Mary Ann Magnell News
Judge: Failure to break out fees, other 'miscellaneous charges' made initial collection letter 'misleading'
Saying the debt collector's letter was "materially misleading," a Chicago federal judge has given the green light to a lawsuit brought by a woman who accused a collection firm of failing to itemize fees and other charges tacked on to an alleged debt owed to a car rental company.
New IL law mostly bars towns from regulating drones, giving regulatory 'predictability,' attorney says
A recent change to the Illinois Aeronautics Act has provided drone operators “more predictability,” according to Chicago attorney Andrew Fiske.
Judge says employee handbook provision enough to send female truck driver's suit vs Progistics to arbitration
A federal judge has sent to arbitration a dispute between a truck driver and her employer over alleged sex discrimination and failure to pay overtime, saying a provision in the company's employee handbook should stand as a binding agreement, requiring arbitration of disputes.
Court decertifies class in junk fax lawsuit vs Cirque du Soleil, dismisses 'sprawling' 9-year case
A Chicago federal judge has allowed Cirque Du Soleil to turn out the lights on a class action lawsuit accusing the entertainment brand brought against it for allegedly sending junk fax ads, allegedly in violation of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Copyright lawsuit vs home builder deconstructed; Judge: More 'sufficient facts' required to buttress case
Saying an architectural firm needs to do more to demonstrate its claims a homebuilder improperly copied some of the architect's home designs, a federal judge has taken down, for now, the copyright infringement lawsuit.
New IL Supreme Court credit card collection pleading rules have 'potential' to lengthen process
The Illinois Supreme Court has adopted new pleading requirements for credit card and debt collection cases, which will result in additional protection for debtors, but also has the potential to lengthen the process, according to one Chicago attorney.
OSHA’s new record-keeping rule eases paperwork, fails to address employer issues
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) July 30 that will minimize paperwork and administrative burdens for some businesses, but may not address many employers’ issues with current regulations passed in 2016.