If an item is changed, all of the windows that use that item and data are updated automatically. This will save the user the constant repetition of going back and forth with data entries. You may also set up a template for certain types of routine cases, thereby allowing you to add any case into the mold and make it that much more easy to use.
The program is designed so the user can enter cases in one of several different ways individual, joint, partnership, etc. and there is no limit to the size of any one case or, for that matter, the number of cases that the program is able to handle.
Included in the forms, we also find a client questionnaire, which you may print out and give to the debtor to fill in, making your life that much simpler. The questions follow the format of the information required for the initial filing of the bankruptcy petition. The format of the document is that of MS Word and WordPerfect documents, which allow the user to customize them as needed.
The system has a fine import feature that permits loading information, such as creditors' claims or shareholder lists, into a case file in the database. With this feature, you can load data extracted from a debtor's own computer files right into the Bankruptcy Plus program.
When it comes to setting up Chapter 12 or 13 plans, Bankruptcy Plus has a comprehensive set of designs for plans. In addition to the usual entry fields, the program has expanded to accommodate fields for when and how each class of creditors will be paid, provisions for payment of attorney fees and trustee fees for calculations. It will calculate the monthly payment, duration of the plan, or the percentage to the unsecured creditors.
In addition to being a useful and well thought out program for filings, Bankruptcy Plus is a case management system for the practitioner.
The program has a number of case management reporting functions, including an inventory report that shows case identification, chapter, active status and various important dates. You can also use this report in summary form or detailed information, depending on what you need at the moment.
While all this seems to the uninitiated to be a large amount of material to grasp, Cornerstone has seen to it that you are not without plenty of solid help screens to walk you through procedures and provide context-sensitive information. You will find a Windows "search" and "contents" help section, and if you need more, the CD Rom contains an entire Users Guide.
If you need up-to-the-minute program changes, Cornerstone has made sure that you don't get a program that is a stall before you install it. This program now includes the revised statement of financial affairs, the recent changes to Schedule E for priority claims, the revised federal bankruptcy property exemption amounts, as well as the property exemptions for all states.
When you buy the program, you are entitled to free updates and unlimited toll-free support for one full year.
As if all of these innovative features were not enough, Cornerstone has been thinking ahead to a new release that will be useful as Bankruptcy Courts move rapidly into electronic filing.
The user can create a file that contains bankruptcy forms in PDF format, which is totally suitable for electronic filing, all by just choosing an option on the print window of the program. In this way, Cornerstone has made the commitment to continue to keep up with current trends in both the legal and the technological field.
If you're a bankruptcy law practitioner, you should not be without this program. It will surely be a plus in your preparation and presentation of filings.
Bankruptcy Plus is available in a Windows version directly from Cornerstone Computer Group in a price range from $295 for the single-user version (trade-up from another program) to $525 for the multi-user, trade-up edition.
A free trial copy is available for downloading at www.cornerstone-computer. com. You can also contact the company directly at (800) 397-8238.
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ISBA Assembly member Alan Pearlman of Northbrook serves on the Committee on Legal Technology and the Law Office Management and Economics (Standing Committe on) Council. A frequent speaker at legal technology seminars and author of articles published through the country, he can be reached via e-mail at pearlman@lectrniclawr.com.
Chatz relocates law practice to Arnstein& Lehr
Chicago bankruptcy attorneys James A. Chatz, Barry A. Chatz and Miriam Stein have relocated their practice to the Chicago firm of Arnstein & Lehr.
Formerly with Kamensky & Rubenstein, Lincolnwood, James and Barry Chatz have represented debtors and creditors in bankruptcy and reorganization litigation and transactional matter throughout the United States.
An ISBA Assembly member, James Chatz serves on the Commercial, Banking and Bankruptcy Law Section Council and the Committee on the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
He is a past president of the Commercial Law League of America and former chair of the Chicago Bar Association Bankruptcy and Reorganizations Committee. He is the author of the CLLA Bankruptcy Reform Act Manual.
Barry Chatz, a Bankruptcy Court trustee in the Northern District of Illinois, previously served in the office of U.S. trustee for the Central District of California.
Stein is a former law clerk to Bankruptcy Court Judge Erwin I. Katz of the Northern District.
