Illinois Pattern Jury instruction 12.05 and Reversible Error

Illinois Pattern Jury Instruction 12.05 relates to the negligence of a third party. There are two paragraphs to the instruction, however courts, at their discretion, may opt to omit the second paragraph if the court determines it does not apply. This omission, however, can be Read More …

The Practice: How to Create Reusable Forms

Frequently the practice of law uses form documents. It can be tremendously time consuming and ultimately costly to the client, to recreate these similar documents over and over. Don’t re-invent the wheel. Below is an easy way to use Microsoft Word to create fill-in-the-blank type Read More …

Denying Subsequent Remedial Measures

Illinois courts have held that evidence of subsequent repairs is not admissible for the purpose of showing prior negligence, but is admissible for the purpose of showing who had control of the premises on which the injury occurred when control is an issue. (Kellems v. Read More …

Social Media Laws: Protecting Your Privacy

Employers in California and Illinois are now prohibited from demanding access to workers’ password-protected social networking accounts thanks to new laws taking effect in 2013. Additionally three more states have jumped on the bandwagon. Arkansas, New Mexico and Utah have all passed legislation to prevent Read More …

Missouri v. McNeely: New DUI Standards

The Supreme Court, in Missouri v. McNeely, ruled that blood tests in DUI investigations require warrants. The court held specifically that, in drunk-driving investigations, the natural dissipation of alcohol in the bloodstream does not constitute an exigency in every case sufficient to justify conducting a Read More …