The Docket - October 2021

THE

DOCKET The Official Publication of the Lake County Bar Association • Vol. 28 No. 10 • October 2021

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Contents THE DOCKET • Vol. 28, No. 10 • October 2021

FEATURES 8 Eviction Help Desk

BY JUDGE BETAR

10 The Lake County Courthouse Is Open: What You Need to Know

BY JUDGE DANIEL JASICA AND JUDGE CHRISTOPHER M. KENNEDY

A publication of the

300 Grand Avenue, Suite A Waukegan, Illinois 60085 (847) 244-3143 • Fax: (847) 244-8259 www.lakebar.org • info@lakebar.org THE DOCKET EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Jeffrey A. Berman,Co-Editor Hon. Charles D. Johnson,Co-Editor Jennifer C. Beeler Hon. Michael J. Fusz Hon. Daniel L. Jasica Sarah A. Kahn Kevin K. McCormick Hon. Raymond J. McKoski Stephen J. Rice Neal A. Simon Hon. ­­­James K. Simonian Rebecca J. Whitcombe Alex Zagor STAFF Greg Weider Executive Director Jose Gonzalez Membership Coordinator Nancy Rodriguez Receptionist

AD SIZE 1/8 Page 1/4 Page 1/2 Page Full Page Inside Front or Inside Back Cover

Back Cover

ONE ISSUE

6 ISSUES

14 Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk Update

ASSOCIATE JUDGE DONNA-JO

LCBA EVENTS IFC Office Rental Pricing 7 Grapevine 7 New LCBA Members 7 Membership Luncheons 15 2021 Family Law Mid Year Seminar 19 Lawyer Referral Service 20 Calendar of Events 20 Monthly Committee Meetings

VORDERSTRASSE

COLUMNS 2 President’s Page Making a Difference in an Unsettled World

BY JOSEPH FUSZ, PRESIDENT

6 The Chief Judge’s Page More Technology Coming to the Courthouse

BY CHIEF JUDGE DIANE WINTER

16 Foundation & Committee Minutes 18 The Meeting Minutes August 19, 2021

BY DANIEL HODGKINSON, SECRETARY

12 ISSUES

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Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. The opinions and positions stated in signed material are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Association or its members.

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Making a Difference in an Unsettled World

“N

ature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief. So

Joseph Fusz President Tara Devine First Vice President Katharine Hatch Second Vice President Kevin Berrill Treasurer Daniel Hodgkinson Secretary Hon. Patricia Cornell Immediate Past President Dwayne Douglas Hon. Jacquelyn Melius Craig Mandell Sarah Raisch Jeffrey O’Kelley Jeremy Harter

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dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.”

– Robert Frost One of Robert Frost’s most famous poems was first published in October 1923 and is an allegory of the cycle of life and nature.

Written in the onset of the “Roaring 20s” and in the shadow of the Great War and the Spanish Flu pandemic, it unknowingly foretold of the dark times that would face the United States during the Great Depression and the Second World War. However, it also speaks of appreciating the beauty that exists in that particular moment, and enjoying the experiences that exist while we have them. Though Frost was speaking about the spring season when this poem was written, I find this poem particularly reflective this fall.

The

President’s Page

At the time I am writing this column, we are experiencing a particularly unsettled world – I do not know what it will look like when this article appears in print in October. After relatively mild storm seasons in the past, Hurricane Ida made landfall in the New Orleans area nearly sixteen years to the day Hurricane Katrina had hit. After eighteen months without casualties, thirteen American servicewomen and men were killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. After a brief respite from the pandemic this summer, a surge in coronavirus cases has followed, rolling back any gains made throughout the spring. “Nothing gold can stay”—indeed.

But amongst the depressing newscasts, personal struggles and the adversarial nature of our legal profession, there are always

BY JOSEPH FUSZ PRESIDENT stories to inspire us. One of those stories recently had a personal touch, as it involved one of my best friends from high school, Mr. Mark Suguitan, his wife, Commander Dr. Julie Suguitan, USN, and their three wonderful children: Beau, Evan, and Maxwell.

Cmdr. Suguitan is a naval dentist, has served several overseas deployments, and is currently stationed with her family at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, a joint U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force station at NATO Base Sigonella in Sicily, Italy. Luckily, we were briefly all able to see each other when they were stateside this past July.

NAS Sigonella has been one of the major European bases where refugees from Afghanistan were flown during the evacuation from Kabul in recent weeks.

