ALA Hosts Supreme Court Year in Review

By Charlie Ingrassia
Law Clerk to Hon. Susan F. Hutchinson, Illinois Appellate Court, Second District

Due to its growing popularity, and combined with the ALA's commitment to providing legal educational programs throughout the state, the Association once again presented its annual Supreme Court Civil Litigation Year in Review in multiple locations. The program featured Justice Ann B. Jorgensen of the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District; past ALA president and current Chicago Bar Association president J. Timothy Eaton of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP; and past ALA president Michael Reagan of the Law Offices of Michael T. Reagan.

The panel offered their perspectives and keen insights on rule changes and significant decisions rendered by the Illinois Supreme Court during the 2013 term. Justice Jorgensen began the program by discussing new and amended Supreme Court Rules, including Rule 315 (eff. July 1, 2013), which governs petitions for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court and Rule 138 (eff. Jan. 1, 2014), which governs personal identity that may not be filed in court documents. Thereafter, the panel discussed noteworthy decisions covering a broad range of substantive areas. Topics included personal jurisdiction under a stream of commerce theory (Russell v. SNFA, 2013 IL 113090); disgorgement of attorney fees in a marriage dissolution proceeding and the policy of "leveling the playing field" (In re Marriage of Earlywine, 2013 IL 114779); and how the supreme court would weigh federal authority when reviewing an issue that involved a federal statute (State Bank of Cherry v. CGB Enterprises, Inc., 2013 IL 113836).

The ALA presented the program on February 20, 2014, in Wheaton and on February 27, 2014, in Chicago. The Supreme Court Civil Litigation Year in Review will also be presented on March 13, 2014, in Decatur as part of the Association's annual roundtable luncheon honoring the Justices of the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District. The ALA thanks the panel for an informative program, the DuPage County Bar Association for co-sponsoring the Wheaton program, and Neal Gerber & Eisenberg for generously hosting the Chicago program.

The ALA also presented the Supreme Court Year in Review in Decatur during the Association's annual roundtable luncheon honoring the Justices of the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District.  The roundtable luncheon was held on March 13, 2014, at the Decatur Club. In addition to the Supreme Court Year in Review program, the luncheon also featured Carla Bender, Clerk of the Court, who provided valuable updates on the court's e-filing initiatives.

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