Dan Churney News
Ex-SEIU Local 73 officers can push suit claiming they were unjustly sacked, but only for cash, not reinstatement
A Chicago federal judge has ruled the ousted president and vice president of the Chicago-based Service Employees International Union local, can press their suit against the umbrella organization for improperly expelling them allegedly for disagreeing over union affairs, but cannot seek reinstatement, only damages.
Judge chops off most of defamation suit against Jussie Smollet's attorneys
The judge said most of the Osundairo brothers' allegations are too imprecise to go forward, though the brothers can press their claims vs attorney Tina Glandian over her claims the brothers had worn "white face" and attacked Smollett.
Judge tosses suit by ex-Water District cops canned because of overheard racist radio banter
The fired Metropolitan Water Reclamation District cops had argued their rights were violated when Illinois state cops recorded their conversation when it was inadvertently broadcast on a state police frequency.
IL appeals panel says womens' sex abuse claims in scuttled suit against Oak Brook evangelist were 'reasonable'
An Illinois appeals court has rejected a suburban Chicago evangelist's request for sanctions against several women, who accused him of sexual abuse dating back a number of years, finding the allegations were "reasonable" and their attorneys were not obliged to dig into the claims before pressing the eventually dismissed lawsuit.
Appeals court refuses to reinstate $3M verdict for widow, who sued GSK over husband’s suicide
The woman's lawyers had claimed GSK never fully updated warning labels for its antidepressant Paxil to reflect true suicide risk.
Feds tell SCOTUS it's legal for Chicago to keep cars seized from bankrupt owners for unpaid parking tickets
The U.S. Justice Department is telling the U.S. Supreme Court the City of Chicago has a right to retain cars confiscated over unpaid parking tickets, from car owners who file bankruptcy, without the city having to line up as another creditor in bankruptcy court.
Federal judge finds no 'actual injury,' sends worker fingerprint scan suit back to Cook County court
Another Chicago federal judge has punted a class action lawsuit over worker fingeprint scans back to Cook County court, where plaintiffs don't need to show they were every actually harmed to sue.
Appeals panel: Ex-judge, state senator doesn't get fee for economic incentive law to boost Joliet intermodal project
Centerpoint didn't shortchange former Democratic state senator and judge Thomas A. Dunn, whom the company hired to promote a Joliet development
Appeals panel: Cook County GOP can't make rules to prevent Democrat from being elected party committeeman
The appeals panel said the committeeman office performs both party and public functions, so voters' choice prevails.
Appeals court says Cook County judicial candidate can't use Irish maiden name on ballot
A divided appellate court says the court would be 'blind' to not recognize the lawyer has gone by her married name for years.
ADA class action vs United catches flak from judge, who says claims would be too diverse
A Chicago federal judge has clipped the wings of a putative class action against United Airlines, which alleged physically or mentally impaired workers were not allowed to take less demanding jobs, saying such workers may have a case, but individually, not as a class.
Appeals court: Deal means man can't sue city, cops for alleged coverup to help cop accused of pushing him out window
Appeals court says the settlement prevents all lawsuits for all claims relating to the incident, including the alleged scheme to protect the officer.
Judge orders County Clerk Yarbrough to turn over documents to watchdog investigating alleged political hiring
A federal judge has ordered Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough to hand over more documents related to allegations she packed her office with politically-connected workers, but refused to sanction Yarbrough for what a political watchdog claimed is her effort to hide her alleged shenanigans.
Ex-Hinsdale school board member's suit vs district over investigation of student's bullying claims 'falls flat' in appeals court
An Illinois appeals panel has upheld a DuPage County judge’s decision to dismiss a suit by an ex-Hinsdale school board member against the school, which alleged school officials schemed against the member, finding no evidence such an allegedly "nefarious plot" existed and calling the member's argument "absurd."
Appeals panel gives new lift to homeowners' noise suit vs Bolingbrook airport
An Illinois appeals court has grounded an effort by suburban Bolingbrook to shoot down a suit by a group of residents, who complained expansion of a runway at the village’s airport led to increased noise over their homes, saying conflicting reports on noise levels deserve to be hashed out in court.
Lawyers get $100K, laid-off workers each collect $487 in settlement of Treasure Island grocery-unpaid wages suit
A $300,000 settlement of a lawsuit that accused the defunct Chicago-area Treasure Island supermarket chain of neither giving proper notice to workers before closing nor paying their unused vacation time, will give $100,000 to the workers' lawyers and an average of $487 to each worker.
U.S. appeals panel says Facebook workers waived right to take part in class action saying Facebook shorted them OT pay
A Chicago federal appeals court has said 252 Facebook employees may be cut from a class action, which alleges Facebook shorted them on overtime pay, saying the employees may have waived their right to sue, because they signed agreements to arbitrate disputes with the company.
IL High Court says auto policy's clause bars 'stacking' of payouts for crash
The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned lower court rulings, which found an insurer's allegedly "ambiguous" multi-vehicle policy allowed for multiple payouts for a single traffic crash, saying the policy is not ambiguous when read as a whole.
Illinois appeals court tosses $3.3M asbestos verdict, says it's not clear company's products caused worker's death
An Illinois appeals panel has overturned a McLean County jury’s verdict in an asbestos case, saying there was not enough evidence for the jury to find a deceased glazier contracted lung disease from a company's weatherproofing products.
Judge: Lawyer can't kick lawsuit financier's lawsuit over alleged fraudulent loans to fund NFL concussion suits
The lawsuit accused the lawyer of funneling the lawsuit loans to an investment firm. The judge said the lawyers' arguments for dismissal were "rambling."