Task Force Town Hall Meeting on Dec. 16 to Address Amendments to Pretrial Fairness Act

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force (Task Force) will host a town hall meeting on December 16 at noon via Zoom. This town hall meeting will address the Legislature’s recent amendments to the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) as found in Public Act 102-1104. 

Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Committee on Domestic Violence

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of the Supreme Court Committee on Domestic Violence (the Committee). 

“The Supreme Court wants to know how our state courts can better serve the needs of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking,” Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said. “Changing technology, the upcoming SAFE-T Act and other legislative changes necessitate the need for a committee dedicated to these issues.” 

The Hidden (and Not So Hidden) Risks of Data Scraping on the Internet

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

The amount of data amassed on the internet is astronomically large and growing each day. Search engines and archives regularly scrape data on the internet to provide useful indexing and search capabilities to users, while other businesses scrape data from websites, sometimes for the repackaging and resale of information. Don’t miss this comprehensive look at the types of scraping on the internet, the legal perils associated with scraping data from websites, and the risks associated with using scraped data.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Has Three Open Positions for Technical Advisor II

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), Division of Legal Counsel (DLC), is seeking to hire a Technical Advisor II to serve in the area of Bureau of Water (BOW)-Regulatory Development & Appeals. This position performs technical legal work of a general nature, involving the promulgation of rules for, and providing legal counsel to, the IEPA’s BOW. The ideal candidate will have experience in conducting administrative hearings, legal hearings, and litigating matters before judicial and administrative tribunals.

Matters of the Heart

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

In the Illinois Bar Journal’s December issue, new Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis says “We have to return to the idea of the public’s trust and confidence,” citing Alexander Hamilton who, in the Federalist Papers No. 78, writes that the judicial branch derives its power neither from the sword nor the purse, but from the public’s confidence in its integrity.

Supreme Court Amends Rule on Remote Court Appearances

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Timothy A. Slating

Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today amendments to Rule 45 which provide guidelines for future remote appearances in circuit court proceedings.

“The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way our courts operate and remote proceedings are here to stay. This amended rule provides guidance to our courts and a measure of uniformity across the state,” Chief Justice Theis said. “I would like to thank the members of the Remote Proceedings Task Force of the Illinois Judicial Conference for their hard work on this important issue.”