Fresh off the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission website:
Arbitration assignments announced
The calls of former arbitrators will be handled as follows:
|
Former arbitrator |
Hearing Site |
November Arbitrator |
December Arbitrator |
January Arbitrator |
|
DeVriendt |
Chicago |
Mason |
Mason |
Mason |
|
Galicia |
Chicago |
Kane |
Black |
eliminated; all cases reassigned |
|
Giordano |
Peoria |
Granada |
Luskin |
See below. |
|
Hagan |
Chicago |
Pulia/Doherty |
Doherty |
Doherty |
|
Lammie |
Chicago |
Carlson |
Flores |
Flores |
|
Nalefski |
Herrin |
Luskin |
Granada |
See below. |
|
Peterson |
Chicago |
Thompson-Smith |
Thompson-Smith |
Thompson-Smith |
|
Prieto |
Chicago |
Kelmanson |
Kelmanson |
Kelmanson |
In addition, Arbitrators Jutila and Neal are out on medical leave. Arb. Jutila’s call will be handled by Arb. Williams during Arb. Williams’ trial dates. Various arbitrators will cover for Arb. Neal.
Starting in January 2012, arbitrators have been assigned to the new Downstate arbitration regions as follows:
|
Region |
Hearing site-Arbitrator in January 2012 |
|
1 |
Collinsville-Simpson; Mt. Vernon-Granada; Herrin-Luskin |
|
2 |
Quincy-Neal; Urbana-Tobin; Springfield-White |
|
3 |
Kewanee-Mathis; Peoria-Pulia; Bloomington-Akemann |
|
4 |
Geneva-Falcioni; Joliet-Andros; Ottawa-Dollison |
|
5 |
Rockford-Lee; Woodstock-Holland; Waukegan-Erbacci |
|
6 |
Wheaton-Kinnaman; O’Malley in February; Fratianni in March (These arbitrators will appear in Chicago for two months.) |
One arbitrator will appear at each hearing site each month. Arbitrators will rotate in the sequence shown, e.g., Arb. Simpson will appear in Collinsville in January, Mt. Vernon in February, and Herrin in March. Put another way, by site, in Collinsville, Arb. Simpson will appear in January, Arb. Luskin in February, and Arb. Granada in March. See the 2012 downstate arbitration calendars for more detail.
All cases, including those with emergency petitions, will be randomly assigned among each region’s arbitrators. A party with a 19(b) or 8(a) case will need to appear before the assigned arbitrator.
To accommodate the three-arbitrator regions, effective 1/1/12, we will return to 90-day continuance cycles. We are in the process of reassigning cases to the regions, and will send corrected notices. Any partially tried cases will stay with the original arbitrator. Click here to view the new accident location table, effective 1/1/12; note there are a series of tabs, one for each hearing site.
Please send settlement contracts to the assigned or covering arbitrator. Settlement contracts may be presented to any arbitrator at the assigned venue, or may be mailed only to the assigned arbitrator.
During these transition months, please do not bifurcate trials if at all possible. That only adds to the complexity of tracking and reassigning cases.
All tried-but-undecided cases and partially tried cases will be redistributed soon among arbitrators. If proposed decisions are due and a case is unassigned, email the proposed decision to Bertha Parker. The Commission will prepare and pay for a transcript. If parties want a new trial, they can present a motion immediately to the newly assigned arbitrator, who will determine if sufficient cause exists to grant a new trial.
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact Bertha Parker.
posted 10/25/11