U.S. Supreme Court admission ceremony slated in June 2002
The Illinois State Bar Association will sponsor a U.S. Supreme Court admission ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 10, 2002. Fifty openings have been allotted for ISBA members who have been admitted to practice for at least three years. The admission fee is $100.
Travel and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the participants. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel, at the special rate of $245 per day, from June 8 through June 11. Reservations must be made through the ISBA.
Highlights of the trip include a 6 p.m. reception June 9 at the hotel, group admission at 8 a.m. June 10, followed by continental breakfast ($10), and an afternoon tour of the Holocaust Museum. Arrangements are pending for a group tour of the White House.
The program is sponsored by the ISBA Committee on Membership and Mar Activities. To obtain an application form and additional information, call the Membership Services Department at (800) 252-8908.
Several bar associations plan to hold golf outings during the next three months. Among them are:
JUNE 4 (Monday) DANVILLE Vermilion County Bar Assn.; Danville Country Club; 12 noon lunch, 1:15 p.m. shotgun start, 7 p.m. dinner.
JUNE 8 (Friday) OAK BROOK Illinois Trial Lawyers Assn. 46th annual; Oak Brook Hills Resort; tee times 6:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; (800) 252-8501.
JUNE 8 (Friday) FRANKFORT Will County Bar Assn.; 12 noon lunch, 1 p.m. shotgun start, 7 p.m. dinner; Green Garden Country Club; (815) 726-0383 ($110/125, dinner only $50/65).
JUNE 19 (Tuesday) URBANA Champaign County Bar Assn. 10th annual Capel Cup team scramble; 1 p.m. shotgun start, 5:30 p.m. dinner: Stone Creek Golf Course; ($65, dinner only $15); Jerry Gorman, (217) 359-2042, ext. 116.
JUNE 25 (Monday) ADDISON West Suburban Bar Assn.; Oak Meadows Golf Club; tee times from 10 a.m., reception and dinner at 5:30 p.m.; (708) 366-1122 ($105, dinner only $37).
JUNE 25 (Monday) BENSENVILLE Women's Bar Assn. 6th annual "No Threat, No Sweat"; White Pines Country Club; 10 a.m. shotgun start, reception and buffet dinner; (312) 341-8530 ($85/100).
JUNE 26 (Tuesday) MT. PROSPECT Chicago Bar Assn. Young Lawyers Section 3rd annual; Old Orchard Country Club; tee times from 12 noon, barbecue dinner at 6 p.m.; Veronica Chaney, (312) 554-2032 ($95, dinner only $25).
JULY 10 (Tuesday) BARTLETT Justinian Society golf outing and bocce tournament; Villa Olivia Country Club; tee times 11 a.m.-1 p.m., reception and dinner at 6:30 p.m.; John Locallo, (312) 255-8550 ($130, dinner only $65).
JULY 11 (Wednesday) MT. PROSPECT Northwest Suburban Bar Assn.; Old Orchard Country Club; 11 a.m. shotgun start, 6 p.m. dinner; (847) 290-7908 ($125, dinner only $40).
JULY 18 (Wednesday) SCHAUMBURG Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Assn.; Schaumburg Golf Club; (847) 593-5750.
JULY 20 (Friday) ZION Lake County Bar Assn.; Shepherd's Crook Golf Course; 11 a.m. shotgun start, 3:30 p.m. reception and dinner; (847) 244-3143 ($110, dinner only $40).
JULY 23 (Monday) ROCK ISLAND Rock Island County Bar Assn.; Pinnacle Country Club.
JULY 23 (Monday) WINFIELD - DuPage County Bar Assn.; Klein Creek Country Club; 1 p.m. shotgun start; (630) 653-7779.
JULY 23 (Monday) CHICAGO - Chicago Bar Assn. 78th annual; Ridge Country Club; tee times 8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Angie Crouther, (312) 554-2132 ($150).
JULY 27 (Friday) ROCKTON - Winnebago County Bar Assn. Clambake; Macktown Forest Preserve; (815) 964-4992.
AUGUST 3 (Friday) BLOOMINGDALE - Workers' Compensation Lawyers Assn.; Indian Lakes Resort; Secretary Karen Talty, (312) 832-9255.
