On Dec. 5, 2025, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that mandatory life sentences are inapplicable to defendants under the age of 21 at the time of the offense.
The General Assembly amended the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to expand the circumstances in which an employee of a mental health or developmental disability facility must not contact recipients of services during an investigation.
On Dec. 2, 2025, the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held a section 2-1401 petition under the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure requires a movant to allege a meritorious defense and facts showing that the movant exercised due diligence in defending against the original action.
The General Assembly amended the Code of Civil Procedure to prohibit minors, defined as a non-emancipated person under the age of 18, from being named as a defendant in a complaint in an eviction proceeding.
The General Assembly amended the Workplace Transparency Act to further limit employment contract provisions that restrict employees from reporting unlawful workplace conduct.
The Office of the Treasurer adopted amendments to the Part titled Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. These amendments require “finders” to be licensed by the office and to charge client fees of less than 10 percent of the collected amount. License applicants must be of good moral character, demonstrate understanding of the Act, pay a $500 initial licensing fee, and pay a $250 renewal fee every three years.
On March 2, 2026, the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that a prior grant of an emergency civil no-contact order is sufficient to make a prima facie showing that a sexual offense was committed in support of a motion to have a civil no-contact petition heard in criminal court under section 112A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
On Dec. 9, 2025, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that a prior theft conviction is admissible to impeach the plaintiff’s credibility.
The Department of Innovation and Technology set out clearer steps for submitting, reviewing, and deciding grievances regarding Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) grievance procedures.
The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation adopted amendments to the Part titled Consumer Legal Funding Act concerning refinancing and pro rata fees.
On Jan. 7, 2026, the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that res judicata generally does not bar timely-filed claims in one lawsuit merely because similar claims in a later lawsuit were dismissed with prejudice as untimely.
The General Assembly enacted the Self-Administered Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit Ban Act, which prohibits the sale, marketing, promotion, advertisement, or other distribution of self-administered sexual assault evidence collection kits.
On March 26, 2026, the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that the state may not make the same recording punishable twice on two different theories under section 11-20.1(a) of the Criminal Code of 2012.
On Dec. 4, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court held that a 30-day imprisonment sanction is not a sentence under the County Jail Good Behavior Allowance Act and therefore does not entitle defendants to good-conduct credit.
