Miscellaneous Articles
Miscellaneous Articles
- KULINSKY IN WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA
- NEW RULE MUZZLES LAWYERS DURING TRIAL
- SUPREME COURT EXPANDS MUNICIPALITIES FOR SNOW REMOVAL
- NEW LAW REQUIRES CONVICTED ARSONISTS TO REGISTER WITH STATE
- SHORT BRIEFS
KULINSKY IN WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA
Lois Kulinsky is included in the eleventh edition (2000-2001) biographic reference book, Who’s Who In America. This five volume series lists sketches of America’s leaders, and Kulinsky’s biographic sketch is provided under the section Who’s Who in American Law.
NEW RULE MUZZLES LAWYERS DURING TRIAL
The Illinois Supreme Court moved to limit the comments lawyers can make to the public during trials in which they are involved. The change prohibits comments that could prejudice a jury or threaten the fairness of a trial. These matters relate to the character, credibility, reputation or criminal record of the party, suspect or witness the possibility of a plea or existence of a confession; and any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of a defendant. The changes now make prosecutors responsible for the public comments of their associates, aides, and police that work with them during an investigation
SUPREME COURT EXPANDS MUNICIPALITIES FOR SNOW REMOVAL
Municipalities expect to face increased snow removal costs after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that snow piled near an intersection constituted an “unnatural accumulation,” thus subjecting a town to liability. The high court found Cook County negligent for plowing snow into a large pile at a street corner in south suburban Matteson and leaving it there to melt. This ruling affirmed the $600,000.00 in damages awarded a man who alleged the icy mound blocked his view of traffic forcing him to inch his car into the intersection to look for cars. His vehicle was struck by another car in the intersection, and he was severely injured.
NEW LAW REQUIRES CONVICTED ARSONISTS TO REGISTER WITH STATE
State arsonists must enter their names and addresses into a statewide database that officials say will help track down repeat arson offenders. The Arsonist Registration Act requires convicted arsonists to register with local law enforcement officials for 10 years. The information is sent to the Illinois state police. Information is available to fire departments, law enforcement agencies and fire and arson investigators. In time, the information will be available to the public on the State Fire Marshal’s web site.
SHORT BRIEFS:
- Governor signs bill allowing trusts for care of pets. A trust for pets will terminate when no living animal remains covered by it. The trustee then must transfer the unexpended property as directed in the instrument.
- The United States Supreme Court gave police broader search powers during traffic stops, ruling that drug-sniffing dogs can be used to check out motorists even if officers have no reason to suspect that they might be carrying narcotics. Civil liberty advocates argue that granting the police more power is troubling.
- New visitation law gives grandparents involved in visitation and custody disputes visitation visits with their grandchildren. This visitation is allowed when there is an “unreasonable denial of visitation” by one of the child’s parents. Grandparents must show that the denial is “harmful to the child’s mental, physical or emotional health.”
- Illinois law requires a parent who intends to marry or reside with a sex offender to provide “reasonable notice” to the other parent with whom he or she has a minor child before marriage or co-habitation takes place. This allows for a motion to modify a custody judgment.