Dee Thompson News
Illinois Supreme Court to decide if hospitals will have to pay property taxes
The Illinois Supreme Court recently agreed to hear arguments in another case addressing whether hospitals should be exempted from paying property taxes, marking the second time this year the court will tackle the question weighing on hospitals and local governments across the state.
Parents of boy injured at Flossmoor Library see appeal dismissed after they missed deadline for appeal
Saying they feel for the family of a boy who was severely injured when he fell through metal grates into a hole at the Flossmoor Public Library, a state appeals court has nonetheless rejected the family's appeal, as justices said they cannot allow the family to continue with their suit after missing strict filing deadlines.
Home health care company MedPro can't sue over Medicare payments suspension, accusations: Judge
A Tinley Park-based home healthcare company can't pursue their fraud claims against a Medicare administrative company that stopped paying them over belief the home healthcare provider had received improper payments, as a federal judge says it hasn't yet exhausted administrative remedies provided to it through Medicare.
Class action vs Alarm.com over third-party sales calls OK to proceed; judge says allegations 'quite slim'
A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit to continue against Alarm.com over sales calls made by third-party vendors on behalf of the home security company.
Lawsuit asserting belVita breakfast crackers aren't nutritious enough dismissed for second time
A class action lawsuit alleging Mondelez's belVita brand breakfast crackers aren’t nutritious enough has been dismissed for a second time, and this time it cannot be refiled.
Appellate court: State regulators can compel closed landfill monitoring beyond 15 years
A panel of appellate judges has ruled state environmental regulators have the authority to force landfill operators to continue monitoring a landfill for pollution, perhaps indefinitely, despite agreements between the companies and the state supposedly setting terms for the monitoring period.
Attorney: Despite Rauner veto, 'some sort' of law banning pre-employment salary inquiries possible in IL
Changes to Illinois law may make a potential employer’s inquiry into a job applicant’s wage, benefits and other compensation history an unlawful form of discrimination, despite a veto from Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Suit against Mead Johnson over alleged contaminated baby formula dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a "whistleblower" who claimed she was fired for telling the federal government that her former employer, Mead Johnson, was not disclosing defects in infant formula. The suit marked the first time an employer had been sued under the 2011 federal Food Safety Modernization Act.
Ford settles discrimination claims at two Chicago facilities with $10.1M settlement with EEOC
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced a $10.1 million settlement with Ford, ending an investigation of sex and racial harassment claims at two Chicago Ford Motor Co. plants.
Survey: South Dakota has most business-friendly legal environment in U.S.
A recent survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform reveals South Dakota is ranked No. 1 among states for having business-friendly legal environment.
Attorney says class action lawsuits over 'soda pop tax' only designed to pour a quick lawyer payday
The controversial new “soda pop tax” that went into effect last month has already sparked class-action lawsuits against retailers and restaurants for allegedly miscalculating the tax, but David Almeida, an attorney at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP, believes these suits likely are aimed only at generating quick paydays for plaintiffs' lawyers.
Lawsuits over website accessibility for the blind, disabled on the rise nationwide
Lawsuits claiming business websites are inaccessible to people with disabilities have spiked nationwide in the last two years, surging from at least 57 in 2015 to at least 432 in 2017, according to a count tabulated by the Chicago-based law firm of Seyfarth Shaw.
Appeals court agrees case vs JCPenney over injury at McHenry store has no business in Cook courts
An Illinois appellate court has upheld a Cook County judge's decision to transfer to McHenry County court a case filed by a McHenry County woman whose toddler was allegedly injured in a McHenry County J.C. Penney store.
Federal appeals court says Colts season ticket holder has no right to renew tickets
A Pennsylvania ticket broker and former Indianapolis Colts season ticket holder has failed in his bid to persaude the courts to force the team to allow him to renew his season tickets, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit said there is no such guarantee of renewal under the law.
Machinist's claims work fumes caused cancer vs Union Pacific, Safety Kleen headed back to Cook court
A machinist’s case against Union Pacific, claiming the railroad should be made to pay for allegedly exposing him to toxic fumes and products at work, allegedly causing his renal cancer, has been sent back to Cook County court, after a federal judge determined the Federal Employees Liability Act doesn't let it pull out of state court.
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Appeals court: Rosemont can't keep lid on its take from rents, concession sales at its arenas
The village of Rosemont can't cite concerns over "competitive harm" to others when picking and choosing which financial documents to publicly disclose - and specifically when trying to keep privileged its take from rents and concession revenues from the arenas it owns and operates, a state appeals court has affirmed.
Former state senator shouldn't expect to win his lawsuit asking for back pay, state constitution expert says
Michael Noland, an Elgin Democrat who served in the Illinois state Senate for 10 years, has sued the state of Illinois, alleging his pay was illegally withheld during budget crises. However, an expert in Illinois constitutional law says his lawsuit has little chance of prevailing, particularly since the lack of funds was caused in part by legislation to cut lawmaker pay - legislation he, at the time, supported.
Legal fight over Kane County's Longmeadow bridge project, endangered bumblebees 'unique' case
An ongoing legal fight between west suburban Kane County and a group of activists purportedly concerned over the threat to a bumblebee species recently listed as endangered, from a new road and Fox River bridge project presents an "unique and interesting" case, says an attorney who helps lead the Center for Biological Diversity.
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Supreme Court ruling against racial gerrymandering could have national impact, though perhaps less in IL
The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last month against alleged racial gerrymandering in North Carolina could impact congressional and state legislative elections nationwide.
Arlington Heights mayor: Cook County labor ordinances 'not manageable' for individual municipalities
The village of Arlington Heights has become one of the latest Cook County suburbs to opt out of the county's mininum wage and mandatory paid sick leave ordinances.
And the mayor of Illinois' 13th-largest municipality said the village board did so out of concerns for the impact of those ordinances on the village's businesses, who told village officials they feared the ordinances would create an unlevel playing field for the community against competitors in neighboring counties.