2017 Articles

E-filing in the real estate realm - MyDec

By Matthew Hector
October
2017
LawPulse
, Page 12
MyDec, used by 25 Illinois counties and the city of Chicago, enables lawyers to file real estate transfer tax declarations online.

E-Filing: Does the ‘E’ Stand for Easy?

By Jennifer Ramovs
October
2017
Column
, Page 57
Creating PDF files is essential for e-filing. Find out which PDF software is right for you.

Earned fees are not “available” for disgorgement

April
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 22
Attorney fees paid for services rendered or expenses previously incurred are not "available" for disgorgement.

Election Info and Candidate Ads

April
2017
Column
, Page 12
ISBA election ballots distributed March 29.

Eligible individuals recently released from DOC or DOJJ may apply for standard ID cards

May
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
This Act amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and Unified Code of Corrections to discontinue the issuance of identification cards by the Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DOJJ) to recently released persons.

Email service - it’s the law

By Matthew Hector
October
2017
LawPulse
, Page 12
Heads up, lawyers and judges - effective last July, email service is required and service by fax is dead.

Employees enjoy easier path to revoking wage assignments by creditors, if covered by federal law

January
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 20
The Illinois Wage Assignment Act was amended to impose additional requirements on wage assignment notice and service.

Enhancing Mail on Your Mac

By Jeffrey R. Schoenberger
May
2017
Column
, Page 42
Tips for making the most of your Mac's default email application.

Estate planners vulnerable to dormant legal malpractice claims

By Matthew Hector
April
2017
LawPulse
, Page 22
There's a six-year statute of repose for legal malpractice - unless the alleged act or omission isn't discovered until the client dies. Estate planning lawyers want more protection.

Ethics and Airport Lawyers

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2017
Column
, Page 50
Here's why the prohibition against in-person solicitation almost certainly didn't apply to lawyers who advertised their services in response to President Trump's immigration order.

Ethics and Social Media

By Richard S. Kling, Khalid Hasan, & Martin D. Gould
August
2017
Article
, Page 30
Social media is a trove of potential evidence, but lawyers must be mindful of ethical limits before attempting to get and use it. This article looks at the small body of law and advisory opinions applicable to social media evidence and related issues.

Eyes Wide Open

By Jennifer Ramovs
September
2017
Column
, Page 46
What you need to know about starting your own firm.

Failure to object to unfulfilled statutory prerequisites for involuntary admission to mental facility constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel

October
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
On August 3, 2017, the Appellate Court for the Third District held that Tara S. had been denied effective assistance of counsel and reversed the judgment of the circuit court of Peoria County.

Federal Government Information Abounds at Govinfo.gov

By Jesse Bowman
November
2017
Column
, Page 50
This third iteration of the Government Publishing Office's website is an expansive and free resource for federal judicial, legislative, and executive material.

Federal income tax refund ruled part of yearly income, not addition

January
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 20
The Third Appellate District determined that a husband's federal income tax refund for 2014 constituted part of net income for the year, not an addition to it.

A fiduciary can successfully rebut the presumption of fraud when transfers are made with donative intent to family members, and the principal expresses free desire to make such gifts

February
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 20
Petitioner brought a citation to discover against respondent and others to recover transfers that a disabled person, Agnes Spinnie, had made before the petitioner became her guardian.

Filing fees levied by Cook County Circuit Court Clerk deemed unauthorized

June
2017
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Plaintiffs successfully challenged the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk's interpretation of 705 ILCS 105/27.2a(g)(2) after being charged filing fees when petitioning to vacate a dismissal for want of prosecution.

Financially Distressed Local Governments: In Illinois, Relief Options Are Limited

By Richard J. Mason
April
2017
Article
, Page 40
The author takes a look at current debt-relief options for financially distressed cities and finds them wanting.

Finding ‘Lost’ Legal and Governmental Information

By Tom Gaylord
January
2017
Column
, Page 50
Is your research project stymied by a broken URL? Time to fire up the Wayback Machine.

Former IBF president receives national award; nominations for ISBA Laureates open through February 17

February
2017
Column
, Page 49
Judge Debra Walker, former president of the Illinois Bar Foundation, is the recipient of the 2017 National Conference of Bar Foundations Excellence Award. Nominations are being accepted for the 2017 class of Laureates of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers.

Former state’s attorney’s ‘felony enforcement’ unit back in the news

By Matthew Hector
November
2017
LawPulse
, Page 14
The controversy surrounding former LaSalle County State's Attorney Brian Towne's so-called "SAFE Unit" continues.

From Bar to Bench and Back

By Ed Finkel
July
2017
Cover Story
, Page 22
Retired circuit judge, mediator/arbitrator, veteran trial lawyer, football referee, and longtime ISBA champion Russell Hartigan begins his term as ISBA president.
2 comments (Most recent June 26, 2017)

From Many, One: Ethnic and Minority Bars Enrich Our Legal Community

By Vincent F. Cornelius
May
2017
Column
, Page 8
Ethnic and minority bars help nurture lawyers who in turn serve the broader profession.

From the Discussions - Are there special requirements for kids traveling internationally with only one parent?

May
2017
Article
, Page 40
Q. If a divorcing parent is taking a child out of the country, does he or she have to fill out a special form?

From the Discussions - Are vision and dental costs ‘medical expenses’ for child-support purposes?

July
2017
Article
, Page 48
Q. If a support order requires payment of "medical expenses," does it apply to costs related to dental and vision care?

From the Discussions - Can a sex offender return home after prison if he lives near a park?

May
2017
Article
, Page 41
Q. A soon-to-be released sex offender wants to return to his home, which is near a park. Do sex-offender residency restrictions allow that?

From the Discussions - Can you expunge only part of a criminal file?

September
2017
Article
, Page 42
Q. Can you expunge dismissed counts of a file when one count is not yet eligible for expungement but all counts are in the same file?

From the Discussions - Do umbrella policies cover defamation?

June
2017
Article
, Page 25
Q. Could the umbrella policy on a house cover a defamation judgment?

From the Discussions - Does the new child support statute apply to pending cases?

June
2017
Article
, Page 24
Q. Does the income shares child support calculation method that takes effect July 1 apply to cases in the pipeline?

From the Discussions - DUI with kids under 16

July
2017
Article
, Page 49
Q. Where the statute says a DUI with a child under 16-years-old in the vehicle is "subject to" six months of imprisonment, is that mandatory or discretionary?