U.S. Federal Court
Recent News About U.S. Federal Court
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Judge says Walgreen, Rite Aid must show numbers to push allegations Opana drugmakers cheated them
A Chicago federal judge has kicked drug retailers Walgreen and Rite Aid from an antitrust lawsuit against the maker of prescription pain killer Opana, saying the retailers must provide hard dollar figures to back up their allegations that the drugmaker improperly paid off another pharmaceutical company to delay the release of the generic version of its pain killer, and keep the price of its name brand drug high. -
IL ballot access rule requiring new parties to field full slate of candidates struck down as unconstitutional
A Chicago federal judge has sided with a suit brought by the Illinois Libertarian Party against the Illinois State Board of Elections, ruling state election law offends the U.S. Constitution by requiring a new party to list a full slate of candidates on nominating petitions in order to get on the ballot the first time. -
Chicago plaintiffs firm is plaintiff in class action lawsuit against telecom company
ROCKFORD - A Chicago plaintiffs firm has filed a class action lawsuit against a telecommunications company it previously contracted with, arguing it charged the law firm “unlawful and unconscionable” termination fees. -
African-American woman's discriminatory auto lending claim vs Santander cleared to proceed in federal court
A Chicago woman will be allowed to pursue a racial discrimination claim against the finance company that handled her car loan, though the company was successful in having other parts of the complaint dismissed. -
Lawsuit: Kane County police using 'investigative holds,' asset forfeiture to run racketeering enterprise
Three people have taken action in Chicago federal court to allege the Kane County Sheriff’s Office is running a racketeering enterprise – and running roughshod over the U.S. Constitution in the process – by pulling over drivers, falsely arresting and searching them, and confiscating their cash and cars for the benefit of Kane County. -
Class action says Pepperidge Farm needs to treat in-store display workers as employees, not contractors
A federal class action lawsuit claims cookie and cracker maker Pepperidge Farm has exploited the workers who deliver, set up and maintain its product displays in supermarkets and other stores, treating these workers like employees, but classifying them as independent contractors, contrary to labor law. -
Father of track athlete with disability says IHSA needs new qualifying times to let son, others compete
The father of a physically disabled Evanston Township High School track athlete, who doesn’t need a wheelchair, is seeking a federal injunction to force the Illinois High School Association to give his son and other runners like him a different qualifying time – as it also gives wheelchair-bound athletes – so they can compete equally in state championships alongside non-disabled competitors. -
Malibu Media loses porn piracy case vs Doe after no downloaded materials found on Doe's computer
A Chicago federal magistrate judge laid low a lawsuit by Malibu Media - a litigious online skin flick distributor - which alleged an internet pirate infringed its copyright by downloading two dozen movies without permission, saying Malibu failed to present computer forensics evidence backing its claim. -
Judge poised to OK $10 million deal ending asst managers' class actions vs Dick's Sporting Goods; attorneys to get one third
A federal judge in Boston has signaled he will sign off on a $10 million settlement agreement to end class action lawsuits against Dick’s Sporting Goods, including one brought in Chicago federal court, alleging the retailer cheated employees out of overtime pay by labeling them assistant managers. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are poised to receive one-third of the settlement amount. -
Chicago to pay $3 million to settle claims it discriminated vs cop candidates who lived in U.S. less than 10 years
The city of Chicago has quickly assented to the U.S. Department of Justice’s contentions it discriminated against foreign-born police applicants by requiring applicants to have lived in the U.S. for 5-10 years before applying. As part of a settlement agreement announced in Chicago federal court, the city has agreed to pay $3.1 million in the class action brought by the Justice Department on behalf of 47 onetime police officer applicants. -
Judges disagree if county can sue, but appeal won't slow Cook's predatory lending suit vs HSBC
A Chicago federal judge will not slow down Cook County’s predatory lawsuit against HSBC, denying a request from HSBC to place the county’s legal action on hold to allow a federal appeals court to iron out differing opinions among local federal judges as to whether the county actually has standing under federal law to sue HSBC and other banks over allegations the banks discriminated against borrowers based on race and worsened local housing markets. -
7th Circuit says gambling losers can't use IL law to sue online poker sites to recoup losses
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago has upheld lower court rulings, saying it’s a bad bet to try to use Illinois state law to recoup gambling losses from the hosts, rather than the winners, of online poker games. -
Franchise developer accuses Tilted Kilt of mismanagement, 'scheme,' calls for receivership
After the owners of the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery restaurant brand accused them of misleading potential franchise operators into expecting big paydays, the company Tilted Kilt has used to develop franchise restaurant locations in and around Chicago has returned legal fire, accusing Tilted Kilt of mismanaging its franchise system, undercutting its franchisees and developers at many turns, and scheming to cut the franchise development company loose years before its deal is up. -
Class action status stripped from lawsuit alleging wage-hour missteps vs firm providing workers to Caterpillar
A Chicago federal judge has stripped the class action status from a lawsuit that alleged a Caterpillar contractor rooked Joliet workers out of overtime pay, with the judge describing the claims of 94 plaintiffs as too individualized to pursue as a whole. -
Judge says Chicago Police aren't eligible for pay under FLSA for after hours emails via Blackberry
CHICAGO — A federal judge has ruled Chicago Police officers are not entitled under federal law to overtime pay for off–duty work done on mobile devices, like Blackberrys, issued by the Chicago Police Department. And this decision could have consequences for all employers, according to a legal observer. -
Motel operators ask U.S. Supreme Court to mow down amounts Chicago can fine for violations of city weed ordinance
Attorneys for a Skokie motel corporation are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to establish the formula for courts to use in determining whether state and local fines are over the top, as they challenge federal court dismissals of their lawsuit alleging fines charged by the city of Chicago under its weed ordinance are excessive under the U.S. Constitution. -
EEOC headed to trial over claims Costco did too little to stop employee from being stalked
CHICAGO — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will take on wholesale retailer Costco in a jury trial on behalf of a female employee who was allegedly harassed and stalked while working at the company’s Glenview warehouse. -
Federal judge dampens suit claiming Sears sells flammable riding mowers
Acting on a motion to dismiss, a Chicago federal judge has pruned a class action lawsuit brought by four people against Sears, which alleges the retailer sold defective lawnmowers prone to burst into flames. -
Lawsuit alleging Big Lots job applications disclose too much moved from Philadelphia to Chicago federal court
A Pennsylvania-born putative class-action suit, which alleges the nationwide retailer Big Lots violated federal law by overstocking job applicant disclosure statements with too much information, has landed in Chicago federal court. The one-count suit, between Aaron Abel and Big Lots Stores, Inc., was filed Nov. 2 in Philadelphia County Court and transferred to Chicago Dec. 15. -
Man accuses EN Bisso & Sons of racial discrimination
NEW ORLEANS – A 52-year-old African-American man is suing his employer, alleging age and race discrimination.