​MCBA NEWSLETTER 

february 16, 2026

updated 2-18 11.45 am

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​MCBA Events 2026
​2/16 (Mon.)
​Law & Justice Center Closed

2/18 (Wed.)
Law Day Planning Committee Meeting

2/20 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

2/24 (Tues.)
CLE Committee Meeting

2/27 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

March
3/4 (Wed.)
Quarterly Family Law Bench/Bar Listening Session

3/10 (Tues.)
BOG Meeting

3/13 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

3/17 (Tues.)
CLE

3/20 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

3/27 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

April
4/22 (Wed.)
Administrative Day Celebration

May
5/6 (Wed.)
Law Day

5/19 (Tues.)
An Underwood Event

5/22 (Fri.)
GAL Certification Committee Meeting

June
6/4 (Wed.)
Quarterly Family Law Bench/Bar Listening Session

6/25 (Thurs.)
Annual Meeting

December
12/10 (Thurs.)
Holiday Luncheon

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​Complete 2026 List of Court Holidays & Closures

2026 Jury Calendar

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retirement
steve skelton
Friday - february 27

After 50 years Steve Skelton will be retiring March 1, 2026. Please join us at our office (301 S. Center St) on Friday, February 27 beginning at 1:30 pm for a send off.

Stories are welcomed and encouraged.

​Stephanie Wong

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2026 mclean county judge assignments
updated judicial assistants information

2026 Judicial Assignments, Judicial Assistants, and Other Information

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mcba membership 2026

Please push on the above logo to renew your membership for 2026.

thank you for your membership & renewals!

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high school mock trials
​february 12th
thank you to the ​volunteers!

Anderson, Alyssa
Apfelbaum, Larry
Bardell, Miles
Carter, Caylie
Castagna, Laura
Chapman, Todd
Chikahisa, Spencer
Cruz, Kelsy
DeLeon-Bond, P. Carolina
DePew, Rusty
DeVivo, Jennifer
Donaldson, Erin
Eisner, Charles
Eves, Pablo 
Farrell, Calli
Fredrick, Aaron
Hoffman, Frank
Johnson, Ogden
Kapela, Karen
Kearns, Jenna
Kording, Scott
Lenckus, Sean
Mannen, Nicole
Maulson, Wendy
McClure, Thomas 
McKibbin, Ed
Owen, Shannon
Patton, Jennifer
Ruble, Nicholas 
Shane, Josephine
Stuckey, Jennifer
Trygstad, Jacob
Vasquez, Samantha
Wallace, Stuart
Williams, Taylor

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cle
estate planning basics & practical tips
tuesday, march 17
​noon

[1 hour general CLE pends approval]
​

​Please join the McLean County Bar Association in welcoming MCBA Members, Chad Ritchie, Dan Deneen, and Tom Jennings. They will present a program focusing on topics such as Estate Planning Basics and Core Analysis, Powers of Attorney, and Medicaid Planning. The valuing of farmland in Estate Administration will also be presented. 

Registration

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social events 2026

Sunday, February 22 - HOCKEY! - 4:00 pm
SignUp is Below
​
​Wednesday, April 22 - Administrative Assistant Day - TBD

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pro bono attorney needed

We have a client needing assistance with a McLean County divorce with no children but client owns his home.  Client has spouse's address and they seperated in December 2023.  If you are willing to take this case, please contact Stacy James at [email protected]

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attorney needed
for assistance with 
​a
​not for profit entity

A Small 501(c)3 Park Foundation in Woodford County, founded in 2014, is looking for legal assistance. We aren't trying to not reinvent the wheel as we are looking for a lawyer who has experience with NFPs, beyond the initial creation, and though dissolution. We need to do a "legal checkup", review of operations and processes, and all the other things we may not be aware of. We are currently working through a board transition and assessing future viability. Thanks for considering!

Happy to travel to meet in person and/or communicate via email, video or phone call.
Stacey Barlow, Metamora Park Foundation Vice President & Treasurer
[email protected] or 309.370.7987

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Hockey
Buffalo Bison’s Lincoln’s Birthday Celebration game

TICKET SALE UPDATE

!!!Let's fill the box!!!

The hockey game is on February 22nd at 4:00 pm. The MCBA reserved suite opens at 3:00 pm.
 
The cost per ticket is $68.00 and includes all you can eat and drink (details below). There are only 50 tickets available for the suite. To purchase tickets for the suite, they should contact GABE MATHERLY at 309-965-4370. They should tell him that they want to purchase tickets for the McLean County Bar Association suite for the Abe Lincoln’s Birthday Celebration game.
 
The refreshments provided in the suite will be:
 
FOOD:
- Pizza - Boneless Wings: Served plain with sauces on the side (BBQ, Buffalo, Sweet & Sour, Ranch, and Honey Mustard) - Salad Bar - Cookies - Popcorn
 
DRINKS:
Domestic beers: Busch Light, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Budweiser, and Coors Light
Seltzer: High Noon (hard seltzer made with vodka)
Non-alcoholic drinks: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Lemonade, and Aquafina
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bar committee activities

​Law Day Planning Committee Meeting - February 18 12.15 pm​​
CLE Committee Meeting - February 24 noon
Quarterly Family Law Bench/Bar Listening Session - March 4
​​BOG Meeting - March 10 noon
​​DEIA Committee Meeting - April 29 12.15 pm
​​​GAL Certification Planning Committee Meeting - May 22 12.15 pm

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new to your office?
​or maybe an attorney/staff 'on the move'?

