Illinois Case Commentaries

Enforceability of Trial De Novo Provisions in Underinsured-Motorist Policies Established

Date: Apr 22, 2011

Enforceability of Trial De Novo Provisions in Underinsured-Motorist Policies Established Introduction The Supreme Court of Illinois addressed a pivotal issue in Phoenix Insurance Company v. Martha...

Illinois Supreme Court Establishes Standards for Timely Rulings on Motions in Limine in Impeachment of Prior Convictions

Date: Apr 22, 2011

Illinois Supreme Court Establishes Standards for Timely Rulings on Motions in Limine in Impeachment of Prior Convictions Introduction In the case of The People of the State of Illinois v. Ira...

Khan v. Deutsche Bank: Reinforcing Fiduciary Duties and Refining Discovery Rule in Financial Malpractice

Date: Mar 17, 2011

Khan v. Deutsche Bank: Reinforcing Fiduciary Duties and Refining Discovery Rule in Financial Malpractice Introduction In Khan v. Deutsche Bank AG et al., decided by the Appellate Court of Illinois,...

Affirming Court Discretion on Right to Counsel of Choice: People v. Baez

Date: Feb 26, 2011

Affirming Court Discretion on Right to Counsel of Choice: People v. Baez Introduction People v. Baez, 241 Ill. 2d 44, adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Illinois on February 25, 2011, addresses...

Illinois Supreme Court Upholds 30-Day Limit for Withdrawal of Guilty Pleas

Date: Feb 4, 2011

Illinois Supreme Court Upholds 30-Day Limit for Withdrawal of Guilty Pleas Introduction In the landmark case of The People of the State of Illinois ex rel. Anita Alvarez v. David Skryd, the Supreme...

Deferential Review of Trial Counsel’s Jury Selection Strategy Under Strickland Standard

Date: Feb 4, 2011

Deferential Review of Trial Counsel’s Jury Selection Strategy Under Strickland Standard Introduction In the case of The People of the State of Illinois v. Arthur R. Manning (241 Ill. 2d 319), the...

Establishing Entry in Vehicle Burglary: PEOPLE v. BEAUCHAMP and Jones

Date: Feb 4, 2011

Establishing Entry in Vehicle Burglary: PEOPLE v. BEAUCHAMP and Jones Introduction In the landmark case of The People of the State of Illinois v. Albert Beauchamp and Michael Jones, the Supreme Court...

Date of Sentencing Classification in Presentence Credit: An Analysis of THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS v. MICHAEL WILLIAMS

Date: Jan 22, 2011

Date of Sentencing Classification in Presentence Credit THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS v. MICHAEL WILLIAMS, Appellant. (239 Ill. 2d 503) Introduction The case of The People of the State of...

Limiting Engineer's Duty of Care to Contractual Obligations: THOMPSON v. GORDON

Date: Jan 22, 2011

Limiting Engineer's Duty of Care to Contractual Obligations: THOMPSON v. GORDON Introduction Corinne Thompson v. Christie Gordon et al. is a seminal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Illinois...

Reaffirming Circuit Courts' Subject Matter Jurisdiction in Juvenile Delinquency Petitions: IN RE LUIS R., a Minor

Date: Dec 24, 2010

Reaffirming Circuit Courts' Subject Matter Jurisdiction in Juvenile Delinquency Petitions: IN RE LUIS R., a Minor Introduction The Supreme Court of Illinois, in the landmark case IN RE LUIS R., a...

Unauthorized by Law Exception Affirms Nontaxable License in Concession Agreements

Date: Dec 24, 2010

Unauthorized by Law Exception Affirms Nontaxable License in Concession Agreements Introduction In the landmark case MILLENNIUM PARK JOINT VENTURE, LLC v. JAMES M. HOULIHAN, Assessor of Cook County,...

Reaffirming the Boundaries of Expert Testimony on Witness Credibility: People v. Robert Becker

Date: Dec 3, 2010

Reaffirming the Boundaries of Expert Testimony on Witness Credibility: People v. Robert Becker Introduction The case of The People of the State of Illinois v. Robert Becker (239 Ill.2d 215) presents...

Reaffirming Section 115-7.4: The Constitutionality of Admitting Prior Domestic Violence Evidence in Illinois

Date: Nov 19, 2010

Reaffirming Section 115-7.4: The Constitutionality of Admitting Prior Domestic Violence Evidence in Illinois Introduction People of the State of Illinois v. Gregory Dabbs, 239 Ill. 2d 277 (2010), is...

Affirming the Community Caretaking Exception: Analysis of McDonough v. People of Illinois

Date: Nov 19, 2010

Affirming the Community Caretaking Exception: Analysis of McDonough v. People of Illinois Introduction McDonough v. People of Illinois, 239 Ill. 2d 260 (2010), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of...

No Constitutional Right to Counsel in Postconviction Summary Dismissal: PEOPLE v. LIGON

Date: Nov 19, 2010

No Constitutional Right to Counsel in Postconviction Summary Dismissal: PEOPLE v. LIGON Introduction People v. Dennis Ligon, 239 Ill. 2d 94 (2010), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Illinois,...

Illinois Supreme Court Upholds 24-Year Sentence in Aggravated Firearm Discharge Case

Date: Nov 19, 2010

Illinois Supreme Court Upholds 24-Year Sentence in Aggravated Firearm Discharge Case Introduction The case of The People of the State of Illinois v. Dione Alexander (239 Ill. 2d 205), adjudicated by...

Probable Cause and the Denial of Suppression in DWI Cases: An Analysis of John Dan Hogan v. The State of Texas

Date: Nov 19, 2010

Probable Cause and the Denial of Suppression in DWI Cases: An Analysis of John Dan Hogan v. The State of Texas Introduction The case of John Dan Hogan v. The State of Texas addresses pivotal issues...

Sureties Act Limited to Sureties, Excluding Guarantors: Analysis of JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Earth Foods, Inc.

Date: Oct 22, 2010

Sureties Act Limited to Sureties, Excluding Guarantors: Analysis of JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Earth Foods, Inc. Introduction The case of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Earth Foods, Inc. (2010) presents a...

Defining the Bounds of Plain Error: PEOPLE v. JOHNSON and Ex Parte Jury Communications

Date: Oct 22, 2010

Defining the Bounds of Plain Error: PEOPLE v. JOHNSON and Ex Parte Jury Communications Introduction People of the State of Illinois v. James T. Johnson, 238 Ill. 2d 478 (2010), serves as a pivotal...

Affirmation of Procedural Thresholds for Judge Substitution in In re Estate of Mary Ann Wilson

Date: Oct 22, 2010

Affirmation of Procedural Thresholds for Judge Substitution in In re Estate of Mary Ann Wilson Introduction The case of In re Estate of Mary Ann Wilson (Arnetta Williams, Appellant, v. Karen A....