Many of these refugees were arriving without the

basic necessities, including clothing and items for small children. Both Mark and Julie recognized the immediate need of the community and worked right away to purchase every item they could to donate toward the basewide effort. Clothing, toys and entertainment items, baby care, personal hygiene—they bought it all.

In addition to using their own funds, Mark and Julie reached out to their friends and family on social media, soliciting donations that would go directly to help alleviate the suffering of these refugees. Their children even pitched in on the effort, adorably pushing oversized carts on repeated trips to the Naval Exchange. In less than three days, Mark and Julie were able to personally raise more than $7,000 for the support of these refugees, and proudly, their efforts were duplicated by many of the other families on base.

As with any situation in life, their efforts were not without detractors.

There were some on social media who ignorantly posted that these donations were not going to a

worthy populace, and that they should be thinking of helping people in the United States. Additionally, others unintelligently posted that since the refugees were only temporarily in Italy, they shouldn’t be given these things, and should wait with their current belongings until they are permanently settled. But Mark and Julie weren’t deterred—they saw an opportunity to make a difference, even a minor one, and they took it.

Their direct purpose was to contribute necessary items to improve the quality of life and provide a dignified stay for refugees at NAS Sigonella, no matter how temporary. In doing so, they also showed their children that people can come together to make a difference anywhere in the world, and that it mattered to those individual families who were fleeing Afghanistan.

We have attorneys making a difference here at home as well. During the pandemic, we have had multiple attorneys and their families suffer from the coronavirus, affecting their health, their livelihood, and the day-to-day lives of

October 2021

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their children. This article would be extremely verbose if it included a recitation of the generosity of our colleagues to others during these times, from dropping off casefiles at homes so attorneys can keep working, delivering meals so that no one needed to cook for their children, simple phone calls to let them know that they are supported and cared for. These unheralded acts of generosity and kindness make a difference in the every-day lives of our colleagues, and serve as a crucial reminder of what we can do when we come together.

We can all make a difference, both at home and abroad. Our October Pro Bono Awards luncheon event will feature the presentation of the

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Wayne Flanigan Award, the LCBA Access to Justice Award, and the Prairie State Pro Bono Awards, and are given to recognize individuals and firms who worked to make a difference in our Lake County community. Also, this luncheon will have a special address from Mr. Reginald M. Turner, Jr., the current President of the American Bar Association.

Be it in-person, hybrid or completely virtual, we will put on this event in the manner consistent with public health and safety recommendations and that maximizes the attendance opportunities for our members.

“Nothing gold can stay” is especially true these days. We do not know the course of the pandemic

this fall, and we do not know what opportunities will present themselves to us to come together as a legal community. But we can work to support one another through this difficult time, we can appreciate the time that we are

given when we are together, and we can choose our opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.

Perhaps those moments will be the ones to sustain us when “the dawn turns into day.” It certainly is my sincere hope.

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October 2021

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More Technology Coming to the Courthouse

S

oon the Record of Proceedings will be recorded using an Electronic Court Reporting System (ECR) in selected courtrooms.

When the Criminal Tower was built, the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts (AOIC) installed the hard wiring for the recording system in each of the tower courtrooms. Patty Cadrecha, Court Reporting Services Supervisor for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, and eleven of our court reporters have been certified by the AOIC to operate the digital recording system.

To start, courtrooms T-511 (Domestic Violence), T-611 (Felony DUI), and T-711 (Specialty Courts) have begun with ECR as the official court record. More courtrooms will be gradually added to this list. In the courtroom, microphones are placed at counsel tables and podiums, the witness stand, and other strategic locations throughout the well of the courtroom.

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Cameras record video from the courtroom.

In the ECR room, one court reporter can simultaneously monitor the audio and video feed from up to four courtrooms. The reporter specifically monitors the audio feed to tag the recording for certain events or witnesses. Log notes are created to identify speakers and key words, which serve as a general outline of the digital recording.

For example, key words such as arraignment, “hearing on motion,” or sentencing will be noted.

Each part of a trial, such as Plaintiff’s cross-examination, Defendant’s direct examination, and the identification of the attorneys and each witnesses’ name, will also be noted.

In the event a microphone is muted or other technical problems occur, the ECR reporter will have direct contact to the courtroom to notify the court of any such issues.

While some argue

The

Chief Judge’s Page the accuracy and quality of the record could be compromised when using digital recording instead of an in-person court reporter, this type of court reporting is being used in a number of Illinois courtrooms and elsewhere throughout the United States. A major reason for the shift to this technology is the nationwide shortage of trained court reporters.

