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Illinois Bar Association president visits Moline
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The Illinois State Bar Association wants judges to be disqualified from cases in which political contributions could lead to a perception of bias. John Thies, bar association president, said the code of judicial conduct in Illinois does not contain specific references to political contributions. In December, the association's general assembly approved changing the code of conduct so judges would be disqualified if there was a "probability of bias" based on cash or in-kind contributions to a judge's political campaign. Mr. Thies said the change is now being considered by the Illinois Supreme Court. In a meeting with the editorial board of The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus Thursday, Mr. Thies said the change would begin to address the influence of money and politics on the judicial system. The bar association supports merit selection of judges, which would mean that a non-partisan panel would pick qualified candidates to become judges, rather than the electorate. The governor or state legislature would then pick judges from a list of candidates. The 32,000 member state bar association provides professional services to Illinois lawyers. Mr. Thies, a lawyer in Champaign-Urbana, has been president of the association since last June. Since becoming president, Mr. Thies said he has appointed a committee to investigate the impact of law school debt on the delivery of legal services. Mr. Thies said law school debt now averages more than $100,000 and can make it difficult for small law firms in rural areas to attract lawyers. The special committee will publish its report and recommendations later this year. Mr. Thies also said he hoped to use his presidency to protect funding for the state's court system. About 0.6 percent of the state's budget goes to the courts, with counties providing most of the funding, which he said has resulted in a disparity in services between poor and wealthier counties. Mr. Thies has appointed a committee to identifythreats to "fair and impartial courts," and the members have surveyed chief judgesaround the state and will publicize their findings. 
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Today is Saturday, May 25, the 145th day of 2013. There are 220 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The annual review of the fire department of this city took placeyesterday and made a fine showing with machines and hose carts in tip-top order.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Last night's prayer meeting at Central Presbyterian Church wascalled off due to water in the basement, residue of last week's flood.
1913 -- 100 years ago: The junior class of Rock Island High School will hold a riverexcursion on the steamer St. Paul next Tuesday.
1938 -- 75 years ago: The 75th Anniversary of the Rock Island Arsenal today finds thenation's largest ordinance manufacturing plant filling many important orders for the army.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Miss Patrice Daly, Rock Island, a senior at Rock Island HighSchool, won second place in the recent state public speaking contest held in Peoria underthe auspices of the Knights of Pythias.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Hampton's sesquicentennial committee and the Hampton HistoricalSociety have scheduled a full slate of activities, which will be held throughout the year, to celebrate the village's 150th birthday. The first celebration will be the Memorial Dayprogram at 10 a.m. May 30, at the Brettun and Black Store Museum on River Road. Therewill be a sesquicentennial display.
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