The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday appointed Associate Judge Michael N. Cook to fill the Circuit Court vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Annette A. Eckert, resident Circuit Judge of St. Clair County in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.
The appointment, made upon the recommendation of Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier, is effective October 1, 2010.
Judge Cook has served as an associate judge since 2007. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he served as an associate with the Belleville law firm of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin; he was also an assistant public defender for St. Clair County.
Judge Cook graduated in 1999 with a juris doctor degree from the University of Tulsa. While there, he served on the Board of Advocates and in the Elder Law Legal Clinic. He graduated in 1994 with a bachelor of science degree in anthropology from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
His is a member of the St. Clair County Bar Association and currently serves as its first vice-president. In addition, Judge Cook also serves as chairman of the paralegal scholarship program at Southwestern Illinois College.
Judge Cook is the only candidate seeking to succeed Judge Eckert, and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
Southern Illinois
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August 31, 2010 |
Practice News
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August 30, 2010 |
People
ISBA Laureate Award winner Joseph R. Bartylak of Alton passed away on Thursday, Aug. 26, after suffering from pneumonia. Mr. Bartylak joined the staff of the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation when it was founded in 1972. He had been staff attorney of the Legal Services Society of Madison County, one of seven organizations that combined to form LLLAF. Bartylak became the agency's executive director in 1976 and served for 27 years. He was at the helm while Land of Lincoln expanded into 65 southern Illinois counties and established several regional offices throughout its 33,OOO-square-mile service area. A 1947 graduate of the Washington University School of Law, Bartylak has been an advocate for legal services to the poor for most of his 58 years in practice. He retired from Land of Lincoln in 2003, but continued to serve the profession as the first downstate associate director of the Lawyers' Assistance Program. A past president of LAP who has served on its board for 25 years, Bartylak was a member of the ISBA Assembly and a past chair of the Committee on Delivery of Legal Services and the Committee on Public Relations. He was a Charter Fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation, a trustee of the Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice, and a past president of the Madison County Bar Association. Bartylak has received the Charles Dorsey Award from the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, the Lovejoy Human Rights Award, a Distinguished Service Award from the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, and the Carl H. Rolewick Award from the Lawyers' Assistance Program. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 2, at 1:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Alton.
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August 17, 2010
Chicago area
- Blago jury has reached a verdict, Chicago Tribune
- United, Continental chiefs set to appear in merger lawsuit, Chicago Business
- W. Chicago teen sues to play ball with dog, Daily Herald
- Carol Stream switches attorneys after 40 years, Daily Herald
Southern Illinois
- Man accused of shooting Washington Park mayor asks for new judge, Belleville News-Democrat
Nation
- Pro se inmate scores 7th Circuit win, says his own lawyer was targeted by feds too, ABA Journal
- 2nd Circuit blasts judge, prosecutors in sex abuse case chronicled in documentary, ABA Journal
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August 11, 2010
Chicago area
- Blagojevich jury deadlocked on some counts, Fox News Chicago
- Leech Tishman firm taps Seyfarth partner to open Chicago office, its first outside of Pittsburgh, ABA Journal
- Blagojevich jurors have a question, Chicago Sun-Times
- Ex-doctor gets 5 years in $13 million insurance fraud, Chicago Tribune
- Death penalty not in play for accused gunman in Darien triple slaying, Daily Herald
Southern Illinois
- Jury deliberating in case of Highland man trying to abduct teen girl, Belleville News-Democrat
Nation
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August 5, 2010
SCOTUS
- Elena Kagan OKd as 112th Supreme Court Justice, Chicago Tribune
Central Illinois
- County ignores youth traffic safety course law for two years, Springfield State Journal-Register
Chicago area
- Freed Hobbs says truth will come out, Chicago Tribune
Southern Illinois
- Fluker, charged in murder of Belleville boy, hires big-leaguer Scott Rosenblum, Belleville News-Democrat
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August 4, 2010
Chicago area
- Charges dropped in Zion girls' slayings, Chicago Tribune
- Blagojevich trial: Attorneys talk forfeiture plans; no word from the jury, Chicago Sun-Times
Northern Illinois
- Doctor recommends release of alleged Ottawa murderer, Rockford Register Star
Southern Illinois
- Madison County's court for veterans gets national award, $10,000 prize, Belleville News-Democrat
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July 30, 2010
Central Illinois
- Murder charges dropped in killing of 20-month-old, Bloomington Pantagraph
Chicago area
- Judge's "unreasonable fury" led to removal from case, Chicago Tribune
- Blagojevich trial: Jurors ask for transcripts, Chicago Business
- Special prosecutor in sex claims against McHenry County jail guard, Daily Herald
- Employers who don't pay workers face jail under new law, Chicago Tribune
- State tells niece to stop trying to evict 100-year-old aunt, Southtown Star
Southern Illinois
- Woman is found guilty of murder: "This is not an abused wife. This is a cocaine addict," Belleville News-Democrat
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July 28, 2010
Chicago area
- Blagojevich case goes to jury, Chicago Tribune
- City may seek to tax banks on foreclosures, Chicago Tribune
Northern Illinois
- Family sues over death at Illinois Veterans Home, Rockford Register Star
Southern Illinois
- New dean excited about law school's future, Saluki Times
Nation
- Judge blocks key sections of Arizona immigration law, ABA Journal
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July 27, 2010
Central Illinois
- Judge finds McCauley guilty, mentally ill in father's murder, Bloomington Pantagraph
Chicago area
- Blagojevich judge: This is beginning to look like a show, Chicago Sun-Times
Southern Illinois
- Boyfriend's guilty plea halts trial in murder of 3-year-old, Belleville News-Democrat
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July 21, 2010
Central Illinois
- Another cash settlement proposed for former CWLP employee, Springfield State Journal-Register
Chicago area
- Blagojevich defense rests without testimony from ex-gov, Chicago Sun-Times
- Attorney: DNA match should mean release of double-murder suspect, Daily Herald
- Judge orders Conrad Black released on $2M bond, Chicago Tribune
- Accident or murder? Attorneys spar in Hernandez trial, Daily Herald
- Ex-Streets and San boss found guilty of rigging hiring, Chicago Tribune
Southern Illinois