While efforts are being made to attract people to a career in court reporting, the shortage will exist for years to come. One advantage of converting to this technology is the high quality of the audio, which provides for multi-channel recordings.

Under this system, each participant’s microphone records on a separate channel. The ECR reporter can therefore isolate a channel to hear only a single speaker’s recording.

BY CHIEF JUDGE DIANE WINTER This is very helpful for understanding all participants in the proceeding, especially if they are talking over each other.

The audio recordings notated by the reporter will become the official record of the court proceedings and will replace the tapes the court reporters make when they are taking a record in the courtroom. If transcripts are ordered for proceedings recorded by ECR, a court reporter will listen to the audio recording to create the transcript.

Again, since the recording is multi-channel, the reporter can listen to the individual tracks to more accurately transcribe the recording.

Although this new technology will be a helpful tool to increase the number of proceedings that can be recorded, it must be emphasized that traditional court report-

ers are not in danger of becoming extinct. While ECR reporting allows one reporter to monitor four courtrooms, the courts will need traditional reporters for matters that may involve appeals, major trials, or matters where there are challenges with recording the proceedings, such as where a witness habitually mumbles or cannot sufficiently modulate his or her voice. Also, as ECR is added to more courtrooms, there will be the opportunity to send court reporters to courtrooms that are not ECR-enabled. The current priority for court reporters will include assignments to the misdemeanor courtrooms, T-120, T-121, and C-405. Once the system becomes more integrated, further changes will be considered for the civil courtrooms in the main courthouse. Also, with more courtroom coverage, there will be increased opportunities for transcript orders, so traditional transcription skills will continue and may increase in demand.

For attorneys participating in a court proceeding that is being electronically recorded, there are a few procedures that should be emphasized to ensure a clear and clean record is recorded.

• Identify yourself for the record by stating your name and who you represent.

• Avoid moving microphones.

• Remain within arm’s reach of a microphone.

• Avoid tapping on or striking the table or microphone.

• Use the mute button

while consulting with your client and be sure the microphone is toggled back on before proceeding.

• When at a sidebar, avoid blocking the microphone with documents, and speak one at a time into the sidebar microphone.

• When a sidebar is to be on the record, speak into the microphone. Do not merely whisper, but speak aloud, although softly.

• E-Reporting separates speakers onto different channels, so all statements are recorded; however, for the benefit of the written record, try to avoid speaking simultaneously with witnesses or other counsel.

Following the above suggestions will give you a clear record and will soon become second nature when in an ECR courtroom.

The

Grapevine

Welcome

New LCBA Members

Assistant State’s Attorney Ruth Lofthouse and her husband Andrew are the proud new parents of a baby boy, Linden Leonard, born August 11.

ATTORNEY Brian R. Dolan Law Offices of Brian R. Dolan, LLC

John L. Joanem was recently elected as Treasurer of Region VII of the National Bar Association. The National Bar Association was founded in 1924 and is the nation’s oldest and largest bar association of predominantly AfricanAmerican lawyers, judges and law students and has over 60,000 members.

Region VII consists of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

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MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEONS Pro Bono Awards Luncheon October 19, 2021 12:15 p.m.

City of Waukegan City Hall ARDC Update Luncheon November 16, 2021 12:15 p.m.

City of Waukegan City Hall The cost each: LCBA Members $20 If registered by November 15, 2021.

(Must sign in to receive member pricing) $25 at the door.

October 2021

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CIRCUIT COURT NINETEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS 18 North County Street Waukegan, Illinois 60085 (847) 377-3600

The Chambers of Donna-Jo R. Vorderstrasse

September 15, 2021 Dear Colleagues, The Lake County Courthouse opened on September 7, 2021. As of September 9, the Eviction Help Desk is located in the conference room in the center of the public hallway on the 4th floor of the classic courthouse. It is being conducted on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

We are in need of volunteers to conduct the help desk. Please sign up to run the help desk. Your assistance is desperately needed. We have made accommodations so that volunteers can attend via Zoom. To volunteer, volunteers can do the following using SignUp.com (the leading online signup and reminder tool).

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps: 1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on SignUp.com: https://signup.com/login/entry/5172833340107 2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp.com) 3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp.com will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. It’s that easy!

Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

Help Desk volunteers should direct litigants to the Court’s website (19thCIRCUITCOURT.STATE.IL.US) and then to the “Eviction Information and Resources” tab.

Thank you for your participation.

