Subject Index Law Pulse

They really are, some lawyers say. In fact, you should put them at the beginning, not the end, of your messages, other lawyers say.

A recent ruling explains when employer-defendants can and cannot get access to employee-plaintiffs' medical and psychological records when employees sue for emotional distress cause by illegal discrimination.

Employers who retain companies to investigate employee malingering or misconduct need to hire carefully and monitor appropriately.

 Here's how not to win compensation after losing your house for failure to pay taxes.

Don’t just call up your opponent’s employees, even if they’re working elsewhere. Consider first whether doing so might violate legal or ethical rules.

The supreme court ruled that a $1 million-plus penalty for an employer’s failure to timely pay a $12,000-plus child support obligation was not unconstitutional on the facts.

Your client’s ex-husband, who moved to Texas and had custody of the children, dies. Your client wants the kids, her ex’s Texas relatives say no. What do you do?

The court is making video and audio of oral arguments available on the Web. 

A grandmother failed to show that denying her visitation was harmful to her grandchild’s physical, mental, or emotional health.

The law should be amended to remove impediments to seeking review of agency rulings, ISBA leaders say.

When it comes to drafting agreements for deed in lieu of foreclosure, you can’t be too careful.

Under the rule, A’s promise to pay B’s debt is enforceable even if A didn’t put it in writing if it’s made before the debt was incurred. The high court says that’s not the law in Illinois.

It’s good to allow trustees to terminate small trusts when fees are consuming income. But should income, rather than remainder, beneficiaries automatically get the proceeds?

Effective last month, all three federal district courts accept electronically filed complaints – but each has different procedures.

May an agent or guardian shift the principal's assets for Medicaid planning purposes after the principal has become disabled? Yes - but doing so can be expensive.

The Illinois Supreme Court rules that a Frye hearing must be held to decide whether the horizontal gaze nystagmus test reliably indicates alcohol impairment.

The court reaffirms the rule that Party A has no duty to warn Party B about a threat posed by Party C unless there's a special relationship between A and B.

With its Vision Point ruling, the Illinois Supreme Court gives trial courts the power to allow late or otherwise deficient answers to Rule 216 requests to admit.

Public defenders opposed the law's passage, arguing that it gives inmates second-class justice.

Payable/transfer-on-death accounts are handy probate-avoidance tools that can even be used to transfer real estate. Or can they?

For juveniles who break the law, "station adjustments" can mete punishment without creating a criminal record. Here's how to help clients make the most of the opportunity.

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee is considering a proposal to do just that.

 At depositions, they want you to say out loud who is in the room. And to speak slowly. And not to interrupt other speakers. And...

The third district upheld a ruling requiring an obligor to pay 60 percent of his income to pay off a child-support/maintenance arrearage totaling more that $200,000.

A bill would make it more likely that legal aid and other charitable organizations will end up with leftover class-action settlement proceeds.

Complainants under the Illinois Human Rights Act can now file in circuit court instead of with state agencies. This brings Illinois into line with federal practice and that of 38 states.

Has the second district made it easier for a party to a real estate contract to make a counter offer disguised as a mere "modification"?

A new bill would discourage developers and others from suing - and thus trying to silence - opponents of their subdivisions, landfills, and the like.

But critics of the legislation say lack of resources, not a too-high commitment standard, is the problem with Illinois' mental health system.

In Ledbetter, the Supreme Court rules that Title VII's filing deadline bars employment discrimination claims based on decisions that occurred outside the limitations period, even if the employee's current pay is lower because of the decisions.