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COOK COUNTY RECORD

Saturday, November 2, 2024

News from October 2021


Lawyers ask judge to OK $68M fees for work landing $181M chicken price class action settlement

By Scott Holland |
It remains unclear how much consumers might get as a share of $111 million remaining in the settlement funds after lawyers and settlement administrators are paid.

Pritzker asks IL Supreme Court to send all school mask lawsuits to Cook County or Sangamon court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, on behalf of Gov. JB Pritzker, filed a motion with the Illinois Supreme Court to consolidate and transfer several different cases, including a massive class action involving hundreds of parents and students vs 145 school districts, over Pritzker's school mask orders.

Illinois Supreme Court halts school districts' request for billions of extra state dollars into public education

By Scott Holland |
Panel said granting request would violate separation of powers clause

IL Dems revise Conscience Act, but say they're not, in 'implicit recognition' law protected vax mandate objectors

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Courts will ultimately be left to unravel whether the Democrats' "declaration of existing law" should now allow the state and employers to enforce vaccine mandates against religious objectors, when courts have been skeptical, at best.

Reed Smith adds partner and counsel to growing powerhouse advertising, brand, data protection, and privacy practice in Chicago

By Press release submission |
Reed Smith adds partner and counsel to growing powerhouse advertising, brand, data protection, and privacy practice in Chicago.

'Trying to thread a needle': Changes to IL Right of Conscience law intended to 'provide cover' for Pritzker administration, lawyer says

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Downstate attorney Tom Devore, who is behind a barrage of lawsuits vs Gov. JB Pritzker and others, says proposed changes to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act are an 'absurd' attempt to legally justify past actions by Pritzker related to COVID vaccine mandates and COVID-related restrictions.

Lawsuit claims NorthShore Health System using vax mandate to "purge" unvaccinated religious objectors from payroll

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A class action lawsuit in federal court claims NorthShore is illegally discriminating against religious employees who object to COVID vaccines, violating their rights to religious exemptions under state and federal law.

2021 Construction Law Summit on October 28, 2021

By Press release submission |
2021 Construction Law Summit on October 28, 2021.

Metra says judge was off track in ruling Union Pacific can cease northwest suburban Chicago commuter trains

By Dan Churney |
Metra wants to derail a judge's ruling that Union Pacific does not have to run commuter lines in northwest Chicago, arguing the judge committed a "manifest injustice" in refusing to consider the railroad was contractually obligated to keep operating the service.

IL Dems to strip any potential for vax mandate protection from IL Health Care Right of Conscience law

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Gov. JB Pritzker and others have argued the law was never intended to protect anyone other than doctors, and certainly not people objecting to being forced to take COVID vaccines

Husch Blackwell Welcomes Dan Avants to Healthcare Team

By Press release submission |
Husch Blackwell Welcomes Dan Avants to Healthcare Team.

Legal Ethics Roundup 2021: Latest Developments Every Attorney Should Know on October 27, 2021

By Press release submission |
Legal Ethics Roundup 2021: Latest Developments Every Attorney Should Know on October 27, 2021.

CGCC Chicago 2021 Annual Gala & Manufacturing Summit

By Press release submission |
CGCC Chicago 2021 Annual Gala & Manufacturing Summit.

Lawsuits: Financier middlemen for alleged $600M+ Hollywood film licensing Ponzi scheme should pay up

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Two Cook County lawsuits say Chicago-based finance pros didn't do enough to uncover the truth behind a massive film licensing Ponzi scheme launched by their college actor friend

Chicago firefighters sue to block Lightfoot, Pritzker COVID vax mandates

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A group of Chicago firefighters have filed suit in federal court, arguing COVID vaccine mandates imposed by Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are unconstitutional.

Cook County gun, ammo taxes unconstitutional, IL Supreme Court says

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The taxes violate a section of the Illinois state constitution governing how taxes can be enacted, and for what purposes, the state high court ruled, sidestepping arguments over whether the taxes violated the right to keep and bear arms.

Hutsonville school district on 'probation' for not complying with mask mandate wins TRO for student athletes

By Ann Maher |
For the time being, a tiny school district in south central Illinois with a population of approximately 350 K-12 students has prevailed in its challenge to the goliath state.

Massive parents' class action says Pritzker, schools overstepped authority by imposing mask, COVID quarantine rules

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The lawsuit targets Gov. JB Pritzker, as well as nearly 150 school districts statewide, including at least 69 districts from throughout the Chicago area.

Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Tracie Porter As at-large Circuit Judge of Cook County

By Press release submission |
Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Tracie Porter As at-large Circuit Judge of Cook County.

Judges: Democrats' June state district maps unconstitutional; New September maps still under review

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A panel of federal judges said Democrats' decision to use "population estimates," rather than Census data resulted in unbalanced districts, under a plan rushed through simply to retain firm grip on power