8671901426_a940c6940f_zToday I thought we’d take a bit of a break from all the number-crunching to do something a little different: talk about the records, the “mosts” and “leasts,” from the 233 oral arguments at the Illinois Supreme Court we reviewed and charted?

The ground rules are the same as they’ve been throughout our investigation of the Court’s arguments – civil cases only, less habeas corpus cases, attorney discipline and juvenile cases. And only cases where at least one counsel appeared for both sides are eligible.

So here we go:

Most total questions, both sides:

  • 81 – In re Sophia G.L., May 22, 2008. Whether Illinois should register an Indiana child-custody determination awarding a child’s grandparents temporary custody;

Least total questions, both sides:

  • 8 – Russell v. SNFA, April 18, 2013. Whether maker of custom tail-roter bearing had minimum contacts with Illinois so as to bring the action within long-arm statute where, although defendant did not have direct U.S. customers, defendant had multiple sales of its products in Illinois and regular business dealings with an Illinois company;
  • DeHart v. DeHart, March 21, 2013. Whether Illinois should recognize claims for contract to adopt and equitable adoption;

Biggest margin between Questions to Losing Party and Questions to Winning Party:

  • 45 – In re Marriage of O’Brien – Whether a petition to substitute a judge for cause after a substantive ruling is evaluated by the statutory standard of actual prejudice or by the standard of appearance of impropriety;

Biggest margin between Questions to Winning Party and Questions to Losing Party:

  • 33 – In re Sophia G.L.;

Most Questions to Appellant:

  • 57 – In re Sophia G.L.;

Least Questions to Appellant:

  • 0 – Taylor v. Pekin Insurance Co., November 20, 2008 – Whether the requirement under the Workers’ Compensation Act that an employer pay the employee’s attorney 25% of the lien recovered by the employer applies where the employee has received benefits under the uninsured motorist provision of his employer’s automobile liability policy;

Most Questions to Appellee:

  • 43 – People ex rel. Madigan v. Illinois Commerce Commission, November 20, 2008 – Whether the Commerce Commission’s regulations require an electronic filing to be transmitted before the Commission’s office closes in order to be timely filed and vest the Appellate Court with jurisdiction to hear an appeal;

Least Questions to Appellee:

  • 0 – Ferguson v. Patton, March 21, 2013 – Whether municipal inspector general to whom city ordinance has given authority to issue subpoenas lacks authority to retain private counsel and bring an action against the City’s law department seeking to enforce the subpoena.

Tomorrow we’ll begin looking at the likelihood that the Court’s first question comes from the Justice writing the majority opinion.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Martin Pettitt (no changes).