NLG CHICAGO

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Smart Phones, Dumb Laws

Will Your Cellphone Make You a Criminal?

A forum on the rising wave of repression against people who document dissent and police misconduct.

In Illinois, it is a major criminal offense to use a cell phone to audio record the police – EVEN IN A PUBLIC SPACE!  You can be sentenced to 15 years in prison!  Only 1 other state makes this a crime.  Why does Illinois have this law?  Why does our police force want to conceal its actions?

Cell phones give everyday people amazing power to document injustices, protests, and misconduct by police and officials.  Look how important they were to ordinary citizens across North Africa and the Middle East who used this technology during the “Arab Spring” to record and share the truth of their lives and their uprisings.

But in our country, police and prosecutors are taking increasingly repressive steps to stop this use of smart phones by arresting people who record events, even when it’s perfectly legal.

Meet with a panel of notable legal experts to get the facts:

Robert Johnson successfully represented Tiawanda Moore, who faced felony eavesdropping charges for audiotaping police as she attempted to have an officer investigated who sexually accosted her.  Mr. Johnson is a partner at the Chicago civil rights firm of Smith, Johnson & Antholt, LLC. (www.lawsja.com).

Jed Stone, a criminal defense lawyer from Waukegan, Illinois, is a fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers who has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer in criminal trial defense and criminal appeals. He has appeared regularly on the Chicago Lawyer’s list of top criminal defense lawyers. Mr. Stone represents Gregory Koger, who is appealing misdemeanor convictions stemming from videotaping a peaceful statement at a public meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago (www.dropthecharges.net).

Mark Weinberg, a civil rights attorney in Chicago, represents Chris Drew, who faces felony eavesdropping charges for audiotaping his own arrest as he challenged Chicago’s restrictions on artists selling their works on public streets (www.art-teez.org).

For more information, adhoc4reason@gmail.com, depaul.nlg@gmail.com or 312-593-4191

Sponsored by DePaul University College of Law and Chicago-Kent College of Law Chapters of the National Lawyers Guild, Ad Hoc Committee for Reason, Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art, the Chicago Chapter of World Can’t Wait, and ACLU Illinois.

Wednesday, November 9 at 6 P.M.

DePaul University College of Law, 25 East Jackson, Rm. 241 Lewis


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Occupy Chicago Legal Support

In its continuing effort to defend the right to dissent, the National Lawyers Guild of Chicago is offering to support individuals who are involved in the Occupy Chicago movement in several ways.

NLG Chicago Occupy Chicago Hotline | 773-309-1198

We have established a 24-hour Chicago-based NLG Occupy Chicago hotline. If you have legal questions or concerns related to the Occupy Chicago protest or would like to report an arrest, please contact the Occupy Chicago hotline at 773-309-1198.

Legal Representation for Individuals Who Have Been Arrested or Ticketed

If you have been arrested or ticketed in conjunction with Occupy Chicago activity, NLG Chicago is offering to represent you at any pre-trial court date for a sliding scale fee of $10 to $100. If you have been arrested or ticketed, are interested in being represented by Guild attorneys, and have not provided NLG Chicago with your information, please download and fill out our Arrestee Information Form and email it back to us by clicking here. If you were arrested have forgotten or do not know when or where your next court date is, you can call the Cook County Clerk at 312-603-4641.

If you were arrested and know the location of your court date but do not know the date and/or time, you can call the clerk at the branch court where you will be appearing. Below is a list of phone numbers for the clerk’s office at the various branches:

51st/Wentworth – 155 West 51st Street – Branch 34 – 773-373-8878

Belmont/Western – 2452 West Belmont – Branch 29 – 773-404-3316

Flournoy/Kedzie -3150 West Flournoy Street – Branch 43 – 773-265-8927

Grand/Central – 5555 West Grand Avenue – Branch 23 – 773-804-6154

111th – 727 E. 111th – Branch 35 – 773-982-3058

If you received a ticket, but were not arrested, your case will be heard at the City’s Department of Administrative Hearings Central Hearing Facility at 400 W. Superior. If you have questions about the date and/or time of your hearing, you can call 312-742-4747. Have your ticket number ready when you call.

