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Illinois Supreme Court

  • February 22, 2013 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court adopts new rules to ease home foreclosures

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced on Friday new rules aimed at mitigating abuses and uncertainty in mortgage foreclosures, and helping those who face the loss of their homes by imposing several require-ments on mediation programs and lenders seeking to foreclose.

    These include the identification of resources for government-certified counseling, for free legal represen-tation to eligible homeowners, interpretive services and sworn assurances that all loan modification efforts have been made by the lender.

    The three, stand-alone Supreme Court rules reflect the Court's concern over well-publicized deceptive practices at the national and local level and the significant impact the continuing flow of residential mortgage foreclosures is having on Illinois citizens and communities.

    The rules are a direct outgrowth of public hearings and 21 months of work by the Special Supreme Court Committee on Mortgage Foreclosures, whose formation was recommended by Justice Mary Jane Theis.

    2 comments (Most recent February 26, 2013)
  • February 13, 2013 | Practice News
    Chief Justice Kilbride announces e-filing expansion for Supreme Court


    Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride announced Wednesday that a pilot project established last year to allow electronic filing of documents with the Illinois Supreme Court has been expanded to include the option for all documents in cases on the Court's general docket to be filed with the Supreme Court electronically. The expansion also includes the electronic filing of documents concerning attorney disciplinary matters before the Court.

    The pilot project, approved by the Supreme Court in January 2012, allowed the Illinois Attorney General, the State Appellate Defender's Office and the Office of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor to digitally file motions, briefs and related documents with the Clerk of the Court through a secure password system designed and operated by a third-party vendor.

    Now the pilot project expands to give the option for more persons registered with the third-party vendor, including pro se litigants and attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions appearing in a specific case, to file documents electronically. This move could eventually result in the savings of tens of thousands of pages of paper documents.

    1 comment (Most recent February 14, 2013)
  • January 24, 2013 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court marks 1 year of cameras in the courts - approves 2 more Chicago-area circuits

    One year ago today, Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride announced that the Illinois Supreme Court approved a pilot project that would allow news cameras and electronic news recordings in Illinois trial courtrooms for the first time ever.

    During that time, 25 counties in nine judicial circuits across Illinois have participated in the pilot program, opening the trial courtrooms to news photographers and electronic news media to cover cases.

  • January 18, 2013 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court disbars 2, suspends 16 in latest disciplinary filing

    The Supreme Court of Illinois has announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders entered during the January Term of Court. The court disbarred two lawyers, suspended 16, reprimanded three and censured three. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

  • December 21, 2012 | Practice News
    Vanecko case to get judge from McHenry County

    Illinois Supreme Court spokesman Joe Tybor is reporting the the Court has ordered the chief judge of the 22nd Circuit (McHenry County) to assign a judge from that circuit to preside over People v. Vanecko. Cook County Judge Arthur Hill recused himself from the case earlier this week.

    Vanecko is the nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2004 death of David Koschman.

  • November 30, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court to hold hearing on ISBA proposal to expedite appeals after final judgements in delinquent minor proceedings

    The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee is seeking comment on proposals providing for expedited appeals from final judgements in delinquent minor proceedings and allowing a defendant's appearance via closed circuit television or video conferencing.
    These proposals, and others, will be aired at a public hearing of the Supreme Court Rules Committee on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 at 10 a.m. in Chicago. Anyone wishing to testify at the public hearing should advise the Committee in writing no later than Monday, Dec. 3.

  • November 19, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court disbars 10, suspends 18 in latest disciplinary filing

    The Supreme Court of Illinois has announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders entered Nov. 19, during the November 2012 Term of Court. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

  • November 1, 2012 | Practice News
    Over 2,100 new lawyers sworn-in at 5 admission ceremonies

    More than 2,100 new attorneys will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, November 1 with Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court presiding and administering the attorney’s oath at five separate locations.

  • October 25, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court announces new standards for e-filing in trial courts

    Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced on Wednesday new statewide standards and new and amended Supreme Court rules that will allow all courts in Illinois to begin electronic filing of court documents in civil cases.

    1 comment (Most recent October 25, 2012)
  • October 25, 2012
    The high price of low funding

    The budget problems in Illinois can never be fixed by slashing the already modest court budget, Illinois' chief justice says. While courts must be frugal, the other branches of government have a responsibility to fund our justice system adequately. Read more in the November Illinois Bar Journal.