AUGUST 3 (Friday) HARVARD - McHenry County Bar Assn.; Oak Grove Golf Club; (815) 338-9559.
AUGUST 16 (Thursday) BLOOMINGDALE - John Marshall Law School Alumni Assn. 4th annual recreational open golf, tennis and swimming event; Indian Lakes Resort.
AUGUST 20 (Monday) PEORIA - Peoria County Bar Assn.; Mt. Hawley Country Club; (309) 674-6049.
AUGUST 25 (Saturday) HICKORY HILLS - Illinois Paralegal Assn. classic; Hickory Hills Country Club; (815) 462-4620.
SEPTEMBER 4 (Tuesday) CHICAGO - Loyola University School of Law Alumni Assn.; Harborside Golf Club.
Attorneys' Title receives A-primeinsurance rating
Attorneys' Title Guarantee Fund has earned a financial stability rating of "A-prime unsurpassed" and a commercial real estate rating of "strongly recommended" from Demotech Inc., which evaluates public entity liability insurance pools in the United States.
ATG's rating is the second highest of six that are applied for overall stability of current assets, liabilities, working capital, revenues, receivables, administrative expenses, surplus, net income and leverage ratios.
Founded in 1964, ATG provides title insurance to home buyers and lenders through its network of 3,500 member lawyers in Illinois, and a variety of services from its subsidiary trust company, mortgage bank, real estate brokerage and real estate auction company.
Headquartered in Chicago and Champaign, ATG has offices in Mt. Prospect, Flossmoor, Libertyville, Lombard, North Riverside, Oak Lawn and Belleville, in addition to Madison, Wis., and Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.
By Jim Covington
Director of Legislative Affairs
The General Assembly should be done with its spring session by the end of May. If they are not done by the end of May, they could be here a long time because any bill that has an immediate effective date, such as the State budget, must receive a 3/5 affirmative vote in each chamber according to the State constitution.
Public Defender Parity. House Bill 549 (Reitz, D-Steeleville) has passed out of both chambers and is on its way to the Governor. It requires the State to pay 66 2/3% of the public defender's salary for every county. If a public defender is employed full-time in that capacity, his or her salary must be at least 90% of that county's State's attorney's salary. This was an initiative of the ISBA Task Force on Professional Practice in the Illinois Justice Systems, which was chaired by J. William Roberts of Springfield.
Tenancy by the Entirety. House Bill 1060 (Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove) has passed out of both chambers and is on its way to the Governor. It deletes the requirement that the husband and wife must be named and expressly identified in the instrument as husband and wife with respect to the creation of a tenancy by the entirety.
Misidentification Statute. Senate Bill 195 (Hawkinson, R-Galesburg) has passed out of both chambers and is on its way to the Governor. It amends the misidentification statute in the Code of Civil Procedure to make it more comparable with the Federal Rule and to remove the unnecessary technical requirements that can prevent claims from being decided on the merits.
Goodbye Responsible Property Transfer Act. House Bill 3217 (Hultgren, R-Wheaton) has passed out of both chambers and is on its way to the Governor. It repeals the Responsible Property Transfer Act of 1988. Provides that any action that accrued under the Responsible Property Transfer Act of 1988 before its repeal may be maintained in accordance with the provisions of that Act as it existed before its repeal.
Freedom of Information Act. House Bill 3078 (Righter, R-Mattoon) has passed out of both chambers and is on its way to the Governor. It amends FOIA to specify that a public body's agreement settling litigation, other than litigation brought by a prisoner, is a public record but only as to the amount of funds expended or collected by the public body in settling threatened or actual litigation.
Preservation of Evidence. House Bill 2228 (Tom Johnson, R-West Chicago) is awaiting concurrence for three Senate amendments before final passage. This bill amends the new preservation of evidence statute to mollify the complaints of law enforcement and state's attorneys. Evidence that must preserved is changed from "any physical evidence secured in relation to a trial" to "any physical evidence in their possession or control that is reasonably likely to contain forensic evidence, including, but not limited to, fingerprints or biological material secured in relation to a trial." "Biological material" includes, but is not limited to, any blood, hair, saliva, or semen from which genetic marker groupings may be obtained."