Black and blueBy Doug GlanvilleSeptember 2009The author is a former major league baseball player who played for the Chicago Cubs and several other teams.
Black and blue commentaryBy Hon. Lloyd A. KarmeierSeptember 2009The author's favorite way of talking about retention of judges was to suggest to people that if they attended a baseball or basketball game and came away from the game not noticing or talking about the job the umpires or referees had done, it was pretty clear they must have done a good job.
Book reviewBy Hon. E. Kenneth Wright, Jr. & Hon. Daniel T. GillespieJune 2009Lincoln scholar Douglas L. Wilson has penned a fascinating account of our sixteenth President’s extraordinary ability to communicate with the written word.
Caryl Chessman, the forgotten manBy Willis R. TriblerOctober 2009Chessman conducted the first relentless, no-holds-barred campaign by a condemned person to delay or avoid execution for a death penalty crime. Along the way, he demonstrated the utter folly of defending yourself in a capital case and provided support for the proposition that the death penalty should not be imposed for crimes, however loathsome, that do not result in the death of the victim.
Chair’s ColumnBy J.A. SebastianDecember 2009In appreciation for his service, Elmhurst College alumni established in 1984 an endowed lecture fund, dedicated to Dr. Rudolf G. Schade who had been chairman of the department of history and the division of social sciences at Elmhurst College.
Chair’s ColumnBy J.A. SebastianOctober 2009A message from Section Chair J.A. Sebastian.
Chair’s ColumnBy J.A. SebastianSeptember 2009A message from Section Chair J.A. Sebastian.
Chair’s ColumnBy J.A. SebastianJuly 2009A message from Section Chair J.A. Sebastian.
Chair’s columnBy Hon. Edward J. SchoenbaumJune 2009A message from Section Chair Edward Schoenbaum.
Chair’s columnBy Hon. Edward J. SchoenbaumApril 2009At the January 23, 2009 meeting of the Conference of Chief Judges in Chicago, Judge Ed Schoenbaum was privileged not only to be allowed to make a presentation to this group but also to establish a dialogue with them.
Civility and religious sensitivityBy Andrea M. SchleiferApril 2009Almost 75 years ago, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers was created to among other things, confront anti-Semitism and discrimination encountered by Jewish attorneys in the Courts. Unfortunately, at that time, many judges would knowingly schedule trials on Jewish holidays without compunction. That rarely happens today, when most judges respect the religious requirements of litigants and lawyers.
E-filing in Cook County Circuit Court—An overviewBy John ChatzJuly 2009On May 11, 2009, the Circuit Court of Cook County took an historic step on several levels. By implementing Cook County’s first electronic filing pilot project, Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown facilitated a “green” courts initiative, advanced efficiencies for attorneys and self-represented litigants, and instituted an integrated electronic filing system for the largest court system in the United States.
E-xciting! E-filing comes to Madison CountyBy Hon. Barbara CrowderJuly 2009Thanks to the approval of the Supreme Court, on April 6th, 2009 Madison County became the second county in Illinois to have e-filing.
Editor’s comments about this issueBy Alfred M. Swanson, Jr.December 2009Honors and awards. This edition of the Bench and Bar Newsletter recognizes a number of significant events which have occurred in recent weeks.
Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court-Annexed Small Claims Mediation ProgramBy Deborah F. HaasApril 2009In 2008, the Circuit Court of McLean County developed a Small Claims Mediation Program. The program is designed to assist pro se litigants in an effort to resolve their small claims disputes.
Ethics and Judicial IndependenceBy Hon. Thomas R. FitzgeraldDecember 2009A speech given by Illinois Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald at Elmhurst College on October 2, 2009
Family treatment courtBy Hon. Michael D. ClaryOctober 2009At a meeting with social workers and others involved in child neglect cases to discuss the DCFS Permanency Enhancement Initiative, the topic of drug-addicted parents and the high frequency of termination of parental rights in those cases came up. The consensus of opinion was that these cases are particularly challenging and frustrating for everyone involved.
Further notes for a law lectureBy Hon. Michael B. HymanFebruary 2009Notes for a Law Lecture” were found by his White House secretaries after his death. It is unknown if Lincoln ever delivered the lecture, but the Notes have come to be a classic statement of practical advice for aspiring lawyers. Often quoted and reprinted, the Notes continue to be celebrated for their timeless relevance and sound message.
Gay and lesbian judges? Oh my! Toto, we’re not in KansasBy Hon. Tom ChiolaJuly 2009The recent formation of the Alliance of Illinois Judges (www.TheAIJ.com) by the 15 openly gay and lesbian judges on the Circuit Court of Cook County marks a sea change in Illinois elected office.
Judge Suria rememberedBy Hon. Thomas R. FitzgeraldOctober 2009Judge Fred Suria was a gentleman’s scholar and a good and valued friend. Of his 44 years on the bench, almost all of them were spent in Criminal Court at the 26th and California courthouse.
Just answer the questionBy Willis R. TriblerSeptember 2009The author suggests that you keep People v. Harris handy for use whenever a client wants to “tell my story in my own words” or shows a tendency to give rambling or overbroad answers.
‘Know thy enemy and know thyself’By John T. HundleyApril 2009As a recent decision by the Illinois Appellate Court demonstrates, failure to know—and properly name—your party-opponent can have drastic and even fatal consequences.
Less is more: Lessons from BLINKBy J.A. SebastianApril 2009The book, BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING, was published in 2005 and asks the questions: How valid is a first impression? What factors are considered? How often (who has time?) do we even think about how we think?
Lessons from a life in the lawBy Hon. Warren D. WolfsonDecember 2009Editor’s note: Judge Wolfson gave this talk as he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jewish Judges Association at its annual dinner on November 15, 2009. Justice Anne Burke received the Association’s Seymour Simon Justice Award.
A life in the lawBy Hon. George N. LeightonDecember 2009Remarks given during his honorary initiation as a member of the Chicago Alumni Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity on October 21, 2009.
Lincoln’s life lessonsBy Michele M. JochnerApril 2009The celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln allows us to rediscover the eloquent words and timeless wisdom of our country’s most admired president.
Making pro bono your ownBy Jasmine V. HernandezOctober 2009Practitioners throughout Illinois must file their annual registration forms with the Supreme Court of Illinois’ Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (hereinafter “ARDC”) on the first of January every year. To stay on the master roll of attorneys and comply with Rule 756(f), we must report whether we provided pro bono legal services or made monetary contributions to organizations that provide pro bono legal services in the previous year.
The National Center for State Courts salutes Chief Judge Timothy C. EvansBy Jasmine V. HernandezDecember 2009Before holiday sparklers light up the Daley Center and we rush from one holiday party to another, the legal community came together to celebrate the National Center for State Courts’ (“NCSC”) naming of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans as the recipient of its 2009 William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence (“Rehnquist Award”).