Jonathan Bilyk News
Class action accuses Cook County Sheriff of overcharging people to serve court papers
The lawsuit alleges the Cook County Sheriff's Office charges $60 to serve court papers, even though state law allegedly caps the fees they can charge at $35
Embattled Dolton mayor says recall effort against her is unconstitutional
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard says her political opponents improperly placed a referendum to recall her from office on the same June 28 ballot with a referendum to create a legal mechanism by which she can be removed from office
Google to pay $100M to end biometrics class action over Photos face scans; Class members could get $200-$400
The deal would end litigation dating back to 2016. Lawyers could be in line for potentially more than $30 million
Class action: 7-Eleven uses facial recognition tech on customers in stores, violates IL biometrics law
The class action lawsuit centers on 7-Eleven's alleged use of facial recognition video surveillance technology from vendor Clickit
Ex-HR director sues Cook Clerk Yarbrough, says was fired for drawing attention to clerk's office payroll problems
The federal lawsuit says the plaintiff was "shut out" of the clerk's payroll system when she raised concerns, and then was blocked from reinstatement by politically influential employees within the office of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough
Cook County can't use $250M transportation taxes, fees, to fund county operations: IL Supreme Court
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled the Illinois state constitution's transportation lockbox amendment applies to local governments, just as to the state
Lawsuit: Pro-union IL constitutional amendment would clash with federal law, U.S. Constitution, must be struck down
A group of Cook County taxpayers, with lawyers from the Liberty Justice Center and Illinois Policy Institute, say the measure, known as Amendment 1, would unconstitutionally give unions expansive new powers that exceed the limits on union organizing and bargaining set by federal law
Appeals panel tosses court order blocking CPS from enforcing COVID vax mandate vs workers
For second time in less than a week, Springfield appeals court says COVID vaccine-or-test mandates are "workplace safety rules," not illegal public health orders that violate workers' rights
Lawsuit: 'Cartel' of politically connected, wealthy Chicago families, including Pritzkers, dominate IL marijuana market
True Social Equity in Cannabis accuses the Pritzker, Wrigley and Kovler families of using political connections and influence to monopolize the state's regulated marijuana dispensary markets
Father sues Villa Park school district, says conspired against him with ex-wife to 'promote' child's gender transition
The man's complaint accuses School District 45 of violating his constitutional parental rights in assisting and promoting the 12-year-old's gender transition, over the father's objections
Lawsuit accuses Smithfield Fresh Meats of shorting OT pay for thousands of wokers amid pandemic
The plaintiffs say Smithfield paid workers a $5 per hour "Responsibility Bonus" during the early days of the COVID pandemic, but did not include that bonus when calculating workers' OT pay
Judge reprimands feds, says Obama-era bad-faith actions in case vs Kraft 'troubling for future' settlement talks
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission violated a confidentiality provision in its settlement with Kraft and Mondelez to end a regulatory action over alleged wheat market manipulation, to score political PR points. The agency says its commissioners aren't bound by any such deals
Appeals court: No state law blocks Pritzker from ordering public workers to get vaxxed or get fired
Dissenting Fourth District Appellate Court justice says his colleagues ignored Illinois Supreme Court precedent and other legal precedents in declaring the state's Right of Conscience law only forbids discrimination against conscientous objectors in an "unconventional sense"
Dolton mayor accused of illegally using cops as personal security, directing staff to ignore public info requests
Two lawsuits were filed against Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard by Dolton's elected village trustees and village clerk asking the courts to order Henyard to comply with the law
DeVore lawsuit: Pritzker, IL Dept of Corrections COVID vax or test mandate illegally tramples workers' rights
The lawsuit argues neither state law or any union-related negotiation or arbitration should allow Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections to ignore due process rights afforded to IDOC workers under the state's public health laws
Joyce firm widens effort to claim $15M fees in 20-year court fight, accuses Much Shelist of malpractice
A Cook County judge ordered majority partners in two investment partnerships to pay $87 million, including $15 million in legal fees. The partners have argued the judgment amounts to little more than a fee award to the law firm of Edward T. Joyce & Associates.
Cicero, tow biz end long court fight over terminated contract, which involved claims against politically-connected town lawyer
Defunct tow company Tuff Car agreed to pay $100K to Cicero to end the six-year-long court fight, which began with claims Cicero owed $2 million, and included unsuccessful attempts by Tuff Car to sue Cicero's town attorney, who divorced Tuff Car's owner's daughter
Loop buildings' union-only work rules not enough to back tenant's RICO class action vs Jones Lang LaSalle: Judge
The judge said a tenant from a downtown Chicago office building managed by Jones Lang LaSalle has done enough to back up their claims of an illegal "hot cargo" conspiracy between JLL and unions across 20 Chicago towers
Calumet City sues ex-attorneys, says they won't cooperate with new lawyers, who have ties to Speakers Madigan, Welch
Calumet City Mayor and Illinois State Rep. Thaddeus Jones won election in May 2021, and immediately replaced the city's longtime lawyers with attorneys with ties to current Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch or indicted ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan or
CPS can't force teachers to get COVID vax, get tested, or get fired, Springfield judge says
Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow says Chicago Public Schools lacks authority under state law to enforce its so-called vax-or-test mandate, and also can't rely on its contract with the Chicago Teachers Union to sidestep the law