Evidence — fingerprint analysis

Posted August 7, 2020 10:44 AM

Where an expert witness testifies to fingerprint analysis, testimony about the proper method used for analysis and identification is a substantive element of the testimony, and the testimony may be found insufficient to support a conviction if testimony that the proper method was used is not presented.The 1st District Appellate Court reversed the decision of Cook County Circuit Judge Vincent M. Gaughan.Tom Slowinski left his apartment at 8:15 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2015. When he returned, the front door was scratched and ajar …

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Criminal procedure — revocation of probation

Where defendant is charged with a criminal offense while on probation, his probation may be revoked and he is not eligible for pretrial release.
Probate — statute of limitations

Where a party seeks its right as a putative spouse against a decedent’s estate, it must file within two years of the death or the petition is untimely.
Criminal procedure — plea agreement

Where district court rejected binding plea agreement, court did not abuse its discretion or improperly insert itself into plea agreement negotiations.
Criminal procedure — waiver of counsel

Where defendant waives his right to counsel, the court must provide admonishments under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 401(a) at that point in time, prior admonishments do not suffice.
Jail — suicide

Where detainee told jail officers he was not considering suicide, and jail took precautions to frequently observe detainee for unusual behavior, detainee’s suicide did not render jail’s precautions constitutionally inadequate.
Civil procedure — additur

Where a court agreed to alter a jury award under additur as inconsistent with the verdict, the court must either obtain the defendant’s consent or initiate a new trial on damages.
Social Security — detail of ALJ opinion

Where social security claimant argued ALJ included insufficient amount of medical record in decision, panel rejected argument, finding that summary was enough to support ALJ’s reasoning.
Torts — proximate cause

Where plaintiff is injured when a person crashes their car into a business plaintiff is patronizing, the incident may be foreseeable and does not preclude proximate cause by the business.