Stack
Cooper
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The Record's courts reporter Steve Gonzalez has given up correcting callers.
He's now dispensing information and advice to folks who mistakenly call our Edwardsville headquarters believing they're calling the actual Madison County Courthouse.
Mr. Gonzalez was recently overheard guiding a caller who aimed to pay her speeding ticket and get a marriage license in one trip. "Be sure to bring two forms of identification for the marriage license and come directly to Room 108 to pay your ticket, pay by cash or check," he said
"Yes," he told her, "bring your divorce papers just in case since your divorce is only one week old, better safe than sorry."
At the courthouse, sources say, Gonzalez also aims to please.
Last week he brought it to the attention of a Madison County plaintiff's attorney that a certain sensitive piece of information should have been sealed in his case file-- but wasn't. Gonzalez was thanked profusely.
And is it worth mentioning that amidst those post Hurricane Dennis thundershowers, Gonzalez gallantly came to the aid of a beautiful woman on I-255? In the rain he changed her tire.
Our guy-- working for you.
Sand trapped
Judge Dan Stack represented the Third Circuit at a seminar of state judges by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Court in downtown Chicago last Friday.
On the agenda for discussion, among other things, was the unionization of court reporting services. Last July, the Illinois Supreme Court voted 4-3 to let Cook County court reporters unionize via the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
In January, Justice Lloyd Karmeier's joining the court tipped the balance against unionization and the order was rescinded.
There are 500 court reporters in Illinois, 180 of which work in Cook County.
Duties fulfilled, Dicta's Chicago sources report that the judge slipped away for a quick eighteen at one of the the area's top golf courses.
Judge Stack-- who's no slouch-- made Madison County proud save for some sand issues attributed to a tricky new wedge. It's always the equipment, isn't it?
RecordMadison/St.Clair
A National Law Journal article last week about corporations hiring plaintiff's attorneys to litigate for them featured East Alton's SimmonsCooper.
Or is it CooperSimmons?
That's what reporter Tresa Baldas called the firm in her story, which quoted name partner Jeff Cooper. He's the man in charge these days as John Simmons is busy playing mini-George Steinbrenner.
Reporter error? Just a slip? Or is Cooper making a nomenclatural power play?
It does have a ring to it. Just remember you read it here first.