In his third of five installments on trial technique in the Illinois Bar Journal’s December issue, Gino DiVito dissects the essential tactics of a successful direct examination. “Except possibly for adverse-witness testimony, direct examination should simulate a friendly conversation,” DiVito writes. “After introductory information based on ‘who’ the witness is and ‘when’ and ‘where’ events occurred, witness questioning shifts to an open-ended question such as ‘what happened?’” One of DiVito’s main takeaways is that proper direct examinations require relevant questions resulting in answers that create reality.
Practice News
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December 13, 2023 | Practice News
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December 12, 2023 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the members of the Illinois Judicial College Committee on Pretrial Education (CPTE), the seventh Standing Committee of the Illinois Judicial College.
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December 12, 2023 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced significant amendments to M.R. 25307 and the Court’s Policy on Access for People with Disabilities (Policy) to improve disability access for all Illinois courts. The amended policy is effective January 1, 2024, and all Illinois courts shall report compliance with M.R. 25307 by no later than August 1, 2024.
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December 12, 2023 | Practice News
The Office of Statewide Pretrial Services (OSPS) released the first sets of data following implementation of Public Act 101-652 (previously called the Pretrial Fairness Act) on Sept. 18, 2023. OSPS currently serves 71 of Illinois’ 102 counties.
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December 12, 2023 |
Practice News | Events | ISBA News
RESCHEDULED to 1/29/24! The Women's Bar Association of Illinois, the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women, & the Illinois State Bar Association's Standing Committee on Women and the Law invite you to join Mentoring Circles Meetup. Experienced attorney-mentors will meet with law students and young lawyers to answer questions and network.
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December 11, 2023 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced amendments to Supreme Court Rule 315 as well as clarifying language amendments to Rules 46 and 604, 605, and 606. The changes are intended to expediate pretrial appeals before the Court.
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December 4, 2023 | Practice News
For the second consecutive year, the Illinois Bar Journal reached out to leaders from several ISBA sections and asked if they’d be willing to reflect on highlights in their areas from the past year and provide a few thoughts on anticipated developments in 2024. Contributors were free to deviate from this theme, so long as their content conveyed a looking-back/looking-forward approach. Read on for contributions from six sections: Civil Practice and Procedure, Criminal Justice, Family Law, Real Estate, Trusts and Estates, and the Young Lawyers Division (YLD).
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December 2, 2023 | Practice News
Our panel of leading appellate attorneys reviews the seven civil and ten criminal opinions handed down Thursday, November 30, 2023, by the Illinois Supreme Court.
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November 27, 2023 | Practice News
Forbes is seeking nominations for its first-ever list of the Top 200 Lawyers!
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November 27, 2023 | Practice News
In the November Illinois Bar Journal’s Judging Your Writing column, Illinois Appellate Court Justice Michael B. Hyman issues a salvo in the long-simmering debate over the continued use of Latin in the legal profession. His column title translates as “Say Goodbye to Latin,” which gives you more than a clue to his perspective.