Justice P. Scott Neville takes oath of office, seat on state Supreme Court
P. Scott Neville has taken his seat on the state’s high court, replacing Justice Charles Freeman, the state’s first African American Supreme Court justice, who has retired.
Cook County Record News
Cook judge convicted of bank fraud, Wheaton lawyer sentenced for child sex assault among 17 lawyers disciplined by state
The Illinois Supreme Court has disbarred two lawyers, and suspended 13 others, including a Cook County judge convicted of bank fraud and another attorney who pleaded guilty to child sex assault, in its latest round of attorney disciplinary actions, announced in late May.
Cook County Circuit Court selects 16 to serve as associate judges; 17th selection headed to runoff balloting
Five current associate judges and 11 lawyers will take the bench in Cook County this summer, after the Cook County Circuit Court’s 252 elected circuit judges selected them to be appointed to serve as associate judges, filling vacancies in local courtrooms until at least next summer.
Whitney Young High School pulls plug on 'troubling' sex ed programs after lawsuit filed by parents
Parents of students at Chicago’s Whitney Young High School are claiming a victory over Chicago Public Schools officials, after the high school postponed a sex education program the parents described as “deeply troubling” and which the parents alleged in a court filing was “illegal, contrary to Chicago Public School policy, and otherwise reflecting poor judgment against the best interests of Whitney Young students.”
Appeals court: Comptroller can't embargo over $1M from cash-strapped Harvey at pension fund's request
A state appeals court has, for now, ordered Illinois’ state comptroller to release its hold on more than $1 million in Illinois tax disbursements the financially troubled city of Harvey says it needs to meet its payroll, including paychecks for its police and firefighters, but which the state says it is required to seize and steer to retired Harvey municipal workers.
Attorney: Class action over Junior Mints slack-fill latest example of 'easy target' for plaintiffs' bar
Susan Razzano can't say how many similar cases will fill up court dockets in coming years. But the attorney with Eimer Stahl LLP, in Chicago, said she expects class actions over so-called 'slack fill,' such as that recently filed in Chicago federal court against the makers of Junior Mints, will continue to offer trial lawyers a sweet and "easy target."
Cook County jury orders Lutheran social services agency to pay $45M for toddler allegedly murdered by mom
A Cook County jury has ordered a private, statewide provider of foster care and other social services to pay $45 million to the family of a toddler who authorities say was killed by his mother, as the jury found Lutheran Social Services of Illinois should be held responsible for sending the boy back to his mother with no further oversight or follow-up.
Family of man shot to death by Chicago Police sue city for wrongful death
The family of a man shot to death by a Chicago Police officer late last year are suing the Chicago Police for alleged wrongful death.
When Irish eyes are cryin'
We're all Irish on St. Patrick's Day. So we pretend as we turn out for parades sporting leprechaun hats and green garments adorned with shamrocks, washing down corned beef and cabbage with green beer at a church hall afterward as though this once-a-year repast were a regular part of our diet.
Harrowing bus ride involved high passenger making threats, driver who refused to stop, even for cops: Lawsuit
A man is suing Greyhound Line Inc. and Firstgroup America Inc. after he and other passengers on an allegedly harrowing bus trip from Milwaukee to Chicago were threatened by a man, high on drugs, who claimed to have a gun, and then were trapped in the bus, as the driver allegedly refused to pull over, even during a police chase that ended only when the bus was disabled by running over two sets of spike strips.
Judicial candidate ratings help voters elect judges who 'bring a high level of knowledge, experience'
As voters head to the polls in early voting in advance of the March 20 primary election, a number of organizations are asking voters to take a closer look at the candidates for open judge positions in Cook County and elsewhere.
Retirement income tax could boost IL bucks, but also spawn court challenges, exodus of retirees
With Illinois' budget woes continuing, one Democratic candidate for governor has suggested taxing retirement income, But such a proposal could lead to a mass exodus of retirees from the state, as well as court challenges exempting the state's public worker retirees from paying any such tax, under the state constitution's pension protections.
UL wins permanent injunction barring gas canister company from selling products bearing its mark
After a Chicago federal judge refused a gas canister seller's attempt to dismiss a lawsuit brought by UL, alleging the canister company wrongly sold products implying UL had certified the products, the parties have agreed to end the lawsuit with a permanent injunction barring the cannister company from ever using UL's mark.
Judge: Palatine High OK under IL Human Rights law to limit transgender student's access to girls' locker room
A Cook County judge has refused the request of a transgender high school student in Palatine for an injunction ordering the school to provide the student with unrestricted access to the girls’ locker room at Palatine High School.
Chicago chief federal judge: Local federal courts can maintain full functions til Feb. 8, despite shutdown
Should partisan politicial fighting lead to a shutdown of the federal government, as many expect, Chicago’s chief federal district judge says the courts will remain open – for now.
Cook County jury finds for dentist in malpractice dispute with patient
A Cook County jury has found in favor of an Arlington Heights dentist, who had been accused of failing to properly perform a patient’s total mouth restoration.
Jury: Bartlett nursing home staff failed to give woman anti-stroke drug, owes $4.1M for death
A Cook County jury has ordered a Bartlett nursing home to pay more than $4.1 million to the family of an 89-year-old woman who died four years after she suffered a stroke while in the home’s care, allegedly because staff at the nursing home did not give her a prescription blood thinner.
Eyedrop class action decertified; Posner: 'That a seller doesn’t sell product you want is not actionable’
U.S. Seventh Circuit appellate judges have vacated a class certification order a federal judge had entered on a claim that producers of glaucoma medicine purposely dispense excessive eye drops.
Steele pleads guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from Prenda Law internet porn shakedowns
John L. Steele, an indicted Chicago lawyer who served as one of the principals at Prenda Law, has pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his role in an alleged shakedown scheme allegedly designed to entrap and extract millions of dollars in settlements from those accused of illegally downloading internet porn.
St. Clair Co. judge backs union, denies AG request to order state to stop paying workers amid impasse
St. Clair Co. judge denies AG Madigan's request to order state to stop paying workers amid impasse
Alerts Sign-up