Opinion ID: 1789708
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: cle requirements

Text: Proposed subdivisions (f)(7), lead counsel, (g)(2)(E), cocounsel, and (h)(6), appellate counsel, require that counsel attend at least ten hours of continuing legal education devoted to the defense of capital cases each year. Several of those who commented urge us to provide busy litigators with more flexibility in meeting these CLE requirements. We are persuaded by this argument and believe that increasing the number of hours of continuing legal education required from ten hours to twelve hours and extending the time allotted to obtain the credits from one to two years will provide capital attorneys with more flexibility and better opportunities to attend meaningful training programs. Cf. Ill. Sup.Ct. R. 714(b)(4)(i) (requiring at least twelve hours of training in preparation and trial of capital cases within two years). Moreover, in order to ensure that qualified counsel will be available at the time these amendments go into effect, we have added language providing that attorneys not meeting the continuing legal education requirements when the amendments take effect will have until March 1, 2003, or approximately one year from the date of this opinion, in which to satisfy the requirements. We have amended subdivisions (f)(7), (g)(2)(E) and (h)(6) accordingly.