Jonathan Bilyk News
Appeals court reinstates IL 'assault weapons' ban, for now; Invites challenger response
A federal appeals court judge in Chicago has put a hold on a southern Illinois federal judge's injunction blocking enforcement of the new Illinois gun ban. The appeals court judge will allow challengers to argue why prior appellate decisions allowing "assault weapons" bans may no longer apply under U.S. Supreme Court rulings
IL A/G asks appeals court to reinstate 'assault weapons' ban, says S IL judge's ruling leaves IL at risk
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has asked the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the injunction entered by District Judge Stephen McGlynn, which had blocked the state from enforcing its ban on so-called 'assault weapons'
Madigan associates 'ComEd Four' convicted in bribery scheme
Jurors sided with prosecutors, who accused the former ComEd CEO and three top associates of former Illinois House Speaker and Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan of participating in a scheme to bribe Madigan in exchange for legislation to boost ComEd's revenue
Evanston HS rewrites racially-restricted AP math course descriptions after hit with civil rights complaint
A complaint was filed vs Evanston Township High School District 202 for offering certain advanced math courses that were described as being restricted to Black or Latino students. The descriptions appear to have been changed the next day to say they are "open to all" but are "intended to support" Black or Latino students
S. IL fed judge says IL 'assault weapons' ban likely violates Second Amendment, puts enforcement on hold
The judge said the state has fallen far short of proving the banned weapons are not only 'dangerous,' but also 'unusual,' which he said is the correct standard for evaluating gun bans under recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions
Court filing: Griffith Foods to pay $48M to settle hundreds of lawsuits over Willowbrook EtO emissions
A formal settlement hasn't yet been filed in court, but Alsip-based Griffith Foods has asked a Cook County judge for permission to transfer $48 million into an escrow account in preparation to settle hundreds of lawsuits connected to the Sterigenics litigation
Another judge says IL free to ban 'assault weapons' under 2nd Amendment because the guns are 'particularly dangerous'
U.S. District Judge Lindsay Jenkins says the law holds up, even under recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, because the country has a history of banning 'particularly dangerous' weapons, so the Illinois law doesn't violate the Second Amendment
Urban Prep lawsuit: CPS has no authority under IL law to take over charter schools without closing them
Urban Prep Academies, charter high schools known nationally for helping young Black males from Chicago's South Side succeed academically, says Chicago Public Schools is attempting to sidestep state law in a bid to force them out and take over their schools
Foxx to step aside in 2024, ending tenure marked by controversial social justice-minded changes, escalating crime
Backed by George Soros and progressive Illinois Dems, Foxx's prosecutorial philosophy gained international notoriety over her handling of the Jussie Smollett case. She has also repeatedly clashed with Chicago mayor, cops over handling of criminal cases
Labor board judge: Chicago trampled union bargaining rights by firing workers who refused Covid vax
The city of Chicago may need to rehire the workers it fired for refusing to receive a Covid vaccine, because the city violated state labor laws by denying unions the chance to negotiate over the consequences vaccine-objecting workers could face under the mandate, an administrative law judge for the ILRB has ruled
Judge: No fundamental right for father to forbid Villa Park school district from helping child change genders
A Chicago federal judge said a father can't sue Villa Park District 45 for allegedly conspiring with his ex-wife to help their child transition from male to female, because the father has no fundamental right to direct public schools on how to educate to his child
Appeals court turns down bid for injunction vs IL 'assault weapons' ban while appeal of Chicago judge's ruling continues
The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals didn't explain its decision. But the order leaves in place, for now, a Chicago federal judge's ruling that the Second Amendment doesn't apply to particularly "dangerous" weapons, like the semiautomatic firearms banned by the new Illinois law
Two new Dem IL Supreme Court justices refuse to step aside on hearing 'assault weapons' ban case
Justices Elizabeth Rochford and Mary K. O'Brien said plaintiffs can't prove they are biased in favor of the state gun ban, just because they each received $1 million in campaign donations from Gov. JB Pritzker and strong endorsements from gun control organizations in the 2022 elections
Battle over IL gun ban expanding, setting stage for big showdown to come before Chicago fed appeals court
Lawyers for gun makers' trade group, the National Sports Shooting Foundation, and others have filed briefs seeking to undo a Chicago federal judge's order largely upholding the Illinois "assault weapons" ban, saying the reasoning doesn't hold up under the U.S. Supreme Court's recent rulings
Appeals panel: School OK to fire Christian teacher for refusing to use transgender students preferred names, pronouns
A dissenting judge warned the decision would all but empower public schools to steamroll the religious rights of Christians and others who dissent from school policies designed to compel teachers and school staff to affirm transgender students, even against their religious convictions
Appeals panel: Bad deal or not, Chicago parking meter lease isn't illegal monopoly over public street parking
Federal appeals judges have tossed a class action lawsuit asserting the company that owns the rights to thousands of metered parking spaces in Chicago violated federal antitrust law by cutting City Hall out of control of on-street parking, forcing motorists in the city to pay among highest costs to park in U.S.
Who benefits from Illinois' biometrics privacy law? Mostly trial lawyers, new report says
A report from the Chamber of Progress, which speaks for many "progressive" minded big tech and ecommerce companies, says Illinois' controversial Biometric Information Privacy Act has harmed Illinois' economy and limited access to new tech offerings in the state, while enriching lawyers
Samsung: Prominent plainfiffs' firm Labaton Sucharow seeking to press 'frivolous' biometrics claims in 'mass arbitration'
Samsung says the Labaton lawyers have 'weaponized' the arbitration process to extract a large, quick, potentially undue settlement. Labaton says Samsung is throwing a 'tantrum' to sidestep potentially massive liability for allegedly violating the Illinois biometrics privacy law
Two new Dem IL Supreme Court justices asked to step aside from hearing challenge to IL 'assault weapons' ban
Lawyers for plaintiffs say Justices Rochford and O'Brien both accepted millions in campaign contributions and endorsements from Gov. Pritkzer, other top Dems, and gun rights activists, making it difficult for public to believe they can be impartial on gun ban challenges
US Chamber: Burford, Sysco court fight shows dangers to U.S. economy, security from lawsuit financing
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says an arbitrator's order would allow lawsuit investors, including foreign interests, to use U.S. courts to further their strategic interests. Burford Capital says court fight is merely Sysco's attempt to avoid contractural obligations and deny Burford the chance to protect $140M investment