Judicial Panel Discussion on Specialty Courts

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Criminal Justice Section
Co-sponsored by the ISBA Bench & Bar Section


1.50 hours MCLE credit, including 1.50 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Mental Health & Substance Abuse


Original Program Date: Friday, February 21, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­March 27, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this panel presentation that offers an in-depth discussion on the role of specialty courts throughout Illinois! Criminal justice lawyers, bench and bar attorneys, mental health practitioners, and traffic law attorneys with intermediate to advanced levels of practice experience who attend this online seminar will better understand:
  • How different specialty courts operate in different parts of the state;
  • What is involved in a specialty court, including services offered, individuals accepted, and the resources that are utilized;
  • The pros and cons of specialty courts; and
  • What can be done to improve how specialty courts currently function.

Program Coordinator/Chat Moderator:
Sara Vig, Vig Law, P.C., Springfield

Program Speakers:
Hon. Jennifer M. Ascher, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Springfield
Hon. John M. Madonia, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Springfield
Hon. Daniel E. Maloney, Cook County Judicial Circuit, Chicago
Hon. Patricia S. Spratt, Cook County Judicial Circuit, Chicago


Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

The High Way: Cars and Cannabis in Illinois

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Cannabis Law Section
Co-sponsored by the ISBA Traffic Law & Courts Section


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­March 24, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this in-depth look at the Fourth Amendment and how it relates to the odor of cannabis in vehicles, as well as the latest jurisprudence from the Illinois Supreme Court regarding probable cause based on this issue. Additional topics include:
  • The current laws on the transportation of cannabis and impairment;
  • An analysis of recent decisions and potential legislative developments in this area; and
  • Predictions for future legislative movements.

Program Coordinator:
Evan Bruno, Bruno Law Offices LLC, Urbana

Program Moderator:
Kulmeet Galhotra, Galhotra Law, Chicago

Program Speakers:
Evan Bruno, Bruno Law Offices LLC, Urbana
Kulmeet Galhotra, Galhotra Law, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $70
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Illinois Supreme Court To Hear Oral Arguments at Southern Illinois University

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Kelsey Jo Burge

WHAT: Oral arguments for two cases, People v. Hoffman and Hulsh v. Hulsh, will be held before the Illinois Supreme Court and an audience of over 900 students and local community members. A question-and-answer session between students and attorneys will follow the oral arguments.

WHEN: 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 18, 2025 (Media members are asked to arrive by 9 a.m.). The introduction, which includes SIU System President Dan Mahony and SIU Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane, will start at 9:45 a.m.

Allerton Conference 2025: Generative Artificial Intelligence – Fact or Fiction: Transforming the Legal Practice

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Kelsey Jo Burge

Join us in Champaign as we explore hot topic issues impacting the civil practice and procedure arena – from how generative artificial intelligence is being used in the legal practice and the issues with deepfakes, to how courts are using artificial intelligence and the issues it is creating for judges.

Administrative Director Declares Illinois Associate Judge Appointed in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Kelsey Jo Burge

Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Thomas E. St. Jules as an associate judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.

Mr. St. Jules received his undergraduate degree in 2005 from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa and his Juris Doctor in 2008 from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. St. Jules is currently affiliated with Llamas St. Jules LLP in Aurora, Illinois.

Evading Trial

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Kelsey Jo Burge

When your client fails to show for trial, judges can conduct one in absentia, but they are obligated to ensure that statutory requirements are met before commencing, notes Charles Golaszewski in his March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Evading Trial.” Golaszewski states prosecutors and defense attorneys must be prepared to argue whether a trial in absentia is warranted in light of the statutory requirements and the circumstances of the case. But if the judge decides to start the trial without the defendant, both parties will need to adjust their trial strategies.

How Cyber-Secure Are You?

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

 If one thing is clear from the Illinois Bar Journal’s March cover story, it’s that now is not the time to ignore cyber-security threats. The article, “How Cyber-Secure Are You?,” unpacks a pair of ISBA continuing legal education programs held in late 2024 that provided guidance on common cyber vulnerabilities for lawyers. The article explores various concerns, including ethics, compromised emails, hacking tactics, financial-information vulnerabilities, and what lawyers can do to safeguard their computer and network systems from cyber-criminals.