illinois courts, such as some strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). Lesser considers how the amendment could shape future litigation and assesses strategies for both plaintiffs and defendants in SLAPP cases.