The Basics of Preparing for E-DiscoveryBy George Bellas & Jillian TattersallSeptember 2019As discovery increasingly focuses on electronically stored information, it is important to have a working knowledge of the many issues associated with e-discovery.
Blockchain as EvidenceBy George BellasNovember 2019The increased use of blockchain technology will require lawyers to understand the concept in order to utilize it at trial.
Concert Security Detail Owes No Duty to Intoxicated Patrons and Drivers in IllinoisBy Andrea L. Kmak & Kimberly A. DavisDecember 2019The appellate court issued a ruling in a September 2019 wrongful death and survival suit, finding that a concert venue and operator were not liable for the decedent’s death in a premises liability case.
Discovery and the Circle of Trust KnowledgeBy Judge Eugene DohertyAugust 2019The purpose of discovery is the transmission of knowledge from one party to the other. But what constitutes “knowledge” of information sufficient to trigger the duty to disclose?
Does a guardian ad litem have immunity in a minor’s guardianship proceeding?By Patrick KinnallyJanuary 2019In Vlastelica v. Brend, the appellate court held that a child representative in a family law case enjoys absolute immunity from civil liability claims of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and interference with a parent’s child custody rights.
‘I didn’t mean it!’: Changing deposition testimony with errata sheetsBy George Bellas & Svetlana MeltserJune 2019Errata sheets allow a witness to make changes to transcripts prior to submitting it as part of discovery, but to what extent can they be used to correct or corrupt testimony?
Lost text messages lead to sanctionsBy George BellasMarch 2019Schmalz v. Village of North Riverside, et al. highlights the importance of taking measures to preserve data from mobile devices, as well as the risks associated with failing to take such measures.
Medical testimony and the “reasonable degree of medical certainty” standardBy Mark RouleauJanuary 2019The meaning of "reasonable degree of medical certainty" is often misunderstood by physicians, making it extremely important to explain this legal term to a client’s treating physicians before their depositions are taken.
Orders of Protection Cases Often Involve SurprisesBy Gary L. Schlesinger & Rachael BernalAugust 2019It is going to be exceedingly easy now for respondents in order of protection cases to be blindsided or have to defend things that are not specified in a petition if those items testified to fall within section 214 of the Domestic Violence Act.
Promises Kept and Unkept and Quasi ContractsBy Patrick M. KinnallyDecember 2019An analysis of recent opinions in Illinois courts that have brought into focus contract enforcement in both private and public settings.
Sole Proximate Cause(s)By Hon. Eugene G. DohertySeptember 2019There appears to be a split in authority about how to take the word "sole" in the phrase "sole proximate cause."
Will the real Jesse Gurley please accept serviceBy John J. HolevasFebruary 2019In Pickens v. Aahmes Temple #132 LLC, the appellate court upheld the trial court’s ruling that service of process was proper when the defendant listed the name of its registered agent but failed to include the agent’s correct suffix when another person by the same name with a different suffix was the individual actually served.