My First Court Appointment: Cook Domestic Relations

We previously blogged here on these indigent contempt of court cases in Cook County. It's unique when your client approaches the bench in Cook County Jail garb in handcuffs (I don't do criminal so this is about the only scenario where I see this). So by way of a little follow-up, I got appointed to my first case this week. I was beginning to wonder if the program was worthless...I'd been the "on-call" lawyer for one week per month over the last 3-4 months and hadn't gotten any calls. I guess all the deadbeats out there suddenly got current on their support and no contempt proceedings were pending (yeah, likely story).

Just thought I'd post an update...because this program is a viable business source for solo/small firm folks. I hope the head judge of the domestic relations division publicizes it a little better. I'm told by a lawyer who has been in the program much longer than me that the procedures that judges use to appoint lawyers just recently changed dramatically and apparently everyone is not clued in yet. Even if you/I don't get appointed much I'll say this, the 3/4 hour training for the program and the materials you receive in themselves are worth it.