If your office has new attorneys and staff, then we would like to update membership on your additions! Maybe you have an attorney making moves within your office. Please click on the link below to submit a little about the new addition and feel free to add a photo as well. 

New to My Office? or Retiring? or Moving? Any Update!

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cle recording opportunities

cle

Originally Recorded
Tuesday, December 3, 2025
​Ends, December 1, 2027
​

​A Guide To Problem Solving Courts: 
​Drug Court, Recovery Court, and Veteran’s Court

​[Up to 1.5 hours general CLE - Approved] 
​

Presenters:
Hon. Dave Butler [Ret.]-Moderator
Ron Lewis
Hon. Scott Drazewski [Ret.]
Emilio Fischer
Craig Queen

This program will provide an overview of the sentencing alternatives known as Problem Solving Courts. These sentencing alternatives include Drug Court, Recovery Court and Veteran’s Court. Each of these specialized sentences are remedial and are alternatives to a prison sentence. Both defense attorneys and prosecutors will gain an understanding of these specialized sentences including eligibility requirements, terms and conditions, the process of evaluating referrals and the sentencing process.
 
Specific Topics Include:
 
What Are Problem Solving Courts?
Drug Court, Recovery Court, and Veteran’s Court Distinguished
PSC Referrals
PSC Court Process
PSC Teams
Steps In Processing PSC Referrals
Adult Risk Assessments & Drug Evaluations
State’s Attorney’s Screening of PSC Referrals
Attorney’s Role When Client is Sentenced To a PSC
PSC Violations

Registration will open soon

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
​Ends, July 1, 2027

A Case Review from the Bench
​

Presented by: Hon. Donald Bernardi [Ret.] & Hon. Charles Feeney [Ret.]
​
​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 

​

Retired Judges Donald Bernardi and Charles Feeney have each selected two cases from their time on the bench that present interesting legal issues. These cases are both civil and criminal and include a variety of issues, including legal malpractice and the use of the involuntary intoxication defense in criminal cases.

Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
​Ends, March 1, 2027

Small Law Office Efficiency - AI

Presented by: Drew Vaughn

​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 

Please join the McLean County Bar Association in welcoming Mr. Drew Vaughn. He will be teaching about how Artificial Intelligence works, the ethical implications of its use, and practical applications of Artificial Intelligence that you can implement today.  

Learning Objectives:
1. Foundations of Artificial Intelligence [A.I.]
2. Ethical Implications of the use of AI
3. Practical AI Application
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
​Ends, August 1, 2026
​
​IRS Taxes Discharged in Bankruptcy

Presented by: Robert Schaller, JD

​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 
​

You can become the client’s hero by eliminating IRS back taxes. Learn how to spot opportunities for IRS tax resolution. The focus of the seminar is how to eliminate IRS back taxes thru bankruptcy. The presentation will discuss Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 basics and the bankruptcy adversary proceeding process.

Learning Objectives:
1. Learn how to spot IRS tax resolution opportunities.
2. Learn how to eliminate IRS back taxes thru bankruptcy.
3. Learn Bankruptcy Code basics: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 and adversary proceedings.
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
​Tuesday, July 16, 2024
ENDS June 25, 2026
​
Traffic Stops & Motor Vehicles Searches

Presented by: Hon. David Butler (Ret.) & Matthew Butler

​[up to 1.5 hours general CLE - Approved] 

Evidence of a crime is often found by police during the search of a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation. Items found during the search may be illegal contraband, such as drugs or weapons, or evidence of another crime. What starts out as a minor traffic violation can turn into a search of the vehicle to investigate evidence of crimes unrelated to the traffic stop. This CLE program presents an examination of the various legal bases for the police to conduct a motor vehicle search and the possible legal challenges to the search. Attorneys who either defend or prosecute criminal cases involving the possession of contraband will be better able to recognize evidentiary issues related to criminal charges arising out of traffic stops and motor vehicle searches.
 
TOPICS TO BE COVERED ARE:
 
Lawful basis of traffic stops
“Out of the Car”  Drivers and Passengers 
Search of Persons in the Vehicle
Search of Vehicles
Probable Cause Searches
Dog Sniffs
Odor of Cannabis
Search Incident to Arrest
Parole Searches
Inventory Searches
Consent Searches
Motions To Suppress Evidence

The cost is $20.00.
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

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friday breakfast with the bar
join us this friday
8:00 am-9:00 am

Ivy Lane Bakery - Downtown Bloomington
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career opportunities 
&
law student opportunities

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11th judicial circuit

Information

Deadline 2-27

associate judge

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prairie state legal services

Information

posted 1-22

staff attorney - bloomington

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onward injury law

Information

posted 1-22

attorney

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administrative office of the illinois courts [aoic] ​

Information

Application

​posted 1-5

appellate counsel - juvenile abuse & Neglect ​

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Mclean COUNTY state's attorney

Information

assistant state's attorney i, ii, iii

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office space available

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802 N. Clinton, bloomington

Information

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108 w. monroe, BLOOMINGTON

Information

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