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Reform
IL Supreme Court to decide if taxpayer can sue state over constitutionality of $14B bond issues
The Illinois Supreme Court granted the Illinois Attorney General's petition to appeal a lower court's ruling that a taxpayer should be allowed to move ahead with a lawsuit accusing state lawmakers of borrowing $14 billion to pay pensions and overdue bills in violation of state constitutional limits.
Reform
Cook County courts, with Madison, St. Clair, land top spots on list of U.S. 'judicial hellholes'
A blizzard of class actions under Illinois' biometrics privacy law, plus sustained strength in asbestos lawsuits, keep Cook County and the two downstate counties near the top of the list of court systems renowned for being friendly to 'no-injury lawsuits' and 'meritless' claims.
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Reform
IL Inspector General's effort to block access to state hiring reports show IL not ready to lift feds oversight: Court filing
While Gov. JB Pritzker says the state is ready to emerge from federal court oversight of its hiring practices, a new court filing asserts efforts by the Office of the Executive Inspector General to impede court-appointed monitors from seeing certain state hiring reports says otherwise.
Reform
Pritzker keeps push to lift feds oversight of state hiring, says law only blocks forced political work
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is arguing federal oversight of state employment practices is limited to stopping political coercion of workers, but federal watchdogs say that reading of the law and related court orders is "crabbed" and a "sleight of hand" to skirt needed oversight.
Reform
More time needed to test Pritzker's patronage solving claims: Court filing
Wait six months before ruling on Gov. JB Pritzker's request to end court oversight of state patronage hiring practices, say a group of Chicago lawyers behind the court decrees that opened windows on hiring practices in Chicago and Springfield government offices.
Reform
Report: Election of new clerk chance for reforms to boost public accountability, accessibility in Cook County courts
A report from the Civic Federation, Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers calls for the new Cook County Circuit Clerk to institute reforms and technology upgrades to make the county's courts more efficient and publicly accessible.
Reform
Hiring monitor: Illinois has 'work to do' before court-ordered oversight of state hiring practices can be lifted
The filing comes in response to Gov. JB Pritzker's try to end the court decrees that gives federal monitors the authority to combat patronage hiring in state government.
Reform
SEIU Healthcare OKs deal to end lawsuit accusing union of wrongly collecting dues after members ask to stop
Attorneys with the National Right to Work Foundation announced the deal, ending a class action vs the union, which had slowwalked or denied requests from members who wished to leave the union, all while continuing to collect fees.
Reform
U.S. appeals panel tells judge he can't put hold on lawsuit vs Cook County over property tax assessments
A federal appeals court has told a judge to proceed with a taxpayer suit against Cook County, which claims the county unfairly assesses certain properties, saying the judge overstepped his bounds in halting the case, while the county asks the nation's high court to hear the matter.
Reform
House Speaker Michael Madigan implicated in ComEd bribery scheme
Federal prosecutors said Madigan, through his associates, demanded "old fashioned patronage" for his associates and allies in exchange for supporting legislation that steered hundreds of millions of dollars from electrical customers to ComEd.
Reform
Judge: Cook County Clerk Yarbrough violated federal orders over political hires
A federal judge said Clerk Karen Yarbrough needs more federal supervision of her office's hiring practices, particularly as it absorbs the functions of the County Recorder's Office
Reform
Pritzker: 'Facts do not support' IL government hiring monitor's accusations Pritzker moves slowed reforms
New court filing accuses special master of ambushing governor's office with accusations in report to federal judge
Reform
'This should keep you up at night': $550M Facebook settlement could spark yet more IL biometrics class actions
Attorneys urge employers to beware of lawsuits, address company policies and push Illinois officials to 'seek changes' to the state's Biometric Information Privacy Act.
Reform
Report says employment lawsuits down, but class action success rate highest ever; Cost businesses billions
Plaintiffs' lawyers are securing class action nods at 80% clip, and settlements are still totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, a report from Seyfarth Shaw says
Reform
Investors bring class action vs Exelon over alleged corrupt ComEd lobbying using Madigan associates
A group of Exelon investors have filed suit against the parent company of electrical utility ComEd, asserting the company’s potentially corrupt state lobbying activities in Springfield artificially inflated the company’s stock price, setting investors up for losses when the federal investigation into those activities came to light.
Reform
Pritzker says IL pension reform would be shot down by U.S. Constitution, but that's far from certain, experts say
Illinois faces many billions in debt and tax demands for pensions. Gov. Pritzker says amending the state constitution won't help
Reform
Cook County, with Madison, St. Clair, land at No. 7 on list of America's worst 'Judicial Hellholes'
Cook County’s courts have again landed on a familiar list, receiving a prime ranking on the list of America’s worst “judicial hellholes.”
Reform
Appeals brief: Judge wrongly cut short taxpayer suit vs IL over constitutionality of $14B bond issues
An Illinois state appeals court has been asked to decide if a judge in Springfield improperly ducked the question of whether state lawmakers illegally borrowed billions of dollars to pay down bills, when such actions may be forbidden by the Illinois state constitution.
Reform
Chicago housing groups, new Assessor settle lawsuit over ex-assessor's 'discriminatory' practices
With a new county assessor now in office, a group of Chicago neighborhood-based housing assistance organizations have settled the lawsuit they filed against the assessor’s office over past property tax assessment practices, conducted under former Assessor Joseph Berrios, they claim discriminated against black and Hispanic homeowners.
Reform
Survey says: Illinois has worst legal system in U.S.; Chicago courts 'least fair'
The environment in courts in Cook County and Madison County have earned IL the bottom spot, according to the survey from the Institute for Legal Reform