With Larry Snelling’s retirement as Chicago’s top cop, progress on court-ordered reforms hangs in balance

When Supt. Larry Snelling took the helm of the Chicago Police Department in the fall of 2023, it was in full compliance with just 6% of the federal court order that requires CPD to stop routinely violating Black and Latino residents’ constitutional rights.

From: 
WTTW

New Illinois law to protect health care for teens and kids for DCFS

Children and teenagers under care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will have more protection if they are moved outside state lines.

From: 
Our QC News

Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Andrea Zenker as Circuit Judge in Sixteenth Judicial Circuit

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Marybeth Stanziola

Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Andrea Zenker as a Circuit Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Fourth Judicial Subcircuit, in Kane County.

Ms. Zenker is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Judge Susan Clancy Boles on July 31, 2026. The appointment is effective August 7, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.

Making Time Standards Work for You

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Marybeth Stanziola

Time Standards are among the most common complaints from practitioners in the Cook County Circuit Court's Law Division, writes retired Judge Patrick J. Sherlock in his July Illinois Bar Journal article, "Making Time Standards Work for You." Noting that as of July 1, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court imposed Time Standards for case closures for lawsuits filed on or after Jan. 1, 2022, Judge Sherlock suspects most lawyers do not realize that the Time Standards were created based upon historic benchmarks consistently experienced by attorneys.

New IL law requires court date reminder texts for people on pretrial release

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to ensure people receive reminder notifications before court hearings. 

From: 
WAND

IL parents can’t sue teachers unions over illegal strikes: Appeals panel

Parents do not have legal rights to sue teachers unions for calling illegal strikes, which allegedly lead to learning loss and other economic and societal harms, an Illinois state appeals court has ruled.

From: 
Legal Newsline

Illinois has no road rage charge as local driver pushes for change

"Road rage" is not an official criminal charge in Illinois. Police and prosecutors often have to rely on existing criminal or traffic statutes, such as those covering speeding or improper lane use, when responding to behavior commonly known as road rage.

From: 
Belleville News-Democrat

New law banning K-2 expulsions in Illinois signed by Gov. Pritzker

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a bill that bans students in kindergarten through second grade from being expelled from school.

From: 
NBC 5 Chicago