© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Illinois Supreme Court Reprimands Springfield Alderman

springfield.il.us

Springfield attorney and Ward 5 alderman Sam Cahnman has received a censure from the Illinois Supreme Court.

The move follows a recommendation the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission made last year.  The Commission says Cahnman intentionally misled an Associate Circuit Judge about how he gained possession of a page from the judge's private calendar.  Cahnman has denied that charge.    

James Grogan is with the Commission.  He says Illinois' high court issues a censure when there has been a violation of the lawyer's ethics code.

"But the justices didn't believe that the nature or the severity of the rule violation was such that the lawyer should be removed from practice which would be a disbarment," Grogan said.

No fine or other punishment is involved.  

The incident that led to the censure took place about six years ago.  Cahnman issued the following statement Monday. 

"This whole thing is unfortunate and arose from a simple misunderstanding between me, a person in the judge's office and the judge.  I respect our Supreme Court.  However, I regret the fact that the Court takes very few case and did not take my case for a full review."

Lee Strubinger completed the University of Illinois Springfield's Public Affairs Reporting graduate program and is currently in Colorado.
Related Stories