Judge Betar

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World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan &

VETERANS of Other Conflicts

WE WANT YOU! to Participate in the 2021 Veterans History Project Thursday, November 11, 2021 at the Lake County Courthouse, Waukegan, Illinois *Check in begins at 8:00 am Registration is now open for the Annual Veterans History Project. Registered participants will be interviewed by volunteer lawyers regarding their wartime experiences. These oral histories will be recorded and transcribed by court reporters, and then archived in the Library of Congress.

Once archived, these first-hand accounts of American war veterans will be accessible online to serve as both an inspiration for generations to come, and to be available for use by researchers so that Americans can better understand the realities of war.

Civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (war industry workers, such as “Rosie the Riveter,” USO workers, civilian flight instructors and pilots, medical personnel, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.

Space is limited to 28 veterans. Breakfast and other refreshments will be provided courtesy of volunteer organizations. Registered veterans are welcome to bring family members.

To register for this event, please contact Lorena Hernandez at 847.377.3771 or lhernandez@lakecountyil.gov.

2019 Veterans

October 2021

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The Lake County Courthouse Is Open: What You Need to Know

W

BY JUDGE DANIEL JASICA AND JUDGE CHRISTOPHER M. KENNEDY

e have done and seen it all on Zoom over the last year and a half: hearings and trials, but also pet and child cameo appearances, unmuted profanity, shirtless defendants, tieless attorneys, and all that Zooming while driving! 1

We have all learned to appreciate the convenient features of Zoom, especially the “touch up my appearance” option, and we judges have learned to love our “mute” buttons. But a change is coming to 19th Circuit courtrooms.

If it has been eighteen months since you last wore a suit jacket, donned a tie, or slid into your black professional pumps, now might be a good time to retrieve these items from the back of your closet. Effective September 7, 2021, the Lake County Courthouse re-opened for business (mostly), and the “relaxe[ed] courtroom attire requirements due to COVID” have been vacated!2 Brace yourself: this applies equally to in-person and remote appearances.

Since the start of the pandemic, attorneys and self-represented litigants in the 19th Circuit had been permitted to appear in-person only with specific pre-approval of the judge. Now, for many matters, attorneys and self-represented litigants will be able to choose whether they wish to appear in person or continue to appear 1

1

2

See 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2 (“A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device . . . “). Please advise your clients prior to their Zoom appearances.

Administrative Order 21-21, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, §C.

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remotely via Zoom. And, we are now able to conduct “hybrid” court calls, where some participants appear remotely via Zoom and others are in person during the same court call. This follows Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke’s June 14, 2021 letter directive that noted: “courts, lawyers, and litigants have significantly benefited from remote court proceedings, and the option to appear remotely will continue as a key component in keeping our court system open and accessible.”3 I. NEW COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY The pandemic has thrust the courts into the 21st Century and forced us to adopt new technologies and procedures that would have seemed truly radical less than two years ago. The 19th Circuit’s ability to conduct hybrid calls is made possible by new courtroom technology and some amazing behind-the-scenes work by the Court’s Judicial Information Services’ staff. Specifically, each courtroom is (or soon will be) equipped with the following: 1) a large wall-mounted monitor that will allow in-person attorneys sitting at counsel’s table to view their opposing 3 https://www.chicagobarfoundation.org/pdf/courts/justice-burke-letter.pdf

counsel participating via Zoom; 2) an iPad mounted in front of the bench that will allow an in-person participant standing at a podium or at the bench (when that is permitted) to see other participants appearing via Zoom; 3) a remote-controlled video camera mounted on a tripod directed at the well of the courtroom; and 4) special microphones/speakers to pick up the judge and participants’ spoken words while limiting background noise.

We think attorneys will appreciate the quality of the new courtroom technology, as well as the new flexibility to appear in person when you have other in-person proceedings scheduled on a given day, or to participate remotely via Zoom in order to save travel time and to cover multiple courthouses on the same day. Please be sure to review each judge’s standing orders as well as our new administrative order prior to making any appearance, whether in-person or on Zoom.

ed entirely in “hybrid” mode, which allows attorneys and self-represented litigants to appear either in person or remotely for not only contested and uncontested motions but also for trials.

2. CONTESTED MOTIONS In all other civil courtrooms, including Law Division and non-foreclosure Chancery cases, the presiding judge will have discretion to determine what contested matters will be heard in person (i.e., all, some, or none) and what motions will be heard remotely via Zoom.

