Jonathan Bilyk News
Cook County checks in at No. 6 on list of worst U.S. 'Judicial Hellholes'
The American Tort Reform Association released its annual list of the country's most notable "Judicial Hellholes." Cook County's courts earned a spot on the list thanks to a host of "abusive" lawsuits and the potential for many more to come, should the Illinois Supreme Court nix a doctrine used to force certain plaintiffs to sue elsewhere
'Assault weapons' ban to continue in IL, for now, while courts handle appeal
The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request from Illinois Atty Gen Kwame Raoul to keep a decision on hold from a southern Illinois federal judge, who declared Illinois' ban on so-called "assault weapons" an "unconstitutional affront" to the Second Amendment
Appeal seeks revival of suit accusing IL judges of working together to squelch criticism
An attorney and judicial reform advocate says a Chicago federal judge improperly tossed his legal claims against the Illinois Judges Association and a Cook County divorce court judge
Family of Dexter Reed poised to get paid by city taxpayers, under possible lawsuit deal announced in court
A judge tentatively dismissed the legal action vs the city of Chicago by the family of Dexter Reed, a black man shot and killed by police in March after he reportedly opened fire on them from inside his vehicle during a stop. Terms of the settlement, which must be approved by City Council, have not been disclosed.
Class action accuses ComEd of providing homes with 'less efficient,' substandard power
The lawsuit centers on claims that ComEd's electricity contains allegedly excessive levels of so-called total harmonic distortion, resulting in power that is "less efficient" and of "diminished quality," as measured by Ting sensors. ComEd disputes those measurements, saying Ting sensors aren't the correct tool for that task
O'Neill Burke reverses Foxx prosecution policies in first actions as new Cook County top prosecutor
New Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke announced prosecutors are required to ask judges to keep people charged with a host of violent and heinous crimes in jail while they await trial. Reports also indicated O'Neill Burke would more aggressively prosecute shoplifting
Parents of Latin School student who died by suicide to ask appeal court to OK suit vs school over bullying
A Cook County judge had dismissed the Bronstein family's legal claims vs Latin School of Chicago over the death of their son by suicide, allegedly egged on bullying. The family accused the school of having not done enough to both stop the bullying and prevent their son's death
Townstone settles 'nightmare' court fight with feds over radio show comments
Chicago area mortgage lender Townstone Financial agreed to pay a $105K penalty and submit to specific regulatory oversight as part of the deal to end the four-year-long court fight over the ability of federal agents to use anti-discrimination provisions of a federal lending law to regulate lenders' speech
Target can't clear out customer class action over alleged customer facial recognition cameras
Target has flatly denied it uses facial recognition cameras to monitor customers in its stores. But a judge said he believes plaintiffs need more opportunity to investigate those claims, so he is allowing a lawsuit to continue vs Target under the Illinois biometrics privacy law.
Lawsuit: IL law requiring insurers to pay for abortions tramples religious freedom rights
A group of pro-life groups and employers, including a private school and a manufacturer, filed suit against Gov. Pritzker and the state, saying the Reproductive Health Act violates their First Amendment rights and federal law by forcing them to pay for others' abortions against their religious beliefs
Justice for Jussie? IL Supreme Court overturns Smollett conviction for lying to cops
The Illinois Supreme Court said Smollett's conviction for lying to police about his hoax attack claims was an unconstitutional violation of his rights to due process because he should have been able to rely on the charge-dropping deal from Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx
Controversial Cook County judge loses retention bid, unofficial vote totals show
According to unofficial vote totals, Cook County Judge Shannon O'Malley - formerly known as Phillip Spiwak - appears to have fallen short of retaining his seat on the county court. O'Malley famously changed his name to sound Irish in an apparent bid to win election, and has been accused of living outside the county
Judges: Reforms to limit harm from IL biometrics law should apply to pending lawsuits, too
Recent rulings from a Chicago federal judge and a Cook County judge are seen as key wins for Illinois businesses, as they begin the work of answering a key question that could decide the fates of potentially hundreds of lawsuits with many millions of dollars at stake
Glock: IL law underpinning Chicago's gun violence lawsuit violates Second Amendment, is unconstitutional
Firearms maker Glock says Chicago and Illinois are attempting to use a lawsuit under an allegedly unconstitutional Illinois consumer fraud law to win a court order all but banning the sale of Glock handguns, which Glock said violates the Second Amendment and the Commerce Clause
Constitution doesn't block Indiana's ban on gender transition procedures for kids: Appeals court
A divided federal appeals panel said the Indiana ban on surgeries, puberty blockers and other care do not violate parent's rights to direct their children's medical care nor the speech rights of doctors, dissolving a lower court's injunction blocking enforcement of the law
SAFE-T Act pretrial jailing appeals drop 88% after court rule changes; 'Found a sweet spot,' says task force chair
The number of appeals filed by criminal defendants seeking release from jail while they await trial dropped from 1,041 in January to mid-April to 154 in the three months following rule changes to ease the burden. The appeals numbers are still up significantly compared to years preceding Illinois' criminal justice system reforms
Cook County Dems cruise in five contested races for circuit court judge seats
While votes continue to be counted, Democratic candidates for judge in Cook County scored easy wins over Republican challengers in the handful of contested judicial races presented to voters this fall, including in the first contested general election race for countywide judge in 14 years
77 of 78 Cook County judges poised to retain seats on bench; O'Malley falling short
Of three Cook County judges touched by scandal in recent weeks, voters appeared poised to grant two - Kathy Flanagan and E. Kenneth Wright - new six-year terms on the bench. Judge Shannon O'Malley, however, appeared to be falling short of the required 60% "Yes" vote threshold, according to incomplete results
'Unconstitutional affront:' Federal judge strikes down Illinois 'assault weapons' ban
Saying the law falls far short under the Constitution, U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn entered an injunction which would block the state from enforcing Gov. Pritzker's ban on so-called 'assault weapons.' The ruling is stayed for 30 days, pending an expected appeal from the state
Two scandal-marked Cook County judges to be investigated by state
Cook County's chief judges recommended Judges E. Kenneth Wright and Shannon O'Malley be investigated by the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board. The JIB can recommend further action. The judges have been accused in a press report of living outside of Cook County, which could violate the state constitution