National NLG Occupy Protest Support and Hotlines

If you have legal questions or need legal support for an Occupy protest outside of the Chicago area, our national office has created a database of hotlines and contact information for NLG chapters and attorneys that are assisting with Occupy protests throughout the country. The database is available at: http://www.nlg.org/occupy.

Know Your Rights

Whether you are an activist, organizer, or simply an ordinary person, it is essential that you know your rights and feel comfortable exercising them. To that end, NLG Chicago is offering the following resources for individuals who participate in the Occupy Chicago movement:

The National Layers Guild has a long tradition of standing up to government repression. We recently updated our 16-page manual, You Have the Right to Remain Silent, which is a basic primer for law enforcement encounters. There is also an Arabic version of this manual available here.

The Center for Constitutional Rights, which was founded by Guild attorneys, publishes a 48-page booklet for activists and organizations targeted by federal law enforcement agencies entitled If an Agent Knocks.

The National Lawyers Guild’s Military Law Task Force recently created a short brochure, Legal Support for Members of the US Military participating in the Occupy Wall Street Protests, with Know Your Rights information for members of the US military. The Military Law Task Force has more detailed Know Your Rights information here.

For additional resources and information about your rights and how to assert them, click here.

Legal Observers

Lastly, as always, the NLG Chicago Chapter provides legal observers to monitor police activity and potential infringement of First Amendment rights at local rallies, demonstrations, and direct actions. To request legal observers, please email chicago.lo.program@gmail.com with information about your planned action. For more information about our Legal Observer Program and how to request legal observers, click here.

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Mass Incarceration Symposium

Mass Incarceration Symposium
Saturday, November 5th, 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.
At the John Marshall Law School, 315 S. Plymouth Court, Room 420

Agenda:
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Panel

Featuring Defense Attorney MiAngel Cody; State’s Attorney Steve Rosenblum; and Federal Defender Carol Brook

12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Free Lunch
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Prison Conditions Panel

Featuring Steven Shobat, Defense Attorney and Professor of Prisoners’ Rights; Nathson Fields, who has brought prison conditions lawsuits while in prison and on death row for a crime he did not commit; Jim Chapman, prison conditions litigator and teacher at Stateville Correctional Center; Dr. Scott Chavez, Vice President of National Commission on Correctional Health Care; and Alan Mills, legal director of Uptown People’s Law Center.


Click the photo for more information.

The Symposium is in conjunction with the Prisoners Book Drive.
Bring any books you wish to donate to the event!

Email jmls.nlg@gmail.com to register for CLE Credit.
Free and open to the public.
RSVP: jmls.nlg@gmail.com

Sponsored by the John Marshall Chapter of the National Lawyer’s Guild and the John Marshall Democrats

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Honoring Debra Evenson

National Lawyers Guild of Chicago’s

2011 Annual Dinner

Honoring NLG Attorney

DEBRA EVENSON

A past president of the Guild, law professor, and one of the nation’s foremost authorities
on the legal system and institutions of Cuba

Saturday, November 5, 2011
Irish-American Heritage Center
4626 N. Knox , Erin Room (4th Floor)
6:00 p.m.

On-site parking | Wheelchair accessible

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This year NLG Chicago proudly honors Debra Evenson with the Arthur Kinoy Award.

A past president of the Guild, law professor, and one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the legal system and institutions of Cuba, Debra represented the finest tradition of a People’s lawyer. Since 1992, Debra was part of a legal team representing Cuba and its agencies and enterprises in all matters pertaining to the United States. She fought for the legal defense of Cuban sovereignty, and she is remembered by high government officials and workers, intellectuals and artists, academics and lawyers.

Debra also was a founding board member of the Sugar Law Center and remained on the Board until her death. Her work as a board member was instrumental in helping the Sugar Law Center defend the rights of working people in plant closing cases and the Center’s other important work.

During her time as Guild president from 1988-1991, Debra inspired younger generations to combine political passion to combat injustice and exploitation with outstanding legal skills. A fierce intellectual and tireless worker for the People, she taught—inside and outside the law school classroom—by her example, her publications, and her work. Debra died in Chicago on August 17, continuing to teach us through her grace and resilience confronting cancer. She will be deeply missed.