For the time being, Judge Seneczko and Judge Jasica are comfortable letting each attorney decide whether to appear in person or remotely for contested Chancery case motions, unless they specifically order an in-person hearing. In general, if one attorney wants to appear in person and opposing counsel wishes to argue remotely, they each may do so.

Other judges have adopted, or will be adopting, Standing Orders on this topic, so please refer to your presiding judge’s homepage on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit website for further guidance. Just be aware that, at least for now, most civil judges will expect counsel to argue from counsels’ table, not directly at the bench, for the health and safety of everyone in the courtroom.

We are now able to conduct “hybrid” court calls where some participants appear remotely via Zoom and others are in person during the same court call.

II. NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 21-21 On July 26, 2021, our Chief Judge Diane Winter issued Administrative Order 21-21 (“AO 21-21”), effective September 7, 2021. AO 21-21, titled “Vacation of Social Distancing and Interim Modification of Court Calls,” does more than merely reverse the prior “relaxed” dress code and mandate proper courtroom attire for all appearances.

In addition to allowing judges to relax social distancing in their courtrooms,4 the AO keeps remote options via Zoom but makes various changes to courtroom practices in each division.

A. CIVIL DIVISION Specifically, AO 21-21 establishes the following rules that will apply to all civil cases going forward: 1. UNCONTESTED MATTERS AND HIGH-VOLUME CALLS In general, for all uncontested matters, attorneys and litigants may choose whether to appear in person at the courthouse or remotely via Zoom.

All high-volume court calls, specifically small claims (SC), evictions (LM), arbitration (AR), and residential mortgage foreclosure, will be conduct4

See Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Administrative Order 21-22 (issued July 30, 2021) for other courtroom Covid safety measures that remain in place.

3. NEW NOTICE OF MOTION LANGUAGE Please note that AO 21-21 requires the following new language be included in any notice of motion: Parties wishing to attend the presentment of this motion may appear in-person in the courtroom or may attend remotely on Zoom video and telephone conferencing. A Zoom Meeting ID, Password and Link for this court call will be listed by courtroom, date and time at: https://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/2163/Remote-Court-Hearings.

If your notice of motion does not contain this new language, the Court may not grant a default on an otherwise properly-noticed motion for default.

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4. CIVIL TRIALS AND EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS All trials and evidentiary hearings for non-high volume civil court calls will be conducted in person. However, the presiding judge has the discretion to allow witnesses to testify remotely. You should expect that the civil judges will exercise this discretion cautiously and will be more willing to allow remote testimony from less central and out-of-state/infirm witnesses. Plan ahead, and do not wait until the trial or hearing date to seek the Court’s permission to allow a witness to testify remotely. Front this issue with a motion pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 241, explaining the “good cause” justifying remote testimony well ahead of the hearing date. Remote testimony will be the exception, not the rule.

ordered by the judge. SRL matters will be on Zoom unless otherwise ordered. Prove-ups on the morning call will be via Zoom; afternoon prove-ups will be in person. All child support matters are in-person.

Once again, in all matters, the judge will have discretion to order in-person appearances or allow Zoom testimony.

C. CRIMINAL DIVISION The criminal courtrooms will operate differently from the other divisions, as detailed in AO 21-21 and in standing orders for various courtrooms. As a preliminary matter, the Illinois Supreme Court ordered that, beginning October 1, 2021, speedy trial restrictions “shall no longer be tolled.”5 This will undoubtedly have an impact on case management and trial scheduling.

Additionally, our Circuit’s AO generally requires that in most criminal and juvenile courtrooms “routine” appearances (arraignments, case management, continuances, and pleas) will be via Zoom and “non-routine” matters (trials, evidentiary hearings, sentencing hearings) will be held in person. Bond court will remain entirely on Zoom. Specialty courts each have their own rules concerning appearances.

The branch courts are allowing in-person or Zoom appearances at the request of the defendant, although Zoom is greatly preferred for all routine matters for the time being. Note that Judge Kennedy has a standing order for the Mundelein Branch Court ordering that defendants seeking an in-person hearing or trial must make their choice known in advance by way of either a verbal request in open court or upon 7 days’ advance written notice. Each branch court judge retains the discretion to allow testimony via Zoom even if a defendant has requested an in-person hearing or trial. Attorneys may continue to file appearances and agreed orders via email to the branch court clerk.

5. AGREED ORDERS One additional vestige from the Zoom-only era that will continue is the ability for counsel to submit agreed orders (truly agreed, not kinda, sorta agreed) directly to the courtroom’s designated email address (i.e., cc302@lakecountyil.gov). You may submit agreed orders without filing a notice of motion or appearing in court for presentment, unless the Court, upon reviewing the proposed agreed order, requires a court appearance.

