Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Associate Judge Julia Yetter as Sixteenth Circuit Court Judge

Posted on January 16, 2026 by Marybeth Stanziola

Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Associate Judge Julia Ann Yetter as an At Large Circuit Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Kane County.

Judge Yetter is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Judge Kevin T. Busch on January 29, 2026. The appointment is effective February 2, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.

Cook County allows tax foreclosures by municipalities. Poor oversight led to misuse by local officials.

Officials were able to use the county’s revitalization program for personal and political gain, neglected seized properties, and stripped homeowners of equity they had built up in their properties.

From: 
Injustice Watch

Federal judge who challenged Bovino will supervise state's new case against Trump's deportation blitz

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis will continue to play a key role as local officials battle the Trump administration at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in 2026. Federal officials have warned that “Operation Midway Blitz” is not over, and U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino recently posted “we’re gonna be here for years” on social media.

From: 
Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois expands Scott’s Law to protect roadside workers, aims to curb deadly crashes

An update to Illinois’ Scott’s Law went into effect Jan. 1, expanding protections for people working on the side of the road and aiming to prevent deadly crashes caused by drivers who fail to slow down or move over.

From: 
Fox Illinois

Unfit inmates wait months for transfer from Illinois jails

Illinois jails originally had up to 20 days to transfer an unfit inmate to a state-operated mental health facility.

From: 
Belleville News-Democrat

Illinois Drug Courts Receive $45K Grant To Bolster Substance Use Programs in Rural Communities

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Marybeth Stanziola

The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) announced today that the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development Rural Health Substance Use Disorder (CRHSSD) Leadership Center has recently awarded $45,000 to rural drug courts in Illinois. Six rural courts (Clinton, Hancock, Jackson, Montgomery, Richland, and Whiteside) will receive funds to enhance existing programs.

Jackson and Williamson County Bar Associations Raise Over $6,000 To Address Food Insecurity in Southern Illinois

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Marybeth Stanziola

Local bar associations in Southern Illinois made a big impact in their small communities this holiday season, showing that rural practice isn’t just about providing legal services. At its December meeting, the Williamson County Bar Association announced that its members had raised a total of $1,235 for Gum Drops, NFP, a Carterville nonprofit organization that provides weekend food packages for at-risk children in Southern Illinois.

You Can’t Sue the King, Except When You Can: Proper Litigation Techniques for Suing and Defending a Unit of Local Government

Presented by the ISBA Local Government Law Section
Co-Sponsored by the ISBA Young Lawyers Division


1.25 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Friday, June 7, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: -------------------------July 29, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)

Workers’ Compensation Update - Spring 2025 - Part 2

Presented by the ISBA Workers' Compensation Section


2.75 hours MCLE credit, including 0.75 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: Monday, February 17, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: -------------------------March 24th, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before