Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today two new temporary orders and one amended order regarding eviction cases and electronic signatures in Illinois courts. The orders were first proposed by the Illinois Judicial Conference Court Operations During COVID-19 Task Force (“Task Force”) to address the anticipated surge of evictions once the moratoria expire and improve access to justice for self-represented litigants.

A federal district court judge presiding over the Society Insurance Business Interruption Coverage MDL, which involves the potential applicability of insurance coverage for restaurants suffering financial losses due to COVID-19, ruled on Feb. 22 that the cases may move forward in determining whether their insurance policies cover such losses.

The deadline to volunteer for the 2021 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational is March 1. 

Volunteer forms are available online.

The program will be held virtually March 12-14 via Zoom. It provides an opportunity for students to learn what it is like to prepare and present a legal case before the Illinois courts. Participating students gain a better understanding of the justice system and improve their knowledge, skills, and ability to articulate in a reasoned, thoughtful manner.

For more than 50 years, the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) has conducted a Judicial Advisory Poll of attorneys to provide Illinois’ legal community and voting public with information on judicial candidates. The poll, which is supervised by the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Judicial Advisory Polls, represents one of the most important and publicly visible functions that the ISBA performs. In their 2021 February Illinois Bar Journal article, “The ISBA Judicial Advisory Poll: Myths and Misconceptions,” members of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Judiciary Advisory Polls examine common issues raised regarding the ISBA poll. The authors explain the committee’s work and how it arrives at its findings and positions. The article also describes the committee’s use of expertise in statistics and research methodology to help guide its decision making and evaluation of its procedures.

The Illinois Supreme Court issued two opinions on Friday, February 19. In People v. Jackson, the Supreme Court upheld an appellate court’s decision to deny a defendant leave to file a successive postconviction petition. In People v. Birge, the Supreme Court held that a circuit court judge did not err in reciting all four of the Rule 431(b) principles together to a group of prospective jurors, and the Supreme Court also vacated the defendant’s restitution order and remanded the matter for a new hearing to determine the proper amount of restitution.

Join us from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 9 for an in-depth look at how to effectively represent your client throughout the naturalization process, including the pitfalls they need to avoid when completing the 20-page N-400 Naturalization application form.

America’s fight against its invisible opponent, COVID-19, is ongoing. In response to COVID-19, communities, state, and local officials continue to issue, extend, and modify emergency orders to stop the spread. These authorities are exercised in a variety of measures, including mask mandates and stay-at-home orders. These orders, often incorporating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, include such terms and phrases as “quarantine,” “social distancing,” “six feet apart,” and “work from home.” In her February Illinois Bar Journal article, “Liberties and Lockdowns,” Deanna Shahnami  examines how Illinois courts and the Seventh Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals have slowly established precedent for injunctive relief and how they have weighed executive emergency orders responding to COVID-19 against First Amendment rights. Shahnami’s article is this year’s Illinois Bar Journal Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest winner.

In 2019, Illinois became one of eleven states to legalize certain cannabis offenses, and became the first state to legalize the commercial sale of recreational cannabis. Time has passed, and cannabis still remains heavily regulated.

Join us online from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3 for this in-depth look at the present status of Illinois’ cannabis laws so you can better advise your clients.

The Illinois Supreme Court today issued an order in remote criminal case proceedings. The order sets forth which criminal case proceedings can be held remotely in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This order, a proposal from the Illinois Judicial Conference’s Court Operations During COVID-19 Task Force (Task Force), is effective immediately.

The deadline to apply for the ISBA's Rural Practice Summer Fellows and Rural Practice Associate Fellows programs is tomorrow, February 12.

The Rural Practice Summer Fellows Program connects law students with rural practitioners to give them experience working in rural communities before they leave law school. The program includes a $5,000 fellowship stipend and mentoring.