B. FAMILY DIVISION The approach for the Family Division differs slightly from that of the Civil Division. For example, all uncontested matters will be on Zoom at 9:00 a.m.

All notice requirements set forth in AO 21-14 remain in place. Contested motions, trials, and evidentiary hearings will be conducted in person on the 1:30 calls, although the judge in each Family Division courtroom retains the discretion to schedule hearings via Zoom.

Additionally, each judge has the discretion to allow witness testimony via Zoom. Pre-trial settlement conferences will be held on Zoom unless otherwise

III. IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER This is merely a summary of AO 21-21; the language of the AO governs. Please be sure to review AO 21-21 and any individual courtroom’s standing orders in their entirety before your next court appearance to make sure you are in compliance.

You may notice that AO 21-21 is entitled “Interim Modification of Court Calls.” This means that these new rules are not permanent and are subject to further change or refinement as we feel our way through this new hybrid approach. Please be patient; we are all learning this together.

In the meantime, dry clean those dusty suit jackets, dig up those ties, polish those pumps, and embrace the new “hybrid” reality court in Lake County.

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Illinois Supreme Court order M.R. 30370 (issued June 30, 2021).

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October 2021

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CIRCUIT COURT NINETEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS 18 North County Street Waukegan, Illinois 60085 (847) 377-3600

The Chambers of Donna-Jo R. Vorderstrasse

September 15, 2021 RE: Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk Update Dear Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk Volunteers, The Civil courtrooms in the Lake County Courthouse opened for “hybrid” court calls commencing on September 7, 2021. For high-volume court calls, including Residential Mortgage Foreclosure cases, any attorney or self-represented litigant may now appear either in person at the Courthouse or virtually by Zoom utilizing the link found on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit’s website under the “Remote Proceedings” tab. Hybrid court calls present certain challenges for resuming the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk. However, with many thanks to the Court’s Judicial Informational Services and Court Administrative staff, the Court believes it will be able to provide an excellent solution, which involves the Help Desk volunteer being able to present the essential information to the litigants via Zoom from the comfort of their home or office.

The new Virtual Help Desk for Residential Mortgage Foreclosures will be located in the conference room in the center of the public hallway on the 3rd floor of the classic courthouse, right outside of C-304. Self-represented litigants that appear at the Courthouse will be directed to this conference room which has appropriate socially distanced seating, a large monitor to watch the Help Desk presentation, and a combined speaker/microphone that will enable the participants to both hear and communicate with the Help Desk volunteer. The conference room will “join” the C-304 court call via Zoom on Thursdays and Fridays at 9:00 am and 1:30 pm. The Help Desk volunteer will join the C-304 court call via Zoom at the start of the call.

Self-represented litigants who choose to appear via Zoom may also join the C-304 court call remotely. The Judge will proceed to create a “breakout room” for the Help Desk Volunteer, the Virtual Help Desk conference room, and the selfrepresented litigants appearing remotely. The Help Desk volunteer will lead the presentation remotely in the “breakout room” and be able to communicate with the self-represented litigants in attendance. At the conclusion of the Help Desk, the “breakout room” will close, the self-represented litigants will “return” to the C-304 call and the Help Desk volunteer may “leave” the C-304 call.

Please note that the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk Volunteer will only need to appear remotely by Zoom to perform their role as they have been trained.

The commencement date of the Help Desk is still to be determined but we wanted to provide you with an update so that when the volume increases, we can be prepared in fairly short order. Help Desk volunteers will be notified when the Help Desk becomes active and you will be asked to sign up for available time slots as soon as possible once you are notified. You will sign up at https://signup.com/go/BtsSsay.

The Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Help Desk is an important resource for assisting the citizens of Lake County in traversing the complexities of a mortgage foreclosure action. The Nineteenth Judicial Circuit appreciates the attorneys that give their valuable time freely to this endeavor.

Sincerely, Associate Judge Donna-Jo Vorderstrasse Residential Mortgage Foreclosures in C-304

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This seminar will be conducted virtually using Zoom.

October 2021

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Foundation & Committee Minutes LAKE COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING August 17, 2021

BALANCES OF LCBF ACCOUNTS: Treasurer, Perry Smith delivered the report to the Board based on the attachments.

