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Illinois Supreme Court

  • June 5, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court hikes attorney registration fees $53 to help fund legal services for the poor

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced Tuesday an increase in the annual registration fee for attorneys practicing in Illinois to fund an important goal — providing legal services in non-criminal cases to those below or near the poverty line.

    The Supreme Court also announced that retired judges who wish to remain active on the state roll of attorneys will no longer be exempt from paying the attorney license registration fee.

    Under amended Supreme Court rules, the annual registration fee will increase from $289 to $342 — an increase of 14½ cents per day. The entire $53 increase will be remitted to the Lawyers Trust Fund, which contributes to agencies in Illinois that provide legal services to the poor.

    “Since its inception, the Lawyers Trust Fund has been integral in providing access to our system of justice to those who can least afford it,” said Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride. “It is a very important goal and even more so in these economic times. It demonstrates a clear commitment by the full Court to continue to encourage attorneys in Illinois to assume responsibility for those unable to afford legal services.”

    Even with the increase in fees, Illinois will rank in the bottom half of the states and the District of Columbia in the amount it assesses in licensing fees and dues. Connecticut is the highest with a total fee of $675 annually; Indiana and Maryland are the lowest with an annual fee of $145.

    The Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois (LTF) receives its revenue from two sources: a portion of the licensing fee and the interest on pooled funds that attorneys are required to hold for clients while matters are pending. Under the rules changes, the amount remitted to the LTF will increase from $42 to $95.

    8 comments (Most recent July 9, 2012)
  • June 1, 2012 | Practice News
    Electronic record to be accessible in 2nd Disctrict Appellate cases from DeKalb and McHenry counties

    Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced Thursday that two counties in the Second Judicial District will be added to a pilot project allowing the filing of the trial record on appeal electronically.

    The Supreme Court Order authorized the Illinois Appellate Court in the Second Judicial District to begin an e-project that will allow attorneys, parties and appellate justices to view, access and work electronically from the official record of cases on appeal from DeKalb and McHenry counties for appeals filed after August 1, 2012.

    DeKalb and McHenry will join DuPage and Ogle counties in the Second Judicial District to electronically transfer the official court record of cases on appeal. Other Illinois counties in the pilot project include Clinton County in the Fifth Judicial District, Rock Island County in the Third Judicial District and Adams County in the Fourth Judicial District.

    In addition, the Court announced in January a pilot project for the electronic filing of motions, briefs and related documents with the Illinois Supreme Court Clerk's office. That project involves the Illinois Attorney General, the State Appellate Defender's Office and the Office of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor.

    Chief Justice Kilbride has said making the records on appeal available electronically will bring the courts closer to eventually making e-business universal throughout the Illinois court system. Justice Kilbride has pledged to make Illinois court operations more efficient by implementing improvements in technology since becoming Chief Justice in October 2010.

  • May 21, 2012 | Practice News
    Mortgage foreclosure committee seeking comment on proposals to improve foreclosure proceedings

    The Illinois Supreme Court Mortgage Foreclosure Committee is seeking comment on proposed recommendations concerning loss mitigation and mediation for mortgage foreclosure proceedings in Illinois.The proposal will be aired at a public hearing on Friday, June 8 in Chicago.

    Anyone wishing to testify at the public hearing should advise the Committee in writing no later than Friday, May 25. Those wishing to offer written comments should submit them by Friday, May 25.

    In April, the Foreclosure Committee held a public hearing to discuss a nine-point proposal submit-ted by its Practices and Procedures subcommittee.

    The Mortgage Foreclosure Committee has also established a Loss Mitigation and Mediation subcommittee which has drafted 14 proposed recommended elements of mediation and mandatory pre-foreclosure loss mitigation for comment at the public hearing.

    Six proposed mediation program elements under consideration are outreach, mandatory or opt-in for mediation programs, housing counseling, legal aid, establishing a pre-mediation process and trained mediators. Some of those elements to be discussed include having the court system reach out to homeowners in foreclosure to increase awareness of local mediation programs; providing housing counseling as part of the mediation process; and providing pro bono legal services to explain the foreclosure process, mortgagors' rights, possible defenses and the rights and responsibilities of the homeowner under the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law.

  • May 18, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court disbars 2, suspends 14 in latest disciplinary filing

    The Supreme Court of Illinois has announced the disbarment of two lawyers and the suspension of 14 others in the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders entered this morning. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law. All information is provided by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

  • May 15, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court announces vacancy in 6th Judicial Circuit


    Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for a Circuit Court vacancy in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge John P. Shonkwiler on July 31, 2012. Judge Shonkwiler has been a resident circuit judge since 1974.

    Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to final Court approval. The applicants will undergo an evaluation and screening process.

