Details of the case, which included prominent McLean County figures, had been lost due to a 1900 Bloomington courthouse fire.

When it came to "candor toward the tribunal," Honest Abe arguably failed to live up to his moniker if a legendary Lincoln story is true.

In his "Notes for a Law Lecture," Lincoln left a blueprint for good lawyering. His advice is echoed in case law and the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.