As of Friday, August 26, 2016, Rhonda Crawford is no longer employed as a law clerk/staff attorney assigned to the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Markham courthouse.

On August 17, 2016, Crawford was suspended without pay by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans following allegations that she adjudicated two cases from the bench in a Markham courtroom while wearing a judicial robe. On August 26, 2016, Chief Judge Evans terminated her employment.

Rules governing judicial conduct, specifically Illinois Supreme Court Rule 63 (A) (6), prevent Chief Judge Evans from commenting further on the matter. The rule states: “A judge should abstain from public comment about a pending or impending proceeding in any court, and should require similar abstention on the part of court personnel subject to the judge’s direction and control.”

ISBA President-Elect Hon. Russell W. Hartigan served as the guest speaker to the Union League Club's Attorney Group on Aug. 24. Judge Hartigan spoke on the many benefits of ISBA membership.

Illinois Attorney Robert Markoff discusses three little known, but extremely effective remedies that include pre-judgment, detinue, and distress for rent. Learn more about this subject through our Free CLE channel by viewing Bob's segment "Enforcements You Should Know About (But Probably Don't) and Selling a Debtor's Property" - part of the program "Complex Asset Recovery: Fraudulent Transfers, Offshore Assets & Charging Orders."

Join your peers for an afternoon of socializing and horse racing at this annual event! 

When: Saturday, September 24, 2016, Noon – 6:00 p.m.

Tickets will be available for pick up at 11:15 a.m. on race day at the will call window, Grandstand Entrance (east side off of Wilke Road entrance).

Where: Arlington Park Racecourse, 2200 W Euclid Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005
ISBA will be at the Canopy Tables in the Winners Circle Section. (Map and Directions)

Cost: Cost: $9.00 per adult, $4.00 per youth age 4-17. Tickets are complimentary for children 3 and under. General Admission cost includes admission to the park, a daily racing guide, and a fabulous day of Thoroughbred racing!

Lunch is not included but our seating area is BYOB!

Please register by Wednesday, September 21, 2016

For information on permitted and prohibited items in the park, please visit: http://www.arlingtonpark.com/visit/general-information

Questions: Please email Blake Howard at bhoward@isba.org.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Access to a lawyer Public Act 99-882, Expungement Public Act 99-835, Juvenile probation. Public Act 99-879, Mechanics Lien Act Public Act 99-852, Condominium Property Act Public Act 99- 849, Guilty pleas Public Act 99-871 and Toxicology results Public Act 99-801.

More information on each bill is available below the video.

Dear Illinois State Bar Association Member,

With the 2016-17 season quickly approaching, we would like to offer you an exclusive opportunity to purchase preseason tickets.

Receive a framed, autographed locker room photo with the purchase of four or more tickets in the 100 or 200 level, while supplies last.* Each 11x17 framed photo will be signed by one of the following players: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook!

This is your opportunity to get an early look at the Blackhawks and see opponents like Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Detroit.

To purchase tickets, click here and enter the promo code LAW

Blackhawks Preseason Games Offered:

By Hon. Barbara Crowder, Judge, Third Judicial Circuit

When the Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756(f) was first amended to require lawyers to report any pro bono services intentionally provided and voluntary monetary donations to legal service providers, one would have thought it was a menacing Robert DeNiro asking for the information based upon the hue and cry raised by some attorneys. Lawyers were reminded that the primary goal was to address the unmet legal needs of those residents with limited income. Reporting pro bono hours is viewed as a way to increase the delivery of legal services provided directly to persons of limited means. Although the rule also asks about efforts that assist local communities and organizations along with time spent training others and any monetary contributions, the goal of the mandatory reporting requirement was proclaimed as a way to help lawyers remember to do pro bono directly. The comments suggest that those who are prohibited from providing direct services should donate money and their time to help train volunteer attorneys. Since the ARDC has issued the Annual Report of 2015, it seems an appropriate time to see how the lawyers of Illinois are doing.

Chief Judge Kathryn E. Creswell announced today that applications for the Office of Associate Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, DuPage County, have been received from those on the attached list.

The vacancy is the result of the appointment of Associate Judge Karen M. Wilson to Circuit Judge.

After a false start in 2015, the Illinois legislature delivered and the governor signed a bill this year that gives fiduciaries the power to access email, social media, and other digital assets of a decedent.

Last year, the General Assembly tabled SB 1376, sending it back to the Rules Committee -- the usual death knell for pending legislation. The bill would have adopted a version of the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which was first published by the Uniform Law Commission in 2014.

A revised version of the Digital Assets Act was proposed, passed by the General Assembly, and signed by the governor on August 12. It took effect immediately.

The Act is designed to make it easier for a fiduciary to access the digital assets of a decedent. Digital assets cover a broad range of resources, including email, social media accounts, documents stored in the cloud, and more. As people increasingly organize their lives online, their families and heirs may need to access their online accounts for a sense of closure, to recover photographs, or to find information related to other assets belonging to the decedent. Access to an email account may reveal a bank account or retirement account for which no physical documents exist. 

Find out how the Act paves the way for fiduciaries, family members and heirs in the September Illinois Bar Journal.