IN ATTENDANCE LCBF issued two rent

BY ZOOM:

sharing payments to LCBA Joann Fratianni in August as we missed John Quinn, Sr. payments in July. We posted Nandia Black $883.15 less in our Operating Nick Riewer Fund account in June and Perry Smith July 2021 than in May, Shyama Parikh 2021. LCBF has also paid Katharine Hatch the property taxes which Amy Lonergan have also been deducted Keith Grant from the Operating Fund Joe McHugh Account. We currently have Hon. Fred Foreman (Ret.) $28,600.00 in outstanding Nandia Black building fund pledges that John Quinn, Sr. will be collected in the Melanie Rummel future.

Kristie Fingerhut Jennifer Ashley B. WARRANT/APPROVAL Jeffrey Berman OF EXPENSES PAID: Rick Lesser The Warrants for Expenses Perry Smith for June and July, 2021 are Keith Grant presented for approval.

Douglas Dorando Motion to approve the expenses made by Jeff ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Berman and seconded by Greg Weider, Executive John Quinn, Sr. Motion Director, LCBA, LCBF. carried with Melanie Rummel abstaining.

I. CALL TO ORDER: Meeting was called to order IV. CONTINUING

by President Douglas BUSINESS: Dorando at 4:02 p.m.

A. PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION: II. APPROVAL OF Amy Lonergan reported MINUTES: that we are currently in The LCBF Board did not settlement negotiations meet in July, 2021, therefore with the Illinois the Minutes of June 22, 2021 Department of Revenue. were presented for approval. This negotiation process Motion to approve was entails reaching an made by Nandia Black agreement regarding and seconded by Melanie the percentage of the tax Rummel. Motion carried. exemption. We would be able to request an actual III. TREASURER’S hearing if we do not come REPORT: to an agreement with IDPR. A. STATUS AND Amy will keep the Board

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posted as to the progress of the settlement negotiations.

B. FUNDRAISING SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: Kristie Fingerhut has been asked to Chair the Fundraising Subcommittee

by President Dorando. The subcommittee is scheduled to meet on August 24, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. Nandia Black was also added to the subcommittee.

C. BUDGET: The 2021-2022 draft budget was submitted with the Agenda materials. The Budget allows for funds for one or two fundraising during the fiscal year.

Motion to approve the Budget was made by Perry Smith and seconded by Amy Lonergan. Motion carried and the Budget for FY 20212022 is approved.

V. NEW BUSINESS: A. VETERAN’S HISTORY PROJECT: The Veteran’s History Project is set to take place on November 11, 2021 at the Lake County Courthouse.

LCBF has over $17,000 in funds donated for this event and future Veteran’s History Project events.

B. CONSTITUTION DAY: The Constitution Day event will be held on September 17, 2021 and the Lake County Court is looking for LCBF support. Motion was made

by Amy Lonergan and seconded by Keith Grant to authorize the amount up to $500.00 for this event.

Motion carried.

C. INVESTMENT POLICY: The Board was presented with the investment policy statement from RMB Capital regarding the investment policy that our brokers are required to comply with. Motion was made by Jeff Berman and seconded by Joe McHugh to accept this Policy.

Motion carried.

D. REGISTERED AGENT CHANGE: The State of Illinois requires us to submit an an annual report in compliance with the General Not For Profit Corporation Act. Motion made by Amy Lonergan and seconded by Melanie Rummel to adopt a Resolution authorizing Gregory Leigh Weider to serve as the Foundation’s Registered Agent for the State of Illinois General Not For Profit Corporation Act Annual Report.

Motion carried.

E. FUTURE MEETINGS: The Board agreed to hold future meetings by Zoom due to general public health concerns.

VI. ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn made

by Amy Lonergan and seconded by John Quinn, Sr. Motion carried and the Meeting adjourned at 4:36 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Joann M. Fratianni Secretary

October 2021

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Board of Directors’ Meeting

The

Meeting Minutes

BY DANIEL HODGKINSON SECRETARY

August 19, 2021 CONSENT AGENDA • Minutes • New Members A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent agenda. The motion was unanimously approved.

DISCUSSION ITEMS • Treasurer’s Report Installation Social was a success for the bar.

Membership renewal and budget is in a good place.

Old Business: Write Off Policy

The write off policy was tabled until the September meeting to determine best practice for policy.

Registered Agent Change A motion was made and seconded to change the registered agent.

LCBA Member Satisfaction Survey An update was given concerning the status.

Working with many other Bar Association surveys

to see what best fits our membership.

Membership Renewal An update was given on membership renewal.