Join us as we celebrate Debra Evenson and her profound commitment to justice, the Guild, global equality, and full recognition of the Cuban nation and people.

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The Evenson family will hold a memorial service for Debra on Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 12-4 at the Jazz Showcase, located at 806 S. Plymouth in Chicago.

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To place a tribute to Debra in the commemorative program book, visit here.

Please place all tributes by October 14, 2011 to ensure they are ready for the dinner.

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Ticket Information

Tickets $100
Table for 8 $750
Low-Income $65
Students $25

Purchase your ticket(s) online:

Dinner Ticket

or

Send reservations and payment to:

NLG Chicago
637 S. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60605
312-913-0039
chicago@nlg.org

NOTE:  Contributions are welcome to sponsor law students or low income attendees.   Simply select one of the subsidized ticket options from the Paypal menu, or click the “Donate”  button on the righthand side of your screen.


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2011 (Dis)Orientation

At NLG Chicago’s 2011 Citywide (Dis)orientation, we’ll have a number of great panels aimed at helping law students survive law school with their values intact. Come meet other law students, legal workers, and lawyers challenging the status quo and fighting for social justice.

Sept. 24, 2011, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
25 E. Pearson Street

Free lunch and mingling begins at 12:30. Register HERE!

Sessions Include:

— Welcome to the Guild: What It Means To Be a People’s Lawyer

Featuring: Jan Susler, Joey Mogul, and Bernardine Dohrn

— Tips & Tricks to Survive Law School and Keep Your Soul

— Raise Your Hand! Critical Theory & What You Won’t Hear in the Classroom

Featuring: Juan Perea and Owen Daniel-McCarter

— Legal Observer Training

— Happy Hour to follow @ Clark Street Ale House (742 North Clark Street).

Plus, a chance to meet and network with NLG law students from all over the City! All are welcome!

Register HERE!

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FA 2011 Kick-Off Meeting and Happy Hour!

GENERAL MEETING  

CHICAGO-KENT NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD

SEPT 15TH|6:00PM|Room 570

followed by:

Social at Haymarket Pub & Brewery

737 West Randolph (Randolph & Halsted)

 

Join us, Save your lefty-bleeding heart from law school!

Participate in organizing and planning this year’s events

Get Information on the NLG-Chicago’s Law School Dis-Orientation

Become your Section’s 1L Representative

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Justice for Reynolds Wintersmith

Come learn about the only juvenile, first-time offender in the United States who is serving a mandatory federal life sentence for a non-violent drug offense. Reynolds Wintersmith received a federal sentence of life without parole for a drug offense committed when he was 17. He remains in federal prison notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Graham v. Florida, which found it unconstitutional for juveniles to be sentenced to life without parole sentences. Come hear about his case from his federal defender, and learn about how you can help!

Date: Thursday, September 29

Time: 11:50-12:50

Room: DePaul Law, Lewis Building, 1 E. Jackson, Room 805

Snacks provided!

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Fall 2011 is Underway

Welcome Back Guilders!

We held our first meeting today, and here are the minutes:

Disorientation occurring at Loyola Law School, 1-5pm on September 24th.  Go!

National Convention – in Philly! In October!  You should go!

COINTELPRO Movie Screening – October 7,  at 5243 N. Clark, don’t know what time yet.

The Law of Prisons Event – a panel discussion on mass incarceration, prisoners’ rights, etc.  Possibly first week of Nov. or late October.  Need to start planning!
Prisoners’ book drive will be the next week.

 

Next meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 2pm.  Room TBA.

 

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2011 Board

Hi everyone! The new Board for 2011 is:


President – Katie Gaughan


Vice President – Diane O’Connell


Secretary – Shannon O’Keefe


Contact us: jmls.nlg@gmail.com

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Know Your Rights Materials

Whether you are an activist, organizer, or simply an ordinary person, it is essential that you know your rights and feel comfortable exercising them.

Don’t forget to check out NLG Chicago‘s resource page for information on knowing and asserting your rights!

Know Your Rights

 

 

 

 

Contact

637 S. Dearborn St., 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60605

chicago[@]nlg.org