CLE

Discover how the Cook County Circuit Court Order (and other changes on the horizon) may affect your next client. 

Although the Bail Reform Act was signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner, the question remains whether the Act is adequate enough to address the multiple problems facing the criminal court’s bail-setting process. A bail hearing is one of the first contacts with the criminal court for a defendant charged with a crime – and it is imperative that attorneys working in this arena be familiar with the new rules, orders, and procedures, as well as how to incorporate these procedures into their practice in order to protect their clients’ rights. Criminal law attorneys, government lawyers, civil rights practitioners, and disability lawyers with all levels of practice experience who attend this seminar in Chicago or via live webcast on Sept. 26 will better understand: the history behind the Bail Reform Act of 2017 and why there was a need; the challenges facing Cook County Circuit Court Order No. 18.8A; the current framework for the bond system in Illinois; the impact of bail setting and pre-trial detention on communities in Illinois; the impact these changes have on appeals; how to remain in compliance with the law and the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct; and the future of reform in Illinois.

On Feb. 14, 2013, Rita Crundwell, former comptroller for the city of Dixon, Ill., was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison for stealing more than $53 million from the city. Crundwell’s crime went on record as the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. Just as shocking as the amount stolen from this small Illinois town was the fact that Crundwell engaged in her scheme to pillage Dixon for 20 years before being discovered. Crundwell's fraud once again focused an unflattering spotlight on the accounting profession and the role of the audit. The relevance of the audit has been in question since the uncovering of massive corporate frauds dating back to Worldcom and Enron. Subsequent to Crundwell's conviction, the city of Dixon sued its auditors, accountants and bank, settling their claim against them for $40 million.

In 1858, Lincoln defended William Duff Armstrong on murder charges for the death of James Preston Metzker. During the trial, a key prosecution eyewitness named Charles Allen testified that he witnessed the fight after sunset by the light of the moon high overhead. Lincoln undermined Allen’s testimony by using an almanac to prove that the moon was on the horizon and did not provide sufficient light to see anything clearly at the time of the fight. William Duff Armstrong was acquitted and Lincoln’s use of the almanac became legendary in the legal community. Don’t miss this full-day seminar in Beardstown on Sept. 7, 2018 that examines the Lincoln Almanac Trial in the very courthouse where Armstrong was acquitted. Topics include: an examination of the case from the trial advocacy perspective, and what modern lawyers can learn from it; a look at Lincoln’s other murder trials, and how attorneys must fulfill their duty to represent clients zealously in such cases; the problem with eyewitness identification and how to deal with it effectively at trial; the ethical issues that can arise during a trial; and a look at Lincoln’s practice before the Illinois Supreme Court.

Improve your trial skills in this “learn-by-doing” program that covers all phases of trial work from both a plaintiff/prosecutor and defendant’s viewpoint in both civil and criminal cases. Through this course, you will learn and practice new trial techniques that are most effective and consistent with the Illinois Rules of Evidence and the Federal Rules of Evidence. Each session is audio-video taped so you can see and hear the improvements in your voice, manner, and trial technique. The course has been proven to be of value whether your practice includes trying jury and non-jury cases, administrative hearings, arbitrations, or even mediations. The course is taught and coordinated by Scott Lane and Fred Lane. Please note: As he did last semester, Scott Lane will continue in his role as the primary instructor during the fall semester.