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The Diversity Leadership Award recognizes long standing, continuing and exceptional commitment by an individual or an organization to the critical importance of diversity within the Illinois legal community, its judiciary and within the Illinois State Bar Association.

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Friday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the criminal cases People v. Almond, People v. Mosley, People v. Boyce and In re the Interest of Jordan G.

People v. Almond

By Jay Wiegman, Office of the State Appellate Defender

Many people mocked Barney Fife for carrying a single bullet in his shirt pocket, but today's decision in People v. Almond, 2015 IL 113817, shows that to have been a wise policy.

Based on an anonymous tip that drugs were being dealt out of a store, police officers approached Almond (who had prior felony convictions), asked him what he was doing there and whether  he was in possession of any narcotics or weapons. The officer testified that the defendant said “I just got  to let you know I got a gun on me.” The defendant was frisked, and the gun was recovered. The defendant filed a motion to quash arrest and suppress  evidence. At a hearing on the motion, Almond denied that he was even asked whether he had contraband and denied he ever told officers that he possessed a firearm, claiming that he would not tell a police officer that  information  because  he knew “it’s wrong to have a gun.” The motion was denied. Following a bench trial, the defendant was convicted on all counts.

Join us in Chicago or via live webcast on March 18, 2015 to learn how you can effectively resolve disputes for your clients instead of incurring the expense of a hearing with this informative half-day seminar!

On June 1, 2015, civil juries will change in size from 12 members to six. The change in jury size, mandated by Pub. Act 98-1132, has led to two interesting discussions - whether a six-person jury requires new litigation strategies and whether the change in jury size is constitutional.

"We've had a 12-person jury going back to 1818, when Illinois was admitted to the Union," says Robert T. Park of Moline. Article I, Section 13 of the Illinois State Constitution states that "the right of trial by jury as heretofore enjoyed shall remain inviolate." Park wonders whether cutting jury sizes in half after almost 200 years "harms or changes" the right to trial by jury.

But Chicago personal injury lawyer Joseph A. Power says that the Illinois Supreme Court's decision in Wright v. Central Du Page Hospital Ass'n found that as long as the essentials of a right to trial by jury are not undermined, legislators can shape the contours. Find out more from Matthew Hector's article in the March Illinois Bar Journal.

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced dates for oral arguments for the March Term of Court, including the case of In re Pension Reform Litigation (Doris Heaton, et al. appellees v. Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois, et al., appellants).

The Supreme Court will hear arguments for that case beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 in the Supreme Court Courtroom in Springfield. Advanced Digital Media/Blueroomstream will live internet stream and serve as the pool camera for the oral argument.

Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced Tuesday that the Twelfth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Arkadiusz Z. Smigielski as an associate judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

Mr. Smigielski received his undergraduate degree in 1985 from DePaul University in Chicago, and his Juris Doctor in 1988 from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in Chicago. Mr. Smigielski is currently affiliated with the Law Offices of Smigielski & Wrobel in Homer Glen.

The Law Enforcement Award was created to recognize sworn law enforcement officers for conduct that promotes justice and to distinguish those individuals whose service to the public brings honor and respect to the entire criminal justice system. The award is given sparingly to recognize those who truly excel in the field of law enforcement. Nominations must be received by Friday, March 6, 2015.

Find out more and download the nomination form at www.isba.org/awards/lawenforcement

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers IMDMA Rewrite (Senate Bill 57), The Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (Senate Bill 45) and Interest on judgments (Senate Bill 1248). More information on each bill is available below the video.