Quantcast

Stories by Jonathan Bilyk on Cook County Record

COOK COUNTY RECORD

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Jonathan Bilyk News


Class action: Walmart improperly tracks warehouse workers using their 'voiceprints' without consent

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The lawsuit accuses Walmart of violating workers' rights at its four Illinois 'fulfillment centers' under the Illinois Biometric Information Protection Act.

Class action: Aldi smoked gouda sliced cheese not actually smoked enough

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A new class action has tagged discount supermarket chain Aldi because its smoked gouda cheese product allegedly includes "natural smoke flavor."

Foxx seeks to block more questions for ex-top deputy over dropped prosecution of men for murders, child abductions

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Lawyers for Chicago Police officers are seeking to question former Cook County FIrst Assistant State's Attorney Eric Sussman to learn how the State's Attorney's office reached the decision to walk away from the prosecution of two men who had earlier confessed to the murders of a Chicago couple in a plot to take their children.

Cicero: Massive sewage fee increase, threats to shutter railyard vs BNSF justified because BNSF causes flooding

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Attorneys for Cicero have asked a federal judge to reject BNSF Railway's attempt to block Cicero from enforcing a 1,250% increase of sewage rates on BNSF's railyard. BNSF says the town's sewer bill and enforcement action violate federal law.

'Why risk it?' Steep hikes in penalties under new IL law could prompt employers to reevaluate policies, perks

By Jonathan Bilyk |
New legislation would increase penalties Illinois employers face in certain employment lawsuits by 150%

Judge: School officials had no constitutional obligation to stop DeKalb middle school student from being bullied

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The lawsuit against the DeKalb School District 428 was one of several arguing school districts violate students' rights by not doing more to prevent bullying by other students.

Judge: Chicago's bow to activists, imperling General Iron permit, not 'final decision,' so not yet illegal taking

By Jonathan Bilyk |
While Chicago may have violated its own permitting rules and state law at the behest of left-wing activists, the city hasn't yet "taken" General Iron's property, so the company can't yet sue the city in federal court, a federal judge said.

Lawsuit: Evanston-Skokie school district 'anti-racism' curriculum, policies discriminate against white students, staff

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The federal lawsuit, filed by a middle school teacher, claims District 65's anti-racism message paints 'whiteness' as wrong, immoral, and violates the Constitution and federal civil rights law.

Ex-Palatine H.S. teacher OK to continue suit vs BLM activist for allegedly calling her racist, getting her fired

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A Cook County judge says current Palatine District 211 school board member Tim McGowan can't get the lawsuit dismissed.

Judge: Pension boards can't claim chunk of city of Harvey's COVID federal relief money

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A Cook County judge has ruled the money the city of Harvey is expected to receive from the federal government's billions in COVID relief for state and local governments is off limits to pension boards for the city's firefighters and police officers

Class action: Binny's Beverage Depot didn't pay workers enough OT amid COVID

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A lawsuit says Binny's didn't properly calculate overtime pay when it was giving workers an extra $2 an hour for working amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Rauner campaign organization to pay $1M to settle political robocall class action; Lawyer could get over $300K

By Jonathan Bilyk |
While the lawyer who filed the class action vs Citizens for Rauner could claim up to one-third, it is unknown how much class members could receive, as it depends on how many submit valid claims.

SCOTUS decision could spur more religious freedom-based challenges to LGBTQ anti-discrimination rules, perhaps in IL

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A U.S. Supreme Court decision declared Philadelphia violated a Catholic foster care agency's rights by demanding it certify same-sex couples for foster care placement, but that decision will likely only lead to more cases, the court's conservatives warned.

Appeals panel: 'Stateless' law firm partners means ex-Trump advisor Carter Page can't sue over Steele dossier in federal court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Former Trump 2016 campaign advisor Carter Page can't use federal courts in Chicago, or anywhere, to sue the law firm of Perkins Coie for pushing Russian collusion story.

Ex-Saint Anthony HR director says hospital fired her for opposing 'pay-for-play' scheme with Madigan, Sandoval

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The former Chief Human Resources Officer says the West Side hospital also retaliated and discriminated against her for opposing a work environment allegedly hostile to women.

Settlement doesn't mean a settling party's share of blame in injury lawsuit considered 'uncollectable': IL Supreme Court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled defendants in personal injury lawsuits can't use a settlement by another party to shift some of the remaining liability onto still another party. Dissenting justices called the ruling unfair.

'Overwhelming circumstantial evidence' Serpico behind Melrose Park's harassment campaign vs family: New filing

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A family suing Melrose Park over high price lien and other harassment says longtime Mayor Frank Serpico has controlled the village for decades and the harassment came at his behest.

IL Supreme Court: Court foreclosure filing fees are illegal tax to support state 'neighborhood beautification plan'

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The Illinois Supreme Court struck down a system that charged $50 filing fees on all mortgage foreclosure lawsuits, and then steered the money to 'housing counseling' agencies and city and county governments, ostensibly to reduce foreclosures and blight.

Class action settlement vs Six Flags over card digits on receipts could get lawyers $1.7M, class members $13-$27

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Class action lawsuits accused Six Flags of including too many card digits on customer receipts. A settlement would allow Six Flags to pay $450,000 to customers, but $1.7 million to the lawyers who filed the lawsuits, to end the court fight.

Geico can't kick class action over lack of COVID refunds to appeals court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A federal judge says she won't let Geico ask a federal appeals court to review her refusal to dismiss a class action accusing the insurer of "deceptive" statements over how much customers could save through the "Geico Giveback" COVID relief program.