Courts & Cases

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Judge Carolyn J. Gallagher is seeking a seat on the 1st District Appellate Court. – Photo by Colleen Gallagher, Lifetime Treasures Photography

Judge Carolyn Gallagher says ‘well-rounded’ career will help in appellate race

Judge Carolyn J. Gallagher said her decades of litigation practice and experience as a law professor make her “probably better qualified than anybody who’s running for appellate court.”
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Ex-Justice O’Neill Burke wins state’s attorney primary

Eileen O’Neill Burke, a former appellate judge, has won the Democratic primary for Cook County state’s attorney over Clayton Harris III, an attorney with party backing.
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Joseph Hettel aims to continue growth in ‘leap of faith’ 3rd District seat

Justice Joseph P. Hettel didn’t always aspire to serving on the appellate court, but said his unique and diverse legal experience has helped him find his footing since taking the role in 2022.

Trial Notebook

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Lawyer erred on personal representative after learning defendant was dead

Answering a question certified for immediate appeal in a case where the plaintiff didn’t know the defendant was dead when the lawsuit was filed, the Illinois Appellate Court concluded that the maneuver used by plaintiff’s attorney to rectify the problem — having his secretary appointed as “personal representative” of the decedent’s estate under Sec. 13-209(c) of the Code of Civil Procedure and then naming her as defendant in an amended complaint — was the wrong move.

Case Summaries

7th Circuit Opinions

Illinois Supreme Court Opinions

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
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