Attorney Trent Bush demonstrates how to use the paste special feature to save time and trouble when creating documents, powerpoint presentations, and spreadsheets.

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice Forms Committee is accepting applications for volunteers to serve on its Forms Committee. The Commission is hoping to select some additional members whose terms of service would start this fall. Background on the Forms Committee is available by clicking here. The application is available here. Contact Danielle Hirsch, Assistant Director, at (312) 793-2914 for more information.

The Illinois State Bar Association will present several awards recognizing individuals for their commitment and service to the profession and their communities at an Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 19, at the organization’s 139th Annual Meeting in Lake Geneva, Wis. Award recipients are:

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Open Meetings Act (House Bill 175), Open Meetings Act (House Bill 1498), County budgets (House Bill 2474), Elder abuse (House Bill 1588), Citation to discover assets (Senate Bill 1308), Collection of fines and penalties (Senate Bill 86), Juvenile sentencing (House Bill 2471) and Child-support fines (House Bill 3683). More information on each bill is available below the video.

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that 376 of the 384 Illinois associate judges who filed requests for reappointment to their office for a new four-year term have been retained. Having certified the results of more than 466 total ballots cast in Illinois’ twenty-four circuit courts. Director Tardy informed that each successfiul candidate received votes that tallied three-fifths or greater in favor of their reappointment. Five associate judges in the Third Judicial Circuit, one in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, one in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit and one in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit did not receive the requisite number of votes for reappointment. The new term of office for each reappointed associate judge will begin on July 1, 2015 and terminate on June 30, 2019.

Pursuant to Illinois’ Constitution, associate judges serve a term of office of four years. The Illinois Constitution vests in the Supreme Court the authority to provide, by rule, for the associate judges appointment process in Illinois. With the adoption of Supreme Court Rule 39 in 1971, the quadrennial reappointment election of associate judges is accomplished through the casting of secret ballots by circuit court judges eligible to vote. The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts administers all associate judge elections on behalf of the Supreme Court. The 2015 quadrennial reappointment election is the eleventh reappointment election since the 1970 amendments to the judicial article of the Illinois Constitution.

44 law firms and corporations named to PILI’s Pro Bono Recognition Roster

The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) will host its Annual Pro Bono Reception next week on Wednesday, June 17th at The Ivy Room at Tree Studios. This event, sponsored by 38 Illinois law firms and corporations, is held each year to celebrate the pro bono triumphs of the Illinois legal community and to spotlight the critically-needed pro bono work being done in our state, including the work of PILI’s Pro Bono Initiative Program.

Want to get text messages into evidence? Be sure to lay a good foundation, Mike Lied warns in the most recent issue of Trial Briefs, newsletter of the ISBA's civil practice section. He reviews People v. Watkins, where the third district held that the trial court abused its discretion by admitting text messages despite the defendant's objection.

"The only evidence presented by the state to authenticate the text messages was (1) the cell phone was found in the same house as Watkins, and (2) some of the messages referred to, or were directed at, a person" with the same first name as the defendant, Lied writes. "In the appeals court’s opinion that evidence was not sufficient to properly authenticate the text messages as being sent to Watkins."

Also, "there were no cell phone records to indicate that the phone belonged to or had been used by Watkins or anyone else at the residence," Lied observes. "There was no eyewitness testimony to indicate that the phone belonged to or had been used by Watkins or that the messages were sent to Watkins."

As for the police officer who found the phone, his testimony "was not sufficient to authenticate the text messages because [he] had no personal knowledge of the text messages and had no idea who was the owner or user of the cell phone," Lied writes. Read his article and find out more.

The Illinois State Bar Association organizes an admission ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court every two years. ISBA President Richard D. Felice made the motion to admit the group of ISBA members before Chief Justice John Roberts on June 8.

Sangamon County First Assistant State’s attorney Karen Tharp has been appointed as Associate Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Sangamon County. Tharp has been the First Assistant State Attorney of Sangamon County since 2014. Tharp, who will take office in early July, replaces Judge April Troemper who was recently appointed to be a Circuit Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit.

Tharp brings to the bench over 26 years of legal experience, Presiding Judge John Belz, who has presided over many jury trials in which Tharp was an attorney, said "Karen Tharp has a long and distinguished record as a trial lawyer in Sangamon County that will serve her well on the bench. She is generally recognized as one of the hardest working and most dedicated attorneys in Sangamon County.”

Tharp is a 1980 graduate of Springfield High School and attended then Sangamon State University where she obtained her undergraduate degree in legal studies. She obtained her law degree in 1988 from the University of Illinois law school where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors.

Tharp, 53, has been a lifelong resident of Springfield, Tharp is a member of the Sangamon County Drug Court Treatment Team, participates in the Sangamon County Juvenile Justice Council and a Board member of Calvary Academy.