QUES: Representing yourself in court can be a tricky endeavor. There are confusing legal terms to learn, strict procedures to follow and volumes of case law that often need to be understood to prepare a case. Lake County officials and a private agency that assists indigent litigants in Illinois want to make the practice easier by creating a self-help center for people who choose to represent themselves in legal matters. The center, which will be housed in the law library at the main courthouse in Waukegan, could open later this summer. "I think it's going to be extremely helpful," Court Administrator Bob Zastany said. "There is a population out there that will take advantage of this resource." The self-help center will be the only one of its kind in the county. Only a few operate nationwide, officials said. The project is the work of Lake County circuit court officials and Prairie State Legal Services, a statewide agency with an office in Waukegan that provides information and legal assistance to poor and elderly Illinois residents. The organization has received a $25,000 grant from the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, a nonprofit group that funds programs designed to increase access to legal information and assistance, to help pay for the effort. Prairie State will share the money with the county. The county's law library is on the first floor of the governmental center at 18 N. County St. The new self-help center will be designed to help litigants find the information they need to properly represent themselves in court, an undertaking that can be complicated and confusing. "Some people can do OK on their own, and some people can do OK with some help," said Linda Rothnagel, the managing attorney for Prairie State Legal Services. "But other people can't do it. It's not always easy." Self-representation is a right affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The practice is far more common in civil matters than in criminal cases. In fact, self-represented litigants - formally called "pro se" in Latin, or "for oneself" - in criminal defenses are so rare that statistics about the practice generally are not kept, legal experts say.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: What practice is far more common in civil matters than in criminal cases?

QUES: When land is cleared, habitats are lost. It may be cleared for agriculture. It may also be used for building new homes or businesses. Within the past 100 years, the amount of land used for agriculture has almost doubled. Land used for grazing cattle has more than doubled. Many wetlands have also been lost to agriculture. The U.S. has lost almost all the natural tall-grass prairies. Thee areas of tall thick grass have virtually disappeared. These areas of land had thick fertile soil. Their grasses had very deep root systems. These deep and thick roots reduced the amount of soil erosion. They also were home to many plants and animals. Prairies were wonderful places. They were home to colorful flowers, prairie dogs, and herds of bison.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: What types of land have been lost to agriculture?

QUES: The only home Hamilton ever owned was a Federal style mansion designed by John McComb Jr., which he built on his 32-acre country estate in Hamilton Heights in upper Manhattan. He named the house, which was completed in 1802, the "Grange" after his grandfather Alexander's estate in Ayrshire, Scotland. The house remained in the family until 1833 when his widow sold it to Thomas E. Davis, a British born real estate developer, for $25,000. Part of the proceeds were used by Eliza to purchase a new townhouse from Davis (Hamilton-Holly House) in Greenwich Village with her son Alexander. The Grange, first moved from its original location in 1889, was moved again in 2008 to a spot in St. Nicholas Park on land that was once part of the Hamilton estate, in Hamilton Heights, a neighborhood in upper Manhattan. The historic structure was restored to its original 1802 appearance in 2011, and is maintained by the National Park service as Hamilton Grange National Memorial. Alexander Hamilton served as one of the first trustees of the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in New York state. Later the Academy received a college charter in 1812, and the school was formally renamed Hamilton College.Columbia University, Hamilton's alma mater, has official memorials to Hamilton on its campus in New York City. The college's main classroom building for the humanities is Hamilton Hall, and a large statue of Hamilton stands in front of it. The university press has published his complete works in a multivolume letterpress edition. Columbia University's student group for ROTC cadets and Marine officer candidates is named the Alexander Hamilton Society.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: What finally became of the home that Hamilton owned?

QUES: Catherine V. "Ginny" Kilgore of Oxford, an attorney with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, has been recognized for her dedication to serving the indigent. Kilgore - who oversees delivering legal services to the disabled and elderly in 39 north Mississippi counties - is recipient of the University of Mississippi School of Law's 2002 Public Service Award. The award was announced recently at a dinne r, held in Kilgore's honor and hosted by law school Dean Samuel M. Davis, who presented her with an engraved plaque. "Ginny Kilgore is a public servant in the truest sense," said Davis. "Her selection continues the tradition of this award in recognizing those who have labored in the trenches, with little or no compensation but with great professional and personal satisfaction in helping to bring justice and equality to those who need it most." "This award means a great deal to me," Kilgore said, pointing to others so honored. "The work of those who received the award before me has been so important; I feel very honored." After earning bachelor's and master's degrees in education and a few years teaching, Kilgore enrolled at the UM law school. Upon graduation in 1975, she entered private law practice in Oxford, joining NMRLS in 1978. Since then, she has earned promotions from managing attorney, senior attorney, then director of the Council on Aging project. Since 1990, she has worked in the Administrative Law Unit and Resource Development, and directed the Elder Law Project, serving the northern half of the state. She also is an adjunct professor in the UM law school's Civil Law Clinic. She held a similar post a few years ago in the school's Elder Law Clinic. Kilgore says she's found her niche. "I've always thought it was important to do work to help people. I really enjoy it. The issues I've dealt with through the years have been on the side of helping people maintain the basics of life - home, healt h care, jobs and family." She says her desire to serve others was sparked early, growing up in a single-parent home, aware that her widowed mother faced certain challenges as she supported her four children through public school and college.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION:
How does Kilgore feel about her work