Effective the first of the year, an inmate cannot file more than one post-conviction petition in the trial court, under 725 ILCS 5/122-1, without leave of court.
On November 20, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the appellate court that found that the trial court had abused its discretion when it failed to sua sponteissue an involuntary manslaughter instruction to the jury.
The Detection of Deception Examiners Act was recently amended to clarify that the Act does not prohibit the use of a voice stress analyzer by any trained.
On October 17, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed in part, affirmed in part, and remanded the appellate court's decision to overturn the defendant's conviction of felony murder because it was improperly predicated upon aggravated battery.
On September 18, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the portion of the appellate court's decision that vacated the defendant's extended-term sentence.
On September 18, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the circuit and appellate courts' judgments to suppress evidence found during a search of the defendant's motel room in which a probationer subject to a search condition was staying.
On September 19, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, affirmed the defendant's conviction for escape in the circuit court of Stephenson County.
On August 21, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that a postconviction petitioner may not raise a claim based on Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, in a successive postconviction petition.
On August 7, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, reversed the order of the Circuit Court of DuPage County dismissing the indictment filed against the defendant for aggravated driving while license revoked and remanded the cause for further proceedings.
A person commits criminal synthetic drug manufacturing conspiracy when, with the intent that a controlled substance be manufactured or produced, the person aids in the manufacture or production of a synthetic controlled substance.
On July 11, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Third District, vacated the order of the Circuit Court of LaSalle County denying the defendant's motion to suppress evidence.
On May 20, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed the order of the Circuit Court of Cook County convicting the defendant of theft by deception and sentencing him in absentia.
On June 19, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the evidence obtained in a traffic stop that was based upon an anonymous tipper who overheard a cellular phone conversation on a police scanner was not obtained in violation of the Illinois eavesdropping statute, federal wiretapping statutes, or constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently signed into law six bills aimed at eliminating problems that have raised questions about the integrity of Illinois' criminal justice system.
On June 26, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Fifth District, reversed both the order of the Circuit Court of Richland County denying the defendant's motion to suppress evidence and the defendant's conviction of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
On April 17, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the defendant's conviction of murder in the first degree and of unlawful possession of a stolen or converted motor vehicle.
On March 31, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed the judgment of the circuit court of Cook County convicting the defendant of first-degree murder and sentencing him to 35 years in prison.
