Bethany Krajelis News
Supreme Court increases Illinois attorney registration fee; $16, $40 hike takes effect next year
Starting next year, it will cost attorneys more money to practice law in Illinois.
Jury convicts follower of sovereign citizen movement on charges over bogus liens filed against court officials, federal employees
A federal jury in Chicago today convicted a follower of the sovereign citizen movement on charges she filed false liens seeking billions of dollars from current and federal employees in retaliation for the prosecution of her brother.
Panel offers insight into what judges want from attorneys in MDLs
HerndonIf you want to serve in a leadership role in multidistrict litigation before the chief judge of the Southern District of Illinois, you should know he doesn’t take his appointment responsibilities lightly.Chief Judge David R. Herndon will vet your application for lead counsel or the steering committee thoroughly and even call judges you’ve appeared before in other MDLs. If those judges don’t
Kraft lodges suit over bird remains allegedly found in sugar delivery to Champaign, Ill. facility
One of the country's largest packaged food companies suing its sugar suppliers, claiming it found a dead bird in a 2012 shipment that forced it to destroy more than 146,000 cases of finished product and lose more than $1.6 million.
Attorney Gill Garman, husband of chief justice, dies; colleagues remember him as "family man"
Gill GarmanIllinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman’s husband has died.Gill M. Garman, a senior partner at Kesler Nelson Garman Brougher & Townsley P.C. in Danville, died Saturday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, according to his obituary and a Monday news release form the court. He was 71.Not only was Gill known for helping Garman reach the center seat behind the state high court
Fate of Chicago's red light camera program yields to Illinois Supreme Court for ruling
OTTAWA-- Despite being opponents, attorneys involved in the legal fight over Chicago’s red light camera program offered a similar line in their arguments today before the Illinois Supreme Court.Explaining to the justices why she believed one of the many arguments raised by the plaintiffs’ attorney failed, Kerrie Maloney Laytin, assistant corporation counsel for the city, said it was waived by not being
Illinois Supreme Court disciplines 30 attorneys; including former and current public officials
The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday disciplined more than two dozen attorneys, including a trio of former public officials and one sitting alderman.
Judge tosses attorney's suit over termination as former RTA director seeks sanctions against him for filing allegedly frivolous claim
A Chicago attorney who used to represent retirement programs for employees of Pace Suburban Bus Service could face sanctions after a federal judge threw out his whistleblower and First Amendment claims against a former Regional Transportation Authority executive and a life insurance company that acted as trustee for the plans.
Illinois Courts Commission removes Cook County judge from bench; says mental health issues interfere with duties and puts public at risk
A Cook County judge declared legally insane over a 2012 manic episode that resulted in her arrest for shoving a sheriff’s deputy has been stripped of her judicial duties.
Appeals panel vacates $1.05M award to assistant principal over retaliatory firing; remands for new trial on damages under Whistleblower Act
Overturning a $1.05 million jury award to the former assistant principal of a South Side Chicago school who claimed he was fired in retaliation for reporting a teacher’s alleged abuse of a student, an Illinois appeals panel on Tuesday ordered a new trial on damages under the state’s Whistleblower Act.In its 24-page opinion, the First District Appellate Court held that a new trial on the sole issue
ARDC: attorney disciplinary complaints dropped in 2013, but high court sanctions spiked
Although fewer investigations and attorney disciplinary complaints were lodged last year than in 2012, the Illinois Supreme Court handed down more sanctions in 2013, according to a report from the state’s disciplinary commission.
Chicago's red light camera program set to face Supreme Court May 20 in Ottawa
The Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments later this month over a challenge to Chicago’s red light camera program.This case -- Elizabeth Keating et al. v. City of Chicago—is one of 13 slated for the court’s May term, the last one expected to take place in Chicago before arguments return to Springfield, where the court's building has been under renovation since last year. Arguments will be heard
Illinois admits 691 new lawyers; nearly 500 sworn in at three separate ceremonies in Chicago
The state's roster of attorneys grew by nearly 700 today following bar admission ceremonies held throughout the state, including a first-time ever trio in the First District.Out of the 691 attorneys set to be admitted today, the largest group --474-- took the oath here in Chicago. This year marked the first time the First District ceremony was split into three and at the James R. Thompson Center's
Cook County circuit judges pick 13 new associate judges, including one who won election as a write-in
Cook County’s circuit judges have selected 13 new associates judges, one of whom secured enough votes to win as write-in candidate, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts announced today.
Fate of suit challenging Chicago's new ward map now in the hands of the Seventh Circuit
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments earlier this week over the City of Chicago’s redistricting plan for the 2015 aldermanic elections.