Jonathan Bilyk News
Appeals panel: Cubs pop out in bid to defeat sports photog's lawsuit over Wrigley Field injuries
The appeals court said the arbitration clause associated with the photographer's press pass user agreement was "unconscionable" because it wasn't easy to spot online, so the Chicago Cubs can't use it to defeat a photographer's lawsuit for injuries suffered while working at Wrigley Field in 2018
SCOTUS rejects appeal of IL Supreme Court gun ban ruling, despite big Pritzker giving to justices
The U.S. Supreme Court denied appeal from Decatur gun rights supporters, who argued their rights were violated when the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state's new "assault weapons" ban law and the state's two newest Democratic justices refused to recuse, despite millions in campaign gifts from Gov. JB Pritzker and his allies
River Forest man nears month in jail over unpaid divorce legal bills
A federal bankruptcy judge did not rule Jan. 3 on competing motions over whether Cook County judge can keep Marty Paris in jail while his bankruptcy continues
People who opted out of $100M settlement hit Google with new lawsuit for Photos face scans
A group of 60 people who previously opted out of Google's $100 million settlement under Illinois' biometrics privacy law have filed a collective action lawsuit against the tech giant, seeking a potential big money payday of their own.
Burke convicted; Ex-Chicago Finance chair used power to boost law firm, stack courts, control government
Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke was convicted on 13 counts of racketeering, bribery and extortion charges, stemming from shakedowns of developers, businesspeople and the Field Museum, among others. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot noted Burke his used his power to leverage control of the courts in Chicago and elsewhere
Cook County judge says bankruptcy doesn't mean man gets out of jail without paying divorce lawyers
Calling it a "Christmas present," a Cook County divorce court judge said she'd release River Forest businessman Marty Paris, who has been jailed since Dec. 8, if he came up with $300K now, and pay $200K later, rather than full $500K immediately. Paris had sought his release while his Chapt. 7 bankruptcy moves forward
Class action accuses @Properties of conspiring with National Realtors to boost home prices, agent commissions
Chicago-based @Properties says the 'copycat' lawsuit will fail, because it did not lead or influence National Realtors Association's policies or rules
Google to pay $700M to end Google Play store class actions; Lawyers to get up to $128M, states get $70M
The lawsuits accused Google of monopolizing control of the Android smartphone operating system and environment. About 71 million consumers could see $2-$7 each in refunds from the deal
Judge shuts down bid by Highland Park shooting plaintiffs to deny Smith & Wesson right to appeal
A federal judge agreed gunmaker Smith & Wesson had small chance to win on appeal to keep Highland Park lawsuits out of famously plaintiff-friendly Illinois state court, but said they have the right under federal law to appeal, no matter how fast plaintiffs want to move the case forward to a potentially big payout
CPS must give ex-Urban Prep CEO full records CPS used to justify his ouster
A judge said Chicago Public Schools can't keep under wraps the full record school officials used to justify the forced removal of Urban Prep Academies founder and ex-CEO Timothy King
SCOTUS declines to block IL 'assault weapons' ban; Law poised to take effect on Jan. 1
In the past two days, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined two invitations to issue emergency injunctions blocking the state from enforcing the new gun ban law. The decision leaves thousands, if not millions, of Illinois residents facing the risk of criminal charges while constitutional challenges to the law continue to play out in court
Raoul gives up targeting pro-life centers under law judge called 'stupid, unconstitutional'
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has agreed to never attempt to enforce a new state law targeting abortion 'misinformation.' The law was labeled a blatant attempt to silence religious and political speech of abortion opponents
Man says Cook County judge wrongly jailed him for not paying divorce lawyers, asks bankruptcy court to free him
River Forest real estate developer Marty Paris was sent to Cook County Jail on Dec. 8, under orders from a Cook County judge, with no release in sight unless he pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to his ex-wife and lawyers amid highly contentious divorce
Cook County falls just short of being ranked America's worst 'Judicial Hellhole'
Illinois Supreme Court's and Illinois lawmakers' encouragement of big money 'no injury' lawsuits in biometrics class actions and other litigation has powered courts in Chicago to highest ranking ever on American Tort Reform Association's annual list of worst court systems in America for 'lawsuit abuse'
Smollett can't undo conviction for lying to cops about alleged hoax attack; One judge defends Foxx, calls decision 'unfair'
A state appeals panel says Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx never actually reached a binding deal with Smollett to drop charges, so special prosecution is not unconstitutional 'double jeopardy'
IL 'assault weapons' ban challengers ask SCOTUS to step into constitutional court fight, block gun ban
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett directed the state to respond to the petitioners' assertions that, not only is the law unconstitutional, but federal judges in Chicago have twisted SCOTUS rulings to say the state is clearly allowed to ban "dangerous" weapons that aren't protected by the Second Amendment
IL Supreme Court says hospitals can't be sued for requiring nurses to scan fingerprints when dispensing patient medicines
The unanimous ruling said a HIPAA-specific exemption protects Illinois hospitals and health care equipment maker Becton Dickinson from a specific group of potentially catastrophic class action lawsuits under Illinois' biometrics privacy law
Class action demands IL counties pay back people whose homes were seized over unpaid property taxes
The lawsuit vs DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will and other populous counties says Illinois counties still using tax sales to seize and sell off homes to settle delinquent property taxes are defying the Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled such "equity theft" unconstitutional
Hinsdale South star basketball player sues D86, says was cut for complaining about ex-head coach's verbal abuse of players
The federal lawsuit vs Hinsdale District 86 and varsity basketball coach Michael Belcaster accuses the coach of illegally retaliating against the All-Conference player after he filed a complaint with the school about ex-head coach Michael Moretti's alleged verbal abuse and bullying of players. The lawsuit says D86 has turned a blind eye since
Campaign committee created to smear GOP IL Supreme Court candidates hit with big campaign finance fine
The Illinois State Board of Elections says the All for Justice campaign committee, led by lawyer Luke Casson, a prominent ally of State Sen. President Don Harmon, must pay $99,500 for failing to report spending on time during the 2022 election campaign, when it spent millions to elect IL Supreme Court justices Rochford and O'Brien