There has not been any issues with our memberships.

Executive Director Report The Lease for the copier is up and we are exploring new leases and impact on cost.

The meeting concluded at 12:36.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Joseph Fusz President Tara Devine First Vice President Kevin Berrill Treasurer Daniel Hodgkinson Secretary Hon. Patricia Cornell Past President Dwayne Douglas Director Craig Mandell Director

There’s no place like LCBA/LCBF... and we wouldn’t be the same without you

Hon. Jacquelyn Melius Director

Renew your membership today!

Jeremy Harter Director

LCBA is the professional community for the Lake County legal community, offering connections, information and resources you can’t get anywhere else. We look forward to continuing to support you and celebrating your successes.

www.lakebar.org

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Jeff O’Kelley Director Sarah Raisch Director Greg Weider Executive Director

LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN? The LCBA Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) is a valuable member benefit as well as a public service. LRS provides member attorneys with an opportunity to build business through client referrals. The service benefits the public by helping callers quickly find an attorney in the area of law in which they need help.

The LRS program is designed to assist persons who are able to pay normal attorney fees but whose ability to locate legal representation is frustrated by a lack of experience with the legal system, a lack of information about the type of services needed, or a fear of the potential costs of seeing a lawyer.

Cost is only $200 annually for a Standard listing or $350 for a Premium listing. Download the application at www.lakebar.org/page/LRS or contact the LCBA office for more information.

ATTORNEYS NEEDED IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES • Administrative • Bankruptcy • Commercial • Consumer • Employment • Environmental • Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts and Probate Visit lakecountylawyer.info for a complete list of available categories.

CONTACT THE LCBA AT 847.244.3143 OR INFO@LAKEBAR.ORG

LAKECOUNTYLAWYER.INFO

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Monthly

Calendar of Events October 7, 2021 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm Family Law Mid-Year Seminar Virtual

October 11, 2021 Holiday Courthouse Closed October 15, 2021 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Re-Entry Civil & Family Law Judicial Panel Virtual October 15, 2021 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Membership Luncheon Pro Bono Awards Luncheon Virtual

Bar

Bulletin Board

To place an ad or for information on advertising rates, call (847) 244-3143

Committee Meetings

DAY

MEETING

LOCATION

TIME

1st Tuesday

Diversity & Community Outreach

Virtual Until Further Notice

12:15-1:15

1st Thursday

Real Estate

VUFN

5:30-6:30

Docket Editorial Committee

VUFN

12:15-1:15

2nd Tuesday

Criminal Law

VUFN

12:15-1:15

2nd Tuesday (Odd Mo.)

Immigration

VUFN

4:30-5:30

2nd Wednesday

Family Law Advisory Group (FLAG)

VUFN

12:00-1:00

2nd Wednesday

Civil Trial and Appeals

VUFN

4:00-5:00

2nd Thursday

Young & New Lawyers

VUFN

12:15-1:15

2nd Thursday

Trusts and Estates

VUFN

12:15-1:15

3rd Monday (Odd Mo.)

Solo & Small Firms

VUFN

12:00 noon

3rd Tuesday

Local Government

VUFN

12:15-1:15

3rd Tuesday

LCBF Board of Trustees

VUFN

4:00

Family Law

VUFN

12:00-1:00

LCBA Board of Directors

VUFN

12:00 noon

VUFN

5:30-6:30

VUFN

5:15-6:15

1st Thursday (Even Mo.)

3rd Wednesday 3rd Thursday 3rd Thursday As Needed

Debtor/Creditor Rights Employment Law

• RSVP to a meeting at www.lakebar.org.

• Meetings subject to change. Please check your weekly e-news, the on-line calendar at www.lakebar.org or call the LCBA Office @ (847) 244-3143.

• Please feel free to bring your lunch to the LCBA office for any noon meetings. Food and beverages at restaurants are purchased on a individual basis.

Do you have a speaker idea or suggestion for our business meetings?

We would like to hear from you!

Send your ideas to: jose@lakebar.org 20 The Docket

October 2021

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300 Grand Avenue, Suite A Waukegan, IL 60085 Tel: 847-244-3143 Fax: 847-244-8259

MEMBER RECEPTION

MEMBER RECEPTION SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

LCBA Member Receptions will generally be held on the 4th Thursday of every month.

Your $500 sponsorship includes: ecognition in advertising before the event and on signage at the event •R • Reception from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. omplimentary beer and wine. Upgrades available for additional fee.

•C

Contact info@lakebar.org to add your name to a reception.