Criminal procedure — closing argument mistakes

Posted October 31, 2014 3:14 PM

Where a prosecutor errs in the closing argument, but the error is not so grievous that it is clearly prejudicial to the case, or the facts are not closely balanced, and the defendant fails to preserve the issue for review, the decision is not subject to reversal under the plain error doctrine. The Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, 2nd Division, affirmed the decision of Cook County Associate Judge Dennis J. Porter. On the evening of Nov. 4, 2010, two Chicago police officers responding to a radio call stopped …

To Read the Full Story

Your source for legal news and information

Print & Digital Access

Stay in the know all year long with these benefits:

Delivery to your office in downtown Chicago or mailed outside our hand-delivery zone.
Unlimited access to chicagolawbulletin.com.
Access to our e-edition and mobile site.
Breaking news alerts, Morning Lineup and Afternoon Headlines.
Exclusive access to events, discounts and more.

Order now, or call 312-644-2394 or email Subscription@LawBulletinMedia.com for details.

Be in the know. These must-read insider briefings will keep you

informed of the latest legal developments in Chicago. Sign up today!

Family law — dissolution of marriage proceedings

Where a party in an ongoing dissolution of marriage proceedings is ordered to pay attorney fees for a related probate proceeding, that order is not final and appealable.
Sentencing — conspiracy

Where government could prove defendant joined smaller conspiracy than what was alleged in the indictment, conviction was affirmed.
Criminal law — void ab initio conviction

Where defendant pleads guilty due to the threat of being impeached by a prior conviction later found void ab initio and is sentenced based on the same conviction, he has suffered a constitutional violation.
Family law — adult disabled child support

Where a parent petitions for adult disabled child support, it may do so after the child has reached the age of majority if the child is not emancipated and the disability arose as a minor.
Civil procedure — remand

Where plaintiffs’ complaint contained one claim and multiple legal theories, defendants could not justify remand on the basis that one legal theory alleged violation of federal law.
Civil procedure — mootness

Where a petition for involuntary treatment is granted the petition may be reviewed even after the treatment has ended if it may recur or there is a public interest in settling the issue.
Civil procedure — standing

Where plaintiffs alleged economic harm based on theoretical risk of injury from potentially contaminated infant formula, theory was not sufficient to confer Article III standing.
Civil law — apparent agency

Where plaintiff receives a consent form indicating that their treating physician is not an agent of the hospital, this is not dispositive of an apparent agency relationship.