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COOK COUNTY RECORD

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Dan Churney News


How much will people get from Google Photos biometrics settlement? Judge to hear case in April

By Dan Churney |
A woman is arguing a group of lawyers who collected $35 million for pressing a biometric privacy class action against Google, are trying to deny thousands of Google Photo users from their much smaller cut of the settlement.

Judge says franchisors also liable in suits claiming biomertric scan violations; Ruling could make businesses more vulnerable to suits

By Dan Churney |
A federal judge has ruled fast food franchise holder, McAlister's Deli, can't escape a class action lawsuit brought by workers who claim they were improperly required to scan fingerprints when punching the clock. The judge said the law isn't limited only to 'direct employers'

Appeals court: Rockford nurse can only get $2,500 from her lawsuit win, even though county health department violated her abortion conscience rights

By Dan Churney |
An Illinois appeals panel has ruled a nurse, who left her Winnebago County job because she would not refer females for abortions, did not deserve a larger award in her lawsuit against the county, because judges said she could have accepted a similar county post that did not involve abortion referrals

Prosecutors ask IL Supreme Court to declare SAFE-T Act unconstitutional 'overreach,' weakens judges' power to safeguard the public

By Dan Churney |
Sheriffs and prosecutors from 64 counties argue in a new brief that cash bail is enshrined in the state constitution, and can't be deleted without a vote of the people, simply because Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly say so

Chicago lawyer alleges partner's 'unfounded' suit vs him is smokescreen for alleged weak performance and alcohol-related lapses

By Dan Churney |
Chicago lawyer David C. Wise is alleging his estranged law partner, Francis P. Morrissey, wrongly sued Wise for allegedly hiding a $5M fee from him, to cover up that Morrissey's allegedly "poor work ethic" and alcohol-related indiscretions make him 'not fit' to stay in the firm

Federal judge: CFPB can't use lending discrimination law to sue Townstone over 'innocuous' comments made on radio show

By Dan Churney |
Mortgage broker Townstone Financial said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had attempted to use the lawsuit to illegally rewrite federal law and attack company officials for their speech. A judge said the law protects actual mortgage applicants from discrimination, not possible applicants

IL Supreme Court: Man can sue his employer for injuries, even though he initially did not report lawsuit in bankruptcy

By Dan Churney |
The Illinois high court said there was no proof the man intentionally tried to pull a scam on bankruptcy officials by not initially telling them he was suing his employer and other companies for injuries he claimed he suffered on the job

Judge: IL A/G's pollution suit v. Monsanto belongs in federal, not state court; Company worked under prior U.S. govt direction

By Dan Churney |
The lawsuit, which was originally filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago, centers on alleged contamination that occurred in St. Clair County, near St. Louis. The federal judge rejected efforts by the Attorney General to get the case sent back to Cook County court

Skokie Fairview school board calls parents' claims 'repulsive' in lawsuit alleging board in league with 'white supremacists'

By Dan Churney |
The Skokie Elementary School District 72 Board is saying a group of parents, who are suing the board because they allege the district is riddled with racism, have made the "shockingly repugnant" claim the board and superintendent belong to a white supremacist group

Appeals court says Waukegan teacher can't sue a teachers union she claimed she joined by mistake

By Dan Churney |
A federal appeals panel has ruled a Waukegan teacher can't claim she mistakenly joined the teachers union because she thought membership was mandatory, saying government workers' right to refrain from union membership does not override a voluntarily signed agreement to join.

Judge recommends discipline for Chicago lawyer with record of alleged 'substandard conduct' and of accusing judges of racial bias

By Dan Churney |
A federal judge did not hold back in describing the conduct of a Chicago lawyer with an allegedly troubled history, who "badly mishandled" a lawsuit against City Hall, recommending the lawyer face disciplinary action that could include barring her from practicing in Chicago federal district court.

Appeals court: Palatine cop can't be sued for arresting man who had suffered seizure for suspected DUI

By Dan Churney |
An appeals court has ruled a Palatine police officer had grounds to arrest a Chicago man for intoxicated driving — the man actually suffered a seizure behind the wheel — because the man nonetheless showed the hallmarks of drunken driving.

Chicago appeals panel says ID verification firm Mitek can't steer biometric suit into arbitration

By Dan Churney |
A Chicago appeals court says Mitek can't sidestep the potentially massive class action by claiming it should also be covered by a mandatory dispute arbitration clause in one of its customers' user agreements.

Judge evicts Cook County suit alleging racism by Wells Fargo caused '08 mortgage crisis

By Dan Churney |
A judge has canned a lawsuit by Cook County that alleged Wells Fargo helped bring about the post-2008 mortgage crisis through discriminatory lending, saying there was no evidence minority foreclosures were the result of racist loan practices instead of other factors, such as the mortgage holder's income.

Appeals court: Liberty Mutual can't force suburban roofing company to buy worker's comp coverage for subcontractor with no employees

By Dan Churney |
An appeals panel has ruled state regulators were wrong to make suburban roofing company pay worker's compensation insurance for a subcontractor, which only existed on paper and used the employees of another subcontractor.

Appeals court: Journalist can resume lawsuit vs ex-River North landlord for eviction allegedly in retaliation for news stories

By Dan Churney |
Appellate judges said Loop North News publisher Steven Dahlman has established he may have been compelled to sign a release form under threats by a Marina City property manager, so the landlord can't use that agreement to escape Dahlman's lawsuit

Appeals panel: Companies that wait to put plan in place for handling fingerprint scans can face massive class actions

By Dan Churney |
An appeals court has ruled companies must secure worker consent before requiring fingerprint scans, not afterward, under Illinois' biometrics privacy law

Corporations can take it personally: Appeals panel says company can sue for defamation if disparaging emails sent to officers, directors

By Dan Churney |
An appeals court has ruled a Chicago shipping corporation can claim it was defamed through emails sent to its management disparaging the company, saying managers are not the same as the 'corporation'

Feds say Cook Co. Circuit Clerk's Office hiring still needs monitoring, but lilkely will end under appeals court ruling

By Dan Churney |
A federal watchdog is saying the Cook County Circuit Clerk's Office still needs oversight of its hiring and promotion practices to root out undue political influence, but recognizes that an appellate ruling, instigated by Gov. JB Pritzker, will likely end supervision.

Justice Dept alleges McDonald's broke antitrust law by barring franchise restaurant owners from competing for workers

By Dan Churney |
The U.S. Justice Department is urging an appeals panel to reinstate two suits that claim McDonald's breached antitrust law by "no poach" deals with franchise owners.