Section Newsletters

Articles From Ronald D. Menna, Jr.

Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right: Illinois Adopts the ‘Partial Breach’ Doctrine By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Rural Practice, October 2024 Illinois follows the “first-to-breach" rule, which holds a material breach of a contract provision by one party may be grounds for releasing the other party from its contractual obligations.
Ethical Practices in the Email Age Washington State Judge Bans AI Enhanced Video Evidence By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, June 2024 In March, a Washington trial judge entered an order barring a criminal defendant’s use of artificial intelligence enhanced video.
Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right: Illinois Adopts the ‘Partial Breach’ Doctrine By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, June 2024 Illinois follows the “first-to-breach" rule, which holds a material breach of a contract provision by one party may be grounds for releasing the other party from its contractual obligations.
The Death of the Best Evidence Rule By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, May 2024 In People v. Smith, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the Illinois Rules of Evidence codified and abrogated the common law best evidence rule.
Ethical Practices in the Email Age: Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2 and ‘Reply All’ Emails By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Elder Law, January 2022 As more and more legal communications are via email rather than carefully proofread letters, new ethical minefields are being discovered.
Ethical Practices in the Email Age: Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2 and ‘Reply All’ Emails By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, November 2021 As more and more legal communications are via email rather than carefully proofread letters, new ethical minefields are being discovered.
Ethical Practices in the Email Age: Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2 and ‘Reply All’ Emails By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, September 2021 As more and more legal communications are via email rather than carefully proofread letters, new ethical minefields are being discovered.
Ethical Practices in the Email Age: Courtesy Copy Emails to Judges By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, May 2021 As the court system has evolved into the era of permitting emails to transmit courtesy copies of pleadings and motions, a troubling trend has ensued: Courtesy copy emails are being used to raise new arguments or make disparaging comments.
1 comment (Most recent June 7, 2021)
Ethical Practices in the Email Age: Courtesy Copy Emails to Judges By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, May 2021 As the court system has evolved into the era of permitting emails to transmit courtesy copies of pleadings and motions, a troubling trend has ensued: Courtesy copy emails are being used to raise new arguments or make disparaging comments.
Reminder: Courts ‘Do Not Serve as a Safety Net for Bad Choices” By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, December 2020 In Doe v. Parrillo, the appellate court examined the consequences of a defendant’s and his attorneys’ refusal to attend and participate in the jury trial.
Chicken Dinner Warrants Recusal? Not So Fast! By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, April 2020 An analysis of judicial recusal.
Chicken Dinner Warrants Recusal? Not So Fast! By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, March 2020 An analysis of judicial recusal.
Chicken Dinner Warrants Recusal? Not So Fast! By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, March 2020 An analysis of judicial recusal.
Appellate court clarifies how to properly complete a summons By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, December 2015 Recently, in Arch Bay Holdings, LLC-Series 2010B v. Perez, the Appellate Court set another trap for the unwary plaintiff, holding that service of summons is ineffective where a defendant’s name is not listed on the face of the summons, even though her name is listed on the attachment directing that she be served.
Pennsylvania judge takes a bold stand against unprofessional conduct By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, October 2015 Recently Judge Paul Panepinto, presiding over a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, medical malpractice action, imposed a sanction of almost $1 million upon an attorney due to her expert witness’ violation of an agreed order in limine. Could such a sanction be imposed in Illinois to promote attorney professionalism?
Pennsylvania judge takes a bold stand against unprofessional conduct By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, September 2015 Recently Judge Paul Panepinto, presiding over a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, medical malpractice action, imposed a sanction of almost $1 million upon an attorney due to her expert witness’ violation of an agreed order in limine. Could such a sanction be imposed in Illinois to promote attorney professionalism?
First District requires two years of continuous employment to enforce employee covenants not to compete: Fifield v. Premier Dealer Services, Inc., 2013 IL App (1st) 120327 By Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Civil Practice and Procedure, August 2013 Fifield v. Premier Dealer Services, Inc. is one of the first published decisions on the enforcement of employment non-competition clauses following the Supreme Court’s decision in Reliable Fire Equipment Co. v. Arredondo on December 1, 2011.
“Strive mightily”: Some thoughts on civility and the Illinois bar By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, May 2013 It is time for our profession to return to being held out as an admirable model to follow, rather than one to ridicule.
Perception vs. reality: Money in judicial elections By David W. Inlander & Ronald D. Menna, Jr. Bench and Bar, March 2011 A contrast between the approaches taken by Illinois and New York to reduce the public's perception of the role money plays in influencing judicial elections.

Spot an error in your article? Contact Celeste Niemann at cniemann@isba.org. For information on obtaining a copy of an article, visit the ISBA Newsletters page.

Select a Different Author