Jonathan Bilyk News
St. Clair, Madison counties retain top spots for asbestos lawsuit destinations in U.S.: New report
Consulting firm KCIC reported Madison, St. Clair, Cook counties collectively accounted for nearly half of all asbestos lawsuit filings in 2024. St. Clair County continued its rapid ascent and could equal or eclipse Madison County for the country's No. 1 destination for asbestos claims in coming years
23 states: IL, Chicago 'sanctuary' laws incentivize illegal immigration, 'spills' burden onto other states, rest of U.S.
Attorneys general from 23 states have sided in federal court with the Trump Justice Dept.'s challenge vs Illinois' and Chicago's 'Sanctuary' policies and laws. They argue IL, by shielding illegal immigrants from feds, is violating the constitutional compact among the states and increasing the burden on everyone
City Council committee rejects $1.25M for family of Dexter Reed, who shot at cops
The Chicago City Council's Finance Committee voted 15-12 to reject paying a $1.25M settlement to the family of Dexter Reed, a black man who was killed by police officers after he opened fire on them from inside his car during a traffic stop. Critics said the deal signals to criminals and cops alike that the city doesn't support police
Northwestern to settle potentially dozens of legal claims over football hazing
Attorneys representing many former Northwestern University football players said they had reached a confidential "provisional settlement" with the school to end litigation accusing coaches and other Northwestern officials of turning a blind eye to years of hazing under former coach Patrick Fitzgerald.
Republicans can't challenge gerrymandered Democratic district maps, IL Sup Ct rules
Illinois' Democrat-dominated state Supreme Court sided with Democrats in ruling Republicans waited too long to challenge state legislative district maps, which GOP said Dems used to "rig" election results. A dissenting justice blasted the court's handling of the case, saying it indicated the court wasn't "neutral"
Illinois can't force doctors to tell patients about abortion 'benefits,' judge rules
A federal judge has struck down a portion of an Illinois state law that would have stripped certain legal protections for doctors, other medical pros who refuse to tell patients about the "benefits" of abortion. The state can force docs to refer women to abortion providers, however. The case is headed to appeal
Appeals court tosses $43M crash verdict, saying plaintiffs' lawyers may have used social media to jury tamper
An Illinois appeals panel said a group of trucking companies should get a new trial in a rear-end crash case that left a woman severely injured because the woman's lawyers from the Allen Law Group may have used social media posts to improperly sway jurors
Springfield Diocese: New IL abortion discrimination law tramples religious freedoms
A new lawsuit, led by the Springfield Diocese, accuses Illinois of essentially using a new law to strip religious organizations of their constitutional autonomy by forbidding them to speak against abortion or hire based on their beliefs concerning abortion or other "reproductive health" choices
Judge: Smith & Wesson can't shoot down lawsuits over 2022 Highland Park massacre
A Lake County judge has rejected attempts by firearms maker Smith & Wesson to dismiss 25 lawsuits seeking to use Illinois state law to secure a potential massive payout from the company for allegedly illegally marketing their weapons in ways to entice 'thrill-seeking young men' to carry out acts of mass violence
Illinois automated license plate reader camera scans aren't unconstitutional searches, judge says
A federal judge in Chicago tossed, for now, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Illinois' network of automated license plate readers, accusing the state of installing implementing an unconstitutional "dragnet surveillance" system. The judge said the Fourth Amendment doesn't prevent license plate reader scans.
Pritzker again pours money into the race for control of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court
Wisconsin state campaign finance records show Illinois billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker donated $1.5M to support the campaign of Democratic Judge Susan Crawford in the race for control of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court. Democrats have, at the same time, criticized Republicans for attempting to "buy" the seat
'Baseless targeting': Internal review shows feds sought to punish Townstone over radio comments
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has asked a federal judge to reverse a settlement with Townstone Financial and refund $105K the company had paid to end a regulatory action that sought to punish the company over comments made on a radio show which the agency claimed were discriminatory
Lawsuit: Champaign abortion doc left 'half of pre-born baby' in woman's body post-abortion
An Ohio doctor, who runs an abortion clinic in Champaign, has been accused of severely injuring a woman during an abortion, by allegedly perforating her uterus and leaving half of the unborn baby lodged in her pelvis, and then ignoring her requests for help amid the complications
Wendy's can't be sued for targeted hit on man waiting at South Side Wendy's drive-thru
A federal appeals panel has upheld a lower court judge's ruling that a man who suffered severe injuries when his car was shot up by two assailants at a Wendy's restaurant near Englewood in Chicago in 2018 can't sue the restaurant for failing to protect him.
Owner of Waukegan restaurant building can be sued for not stopping car from crashing through front window
A state appeals panel had earlier agreed the Waukegan Mexican restaurant owners can be sued by a customer who was injured when a car crashed through the front window. Now, the state appeals panel says there is no reason the building owners can't also be sued for failing to install barriers to prevent such crashes
Jewish lawyer can sue Cook Co. Public Defender for making her take down pic featuring Israeli flag, gun
A federal judge said Debra Gassman has done enough so far to show the Cook County Public Defender's office violated her First Amendment rights by forcing her to take down a photo from her office showing the ex-IDF volunteer holding a rifle in front of the Israeli flag
Appeals court: Chicago can sue out-of-state gun shop over gun crimes in the city
Chicago and gun control activists can revive their lawsuit against a now-closed Indiana gun shop for allegedly supplying illegal firearms to criminals in the city, a state appeals panel says. The decision overturns a Cook County judge's ruling, which had determined Illinois courts lacked jurisdiction in the dispute
River Forest developer sues ex-attorney, claims conduct violations, malpractice in divorce cost him millions, led to jailing
Frank "Marty" Paris, who was jailed three times for allegedly failing to pay lawyers in his contentious divorce case, has sued his ex-lawyers Brian Hurst and the firm of Hurst Robin Kay & Miller, claiming they "abandoned" him on the eve of trial and then represented another lawyer against him seeking hundreds of thousands in fees
Lawsuit: IL should pay for releasing man who murdered 11-year-old boy the next day
The lawsuit was filed vs the Illinois Prisoner Review Board by Laterria Smith, mother of Jayden Perkins, who was stabbed to death defending his mom vs ex-boyfriend, who had been let out of jail the day before, despite known, actual threats against Smith and her family
UIC prof can revive suit vs school for punishing him over 'racially insensitive' exam question, comments to students
A federal appeals panel agreed the University of Illinois at Chicago law professor had established the university can't use 'qualified immunity' to end his lawsuit claiming the school had trampled his rights to speak freely in class and when talking with students, in response to complaints from offended students