May 23, 2019

The Illinois Supreme Court recently announced amendments to Rules 68, 472, and 558 and those changes are effective immediately. Amendments to Rules 767 and 773 were announced on May 23 and take effect on July 1.

Supreme Court Rule 68 requires judges to file a written statement of economic interests and relationships of the judge and members of the judge’s immediate family with the Supreme Court’s clerk. The amendment requires the clerk to redact the judge’s email address contained in any statement filed pursuant to the Rule.

Rules 472 and 558 pertain to corrections of sentencing errors in criminal cases and traffic, conservation and ordinance violation cases. In both Rules, the amendment requires that in all “cases pending on appeal as of March 1, 2019, or appeals filed thereafter in which a party has attempted to raise sentencing errors covered by this rule for the first time on appeal, the reviewing court shall remand to the circuit court to allow the party to file a motion pursuant to this rule.”

Amendments to Rules 767 and 773 pertain to costs associated with attorney reinstatement following disbarment or suspension.

Amended Rule 767 now requires a petition of reinstatement to be accompanied by a $1,500 deposit to be applied against costs.

Amended Rule 773 in part raises the maximum amount of costs the court may order an attorney to pay for disciplinary matters and proceedings.