Law should seek personal liberty. ABA asked: How would you #ChangeTheLawIn5Words?
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Articles Posted in Politics?
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Fewer Oral Arguments Heightens Importance Of Appellate Brief
Here is a letter to the editor I submitted to Illinois State Bar Journal with my observations about an article in the April 2011 edition that disapproves of the declining number of appellate oral arguments. To the Editor: “Surviving the Death of Oral Argument” (sorry, subscription required) is misnamed. The…
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Rootin-Tootin Tootin
A couple of hundred years ago when I was a Big Law associate, a Big Law managing partner told me to “Toot your own horn, because nobody else will.” I thought of that the other day when I got a memo from the grand poobah of the Steven R Merican…
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Proposal For New Law School Model Would Improve Students’ Employment Prospects, Reduce Student Debt, And Make For Better Equipped Lawyers
Yesterday’s New York Times ran an article questioning the enormous loans many students need to get through law school, and how law schools game the school ratings. That’s news? Here is a letter to the editor I wrote today, suggesting a radical fix: To the Editor: “Is Law School a…
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Term Limits The Lesson Of Attack On Kilbride’s Retention
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride won his retention election last week. About 65 percent of voters in his district voted to retain him. Now he has the option of serving another 10-year term. The lesson of this retention campaign is: The office of judge should have a term limit…
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Jurisdiction Okay Despite Candidate’s Appeal Under Wrong Rule
Mary Ann Aiello passed away with more than 29 months left in her term on the Winnebago, Illinois County Board. Theodore Biondo was appointed to fill the vacancy. By the time Biondo’s appointment went through there was less than 28 months left in Aiello’s term. Under the Illinois Election Code,…
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State Courts At Tipping Point Of Dysfunction?
The New York Times posted an editorial today agreeing with Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall that “because of budget cuts in tough economic times, state courts across the country stand at “‘the tipping point of dysfunction.’” The piece explains the results of budget cuts in different state…
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Illinois Election Board Tie Vote Dismissal Of Republican Party Complaints Reviewable By Appellate Court
The Cook County (Illinois) Republican Party filed eight complaints against various Democratic Party organizations and individuals asserting violations of the Illinois Election Code. The complaints were filed with the Illinois Board of Elections, which has eight members. The Board tied on each of the complaints, four to four, meaning there…
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No Appellate Standing For Knox County Employees Being Investigated; Appellate Court Lacks Supervisory Authority To Order A Special Prosecutor On Remand
This lawsuit grows from a political fight in Knox County, Illinois. After he took office as Knox County State’s Attorney, John Pepmeyer began an investigation into “improprieties” by current and former county employees of the county state’s attorney’s and sheriff’s offices. Two Assistant State’s Attorneys, Dean Stone and Michael Kraycinovich,…
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“Downright Misleading” Constitutional Convention Referendum Ballot Prevails
The Illinois Constitutional Convention Referendum Case has been resolved – for the moment. An Illinois appellate court affirmed the trial court’s remedy for the “downright misleading” and unconstitutional ballot: hand out a flyer to voters telling them to disregard the referendum “Explanation” and “Notice” that are printed right on the…