    Notice of the vacancy has been posted in courthouses throughout the Circuit. The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at www.state.il.us/court and follow the instructions on the “Latest News” scroller announcing the Sixth Judicial Circuit vacancy. Original applications must be submitted via mail to:

    • Supreme Court of Illinois
    • attn.: Mrs. Mary Hurley
    • 3607 North Vermilion, Suite 1
    • Danville, Illinois 61832

    No electronic or facsimile applications will be accepted.

    Deadline for submission of applications is Tuesday, June 12, 2012. The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until the position is filled by election in November, 2014. To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer licensed to practice law in Illinois.

    The Sixth Judicial Circuit is comprised of Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties.

  • May 10, 2012 | Practice News
    Over 600 new attorneys admitted at 5 swearing-in ceremonies

    More than 600 new attorneys were admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, May 10 with Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Appellate Court presiding and administering the attorney’s oath at five separate locations.

    All of the candidates have passed the Illinois state bar examination and an ethics examination, and have been certified by the Committee on Character and Fitness.

    The largest group, 406, were admitted in the First Judicial District during ceremonies starting at 10:30 a.m. in the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Freeman will preside, with Justices Anne M. Burke and Mary Jane Theis participating.

    Cook County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Howlett made the motion to admit the class. Margaret Benson, executive director of Chicago Volunteer Legal Services,  seconded the motion to admit the class. Other speakers at the event included Chicago Bar Association First Vice President Aurora N. Abella Austriaco and David Badillo, incoming president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association.

    Representatives from the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar in attendance include James R. Carroll, Lawrence N. Hill and Shelia Kennedy.

    The 608 men and women were certified as candidates and were sworn in as Illinois attorneys Thursday at ceremonies in the five Supreme Court judicial districts.

    The new attorneys will bring the total number of licensed attorneys in Illinois to approximately 90,700.

    1 comment (Most recent May 11, 2012)
  • April 26, 2012 | Events
    IBF to host reception honoring Chief Justice Kilbride on May 3

    The Illinois Bar Foundation will host a Rock Island County Fellows Chapter Reception honoring Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride. Chief Justice Kilbride will be presented with the Rock Island County Beacon of the Profession Award.

    This event will be held on Thursday, May 3, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Abbey Station, 3031 Fifth Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois. For more information, please call the IBF at 312.726.6072.

     

  • April 12, 2012
    Karmeier describes recent supreme court rule changes

    The latest ISBA Bench & Bar newsletter features a description of recent supreme court initiatives and rule changes -- e-filing, cameras in the courts, electronic-instead-of-print publishing of official opinions, etc. -- written by someone who should know. Read Justice Karmeier's review. 

  • April 4, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court adopts "Katrina Rule" to help deliver legal services after major disaster

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it has adopted a new rule to facilitate the delivery of legal services in an emergency resulting from a major disaster.

    In the case of an Illinois disaster, new Supreme Court Rule 718 would allow attorneys who are licensed in another state to provide pro bono publico legal services to residents of Illinois. In the event of a disaster in another state, the rule would allow attorneys licensed outside of Illinois to provide pro bono legal services to residents of the stricken state who have been displaced to Illinois because of the disaster.

    The rule also would allow attorneys licensed in a stricken state to provide legal services in Illinois as long as those legal services arise out of and are reasonably related to the lawyers’ practice of law where the major disaster occurred.

    The rule has come to be known as the "Katrina Rule" because it was developed by the American Bar Association in response to the hurricane by that name which wreaked tragedy across New Orleans. The rule, however, is intended to address both natural and man-made disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, public health emergencies, and acts of terrorism or war.

    Application of the rule would be triggered by the Illinois Supreme Court’s determination that an emergency or other major disaster affecting the justice system had occurred. Attorneys practicing in Illinois pursuant to the new rule would not be allowed to make court appearances in Illinois unless that permission was generally granted by the Illinois Supreme Court in the aftermath of the disaster or pro hac vice admission was obtained in an individual lawsuit.

  • April 3, 2012 | Practice News
    New rule to allow jurors to question witnesses in civil trials

    Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced Tuesday a new rule that will allow jurors in civil cases to pose their own questions to a witness.

    The rule has undergone extensive study since it was received by the Supreme Court Rules Committee in August 2010, and was discussed at a public hearing where it received the support of the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and others.

    It will go into effect July 1, 2012 as Supreme Court Rule 243.

    "This proposal was the subject of much discussion – both internally by the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee at several of its meetings and at a public hearing in May 2011," said Chief Justice Kilbride. "Based on the comments of those who have used or seen the procedure at trials, such a rule enhances juror engagement, juror comprehension and attention to the proceeding and gives jurors a better appreciation for our system of justice. The rule is written so that its implementation rests with the discretion of the trial judge and with safeguards so that the testimony it elicits complies with the rules of evidence."

    John B. Simon, chair of the Rules Committee, believes the scrutiny given the proposal before its adoption will benefit not only jurors, but lawyers, judges and the entire system of justice.

    2 comments (Most recent April 6, 2012)