Bethany Krajelis News
Pilot program allowing cameras in certain Cook County criminal courtrooms begins Jan. 5
The media will soon be allowed to video and audio record certain criminal proceedings in Cook County.According to a news release issued Tuesday by the Illinois Supreme, the high court has approved the addition of the Cook County Circuit Court to its cameras in the courtroom pilot program that is already underway in 40 other counties.Starting Jan. 5, the media will allowed to video and audio record
Starbucks customer claims cookie broke teeth
A woman who claims a cookie she bought at a suburban Starbucks fractured her teeth is suing.
Karmeier calls retention challenge "smear campaign of the worst sort" in presenting IJA award to Wexstten
KarmeierIn presenting an award to a recently-retired judge Friday, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier briefly talked about the “last minute ambush” on his November retention election.Karmeier narrowly survived a $2 million campaign against his bid for a second term behind the high court bench that he said came from “a handful of lawyers from Chicago and from some other states who stood to
AG Holder urges embrace of conversations confronting tough issues; keynotes IJA event
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told a group of Illinois judges and lawyers Friday that recent protests over the decisions not to charge a pair of police officers in the separate deaths of two black men have led to “absolutely necessary national conversations.”
NY judge says Chicago man cheated business partner out of $15M in sale of military logistics company
A U.S. veteran was denied more than $15 million when his former business partner, a Chicago man and fellow vet, sold their military logistics company shortly after he left the enterprise he founded a decade ago, a federal judge said this week.
Supreme Court sets briefing schedule in pension case; slates oral argument for March
The Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments in March over the closely-watched challenge to the state’s pension reform law.In an order issued Wednesday, the court granted the state’s request to fast-track the consolidated case over an objection from opponents of the 2013 law that aimed to fix the state’s pension problems, but was deemed unconstitutional by a judge last month.The justices gave the
Fees to file in Supreme, appellate courts will double Jan. 1
Illinois Supreme Court
Supreme Court reverses Fifth District to toss retaliatory discharge case against soybean company
BurkeThree former employees of a soybean supply company failed to prove they were fired in retaliation for providing information that led to a state investigation into underweight seed bags, the Illinois Supreme Court held Thursday.In their 10-page opinion, the justices unanimously reversed the 2011 ruling of the Fifth District Appellate Court to affirm now-retired Washington County Judge Dennis Hatch’s
Objection to $22.5M attorney's fee request in proposed $75M settlement leads to discovery dispute over class counsel's past TCPA cases
An objection to a request for $22.5 million in attorney’s fees in what is believed to be the largest settlement in the history of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act has produced a discovery battle in Chicago’s federal court.
Judge strikes down pension law; state plans appeal to Illinois Supreme Court
A Sangamon County judge has invalidated a 2013 law intended to fix the state's pension problems, a ruling the state's top lawyer says she will immediately appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. Circuit Judge John Belz, in a six-page order issued Friday, said pension reform legislation passed last year "is void in its entirety" because the law "without question diminishes and impairs the benefits of
Two recusals and a divide forces Supreme Court to dismiss appeal in Chicago red light camera case
Unable to muster a majority, the Illinois Supreme Court today had to dismiss a challenge to Chicago’s red light camera program.This relatively rare outcome was produced by two justices -- Ann Burke and Lloyd Karmeier-- recusing themselves and a divide among the remaining five justices. The state Constitution requires four justices to agree in order for a decision to be handed down.Because a majority
Chicago lawyer censured by Supreme Court this month could face more discipline over tossed Malaysia plane petitions
A Chicago lawyer who made the headlines earlier this year when she filed petitions related to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 before any evidence was recovered has been censured by the Illinois Supreme Court for her actions in a different aviation case.
Trio of Wrigley rooftops face foreclosure, as city seeks dismissal of claims over renovations
The owners of three rooftops overlooking Wrigley Field were hit with foreclosure complaints Friday; the same day the city filed a motion to throw out the majority of a lawsuit over its call on the already-underway renovation of the century-old ball park.
George Lucas museum faces lawsuit over planned lakefront location from Chicago parks group
An advocacy group for Chicago parks filed a federal lawsuit Thursday in an attempt to thwart plans for “Star Wars” filmmaker George Lucas’ museum to be located near the lakefront.
Woman fined $100 for going topless files suit challenging city ordinance
A woman who was ticketed for indecent exposure this past summer at a “GoTopless Day” event in Chicago has asked a federal judge to throw out a city ordinance that bars women from exposing their bare breasts in public.
Supreme Court opens Nov. term; set to hear arguments in 15 cases
The Illinois Supreme Court will review a pair of cases this month that involve local law firms as parties.
