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Illinois Supreme Court

  • February 13, 2019 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Announces Changes to Make Court Costs More Manageable

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced today several changes to the assessment system by which fees, fines, and other court costs are paid by civil and criminal case litigants.

    These changes are a result of Public Act 100-0987, which was passed by the legislature in 2018 in order to simplify the imposition, collection, and distribution of court assessments. The changes include Civil Assessment Schedules as well as fee waivers in amended Rule 298 and new Rule 404.

    The changes are effective July 1, and the new assessment structure, not including the waivers, expires Jan. 1, 2021. 

  • February 1, 2019 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Amends Order on Criminal and Juvenile E-filing

    On Thursday, Jan. 31, the Illinois Supreme Court amended its order on criminal and juvenile e-filling through eFileIL. The amendment reiterates the court’s approval for permissive e-filing of criminal case types (CF, CM, DT) and juvenile case types (J, JA, JD) through eFileIL, but now also provides for the initial case initiation to be e-filed through eFileIL at such a time as each court chooses. The previous order only provided for subsequent e-filing of criminal and juvenile cases through eFileIL after the case had been initiated and been assigned a case number.

  • January 29, 2019 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Disbars 7, Suspends 10 in Latest Disciplinary Filing

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on January 29, 2019. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

  • January 16, 2019 | ISBA News
    Illinois Supreme Court Receives Famous Lincoln Portrait in Commemoration of State’s Bicentennial
    Pictured are ISBA 3rd Vice President Anna Krolikowska, ISBA President James McCluskey, Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeier, and ISBA President Elect David Sosin. 

    The Illinois Supreme Court received a high-quality reproduction of a famous Abraham Lincoln photograph on Jan. 15 during a ceremony held in Springfield.

    The photograph was taken in Springfield by well-known photographer Alexander Hesler on June 3, 1860, for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. Historians consider Hesler’s portrait one of the best taken of Lincoln during his pre-presidential years.

  • January 14, 2019 | Practice News
    Martin Sinclair Named Chair of the Commission on Professionalism

    The Supreme Court of Illinois has appointed Martin Sinclair as chair of the Commission on Professionalism, effective Jan. 1.

    Sinclair, an attorney at Sperling & Slater, P.C. in Chicago, previously served as the commission's vice-chair. His term as chair will expire on Dec. 31, 2020.

    In addition, Commissioner James DeAno, managing partner at DeAno & Scarry, LLC in Chicago, has been designated vice-chair for a term expiring Dec. 31. John Kim, counsel at State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. in Bloomington, has been appointed as a new commissioner for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2021. Kim replaces Jeffrey Jackson, who retired from the commission as of Dec. 31, 2018.

  • January 14, 2019 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Oral Arguments to be Streamed Online Wednesday, Jan. 23

    The Illinois Supreme Court will livestream oral arguments in four cases on Wednesday, Jan. 23.

    The court will hear arguments in the cases of Van Dyke v. White, County of Will v. Illinois Pollution Control Board, LMP Services, Inc. v. City of Chicago, and Doe v. The First Congregational Church of Dundee. The livestream will begin at 9:30 a.m.

    The case of Van Dyke v. White concerns whether the Illinois Secretary of State or the Illinois Department of Insurance have the authority to regulate the sale of indexed annuities. County of Will v. Illinois Pollution Control Board involves the defendant's new regulations regarding the prevention of groundwater contamination from waste disposal sites that use construction materials. 

  • November 15, 2018 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Disbars 3, Suspends 9 in Latest Disciplinary Filing

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on November 15, 2018. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

  • November 14, 2018 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Announces Appointments to Committee on Juvenile Courts

    Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the appointments of Illinois judges to the newly formed Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Courts.

    The Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Courts is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on matters affecting juvenile law and juvenile courts, including child protection and delinquency systems. The committee will review, analyze, and examine the impact of legislation and caselaw as it relates to juvenile law and procedures and any aspect of the juvenile court process.

  • November 14, 2018 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Oral Arguments to be Streamed Online Tuesday, Nov. 20

    The Illinois Supreme Court will livestream oral arguments in two cases on Tuesday, Nov. 20.

    The court will hear arguments in the cases of Stacy Rosenbach v. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and JoAnn Smith v. The Vanguard Group, Inc. The livestream will begin at 9 a.m.

    In the case of Stacy Rosenbach v. Six Flags Entertainment Corp., Rosenbach alleged that Six Flags violated the law when it scanned her 14-year-old son’s thumbprint as part of his season pass entry into Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, without written consent. A state appeals court determined that she didn’t have standing because she didn’t show injury or adverse effect under the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. The supreme court will determine whether she has to show harm to sue under that law.

  • October 1, 2018 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Updates Rules of Evidence

    The Illinois Supreme Court updated the Illinois Rules of Evidence on Sept. 28, including provisions that provide guidance for evidence derived from electronic sources.

    Amendments to Rules 803(6), 803(7), and 803(8) clarify that the burden of showing “lack of trustworthiness” is on the party-opponent.