U.S. Supreme Court
Recent News About U.S. Supreme Court
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Judge: IL A/G's pro-union statements don't disqualify her from defending vs union lawsuit over fees
A federal judge has determined a state employee — notable for his public anti-union stances — can’t intervene on behalf of the state in a lawsuit it faces from a union leader asking courts to declare unions aren’t obligated to represent employees who refuse to pay membership dues. -
After SCOTUS decision, others watching California's public nuisance lead paint action copied elsewhere
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to deny paint manufacturers' appeal of a California ruling requiring them to pay more than $400 million for lead paint remediation, companies could face significantly greater odds of litigation under the theory of "public nuisance." -
SCOTUS lets stand Penn high court's takeover of redistricting; Illinois reformers have taken note
After a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting Pennsylvania Republicans' attempt to redraw that state's congressional districts, an organization dedicated toward reforming how Illinois draws its legislative districts, which are currently skewed to favor Democrats, says the decision could help spur reform in other states, including Illinois, both legislatively and in the courts. -
Appeals panel: $10M arbitrator’s class award invalid; Arbitration should have involved 1, not 175 employees
A Chicago federal appellate court has struck down a $10 million arbitration award to loan officers in a class action against Waterstone Mortgage, which alleged the company shorted officers on overtime pay, saying arbitration should only have involved the plaintiff, not another 174 employees who joined the action. -
Kavanaugh assigned to review appeals from Seventh Circuit; Remains to be seen how will affect courts
Justice Brett Kavanaugh has been assigned to review appeals from the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, replacing Justice Elena Kagan in that task. However, the change may not ultimately mean much. -
Chicago didn't violate woman's rights by waiting 6 months to fine for high weeds, appeals panel says
A federal appeals panel has upheld a lower court’s ruling Chicago ordinance inspectors did not violate a woman’s right to due process by waiting six months after an inspection to cite her for allegedly having overgrown weeds, saying that period was not excessive and she got her due process at her administrative hearing. -
Attorney: Court's denial of Lincolnshire right-to-work ordinance could forebode SCOTUS fight
A recent decision by a federal appeals court in Chicago likely forebodes a legal fight before the U.S. Supreme Court over the fate of so-called local right-to-work zones in Illinois and throughout the country. -
Appeals judges: Lincolnshire, other towns can't create right-to-work zones, despite home rule powers
Saying to find otherwise would create “catastrophic” consequences for labor law in Illinois and across the country, a federal appeals panel has backed a federal judge’s decision to toss an attempt by a northwest suburban village to use its home rule powers to create a local right-to-work zone within its borders. -
Attorney: New Jersey law giving strikers access to unemployment pay not likely to spread to Illinois
New Jersey has enacted a new law allowing striking workers to collect unemployment benefits during a labor dispute. But an attorney monitoring such developments has heard no rumblings similar legislation is imminent in other states dominated by Democrats, such as Illinois. -
Judge: Federal court not right place for homeowner's tax assessment discrimination claims vs Cook assessor
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former Chicago Heights homeowner, who claimed he and other homeowners in poor and minority neighborhoods in Cook County were forced to pay more than they should in property taxes because, he said, Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios inflated the taxable value of homes in those neighborhoods. -
Federal appeals court won’t review its decision to toss $3M verdict v. GSK; Plaintiff: ‘Dangerous precedent’
A Chicago federal appellate court has refused to reexamine its decision last month that reversed a $3 million verdict against drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, on grounds the company was not responsible for the labeling of the generic version of its product Paxil, despite plaintiff’s urging a rehearing was needed, because she said the appeals panel set a “dangerous precedent.” -
California boardroom gender quota bill is something for businesses in IL, elsewhere, "to watch," attorney says
A bill passed in California setting gender quotas on the boards of public companies could generate significant legal challenges, which likely would need to be resolved before other states move to copy it, an attorney following the legislation believes. -
Appeals panel: IL law OK letting committees controlled by legislative leaders give unlimited campaign cash
Brushing aside assertions the law allows party leaders to consolidate power statewide, a federal appeals panel has upheld an Illinois campaign finance law which restricts what individual donors can give to political campaigns, while allowing unlimited contributions from legislative caucus committees controlled by partisan leaders within the state's House and Senate. -
Anti-union IL state worker asks judge to let him defend state vs union attempt to 'discriminate' vs non-union workers
Saying Illinois’ attorney general’s defense is “inadequate” and is “bordering on malpractice,” an Illinois state employee who factored in the court action that led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down rules requiring non-union workers to pay fees to unions has again jumped into a federal court action, this time asking a judge to allow his legal team to defend the state against a union’s attempt to secure a court order striking down labor laws requiring them to represent all workers in a collective bargaining unit. -
Cook County judge: County's guns, ammo tax an 'inconsequential burden,' doesn't violate constitutions
A Cook County judge has ruled the county’s guns and ammunition tax doesn’t violate the Constitution or the rights of firearm owners, saying the tax is little more than an “inconsequential burden” on gun owners. -
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). -
Home energy use info gleaned from 'smart meters' is 4th Amend 'search,' but not 'unreasonable': Appeals panel
Noting their conclusions could change based on what other cities and utilities may choose to do with information gleaned from homeowners’ energy use, a panel of federal appeals court judges has found Naperville can continue collecting and storing electricity usage data transmitted directly by so-called “smart meters,” even though the data harvest essentially amounts to a governmental search under the Fourth Amendment. -
Attorney calls Supreme Court's Jevic structured dismissal reversal noteworthy
According to an article written by David Christian for The Circuit Rider, The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a Third Circuit Court of Appeals "structured dismissal" ruling in which former Jevic Holding Corp. truck drivers fought being left out of a settlement in the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case -
Judge: Difference between 'mass action,' 'class action' means Pfizer can't flush Robitussin suit
A federal judge has rejected Pfizer’s attempt to scuttle a class action accusing the drugmaker of misleading consumers over the actual strength of its maximum strength Robitussin cough syrup, saying a U.S. Supreme Court decision doesn’t necessarily mean the company shouldn’t have to face a nationwide class action in Chicago federal court. -
Lincolnshire: Taxes different from union dues; asks judge to toss union suit over 'anti-union' lobbying funds
Saying governments are different from labor unions and other private organizations, a north suburban village and an organization that lobbies on behalf of Illinois city and village governments has asked a federal judge to dismiss a union-backed lawsuit asserting the rights of union members are violated by local governments which use tax money to fund lobbyists to seek reforms opposed by unions.