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Thursday, April 25, 2024

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IL lawmakers advance law to limit 'annihilative' payouts faced by business under biometrics law

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The Illinois State Senate approved SB2979, which would explicitly limit the amount of money trial lawyers and plaintiffs can demand businesses pay under the Biometric Information Privacy Act. The law has spawned thousands of lawsuits generating hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees

Student claims CPS ignored sex assaults by ex-dean at Little Village H.S., part of culture of grooming, abuse at CPS

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The lawsuit claims the male dean impregnated the student twice, and forced her to get two abortions despite being underaged. He allegedly claimed to be her parent to sidestep a parental notification law that Illinois lawmakers have since repealed. The suit claims other staff knew, but did nothing

New Trier wrongly refused requests for records to explain decision to cancel Holocaust Remembrance Day: Lawsuit

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Education reform group Parents Defending Education has sued New Trier Township High School District claiming administrators violated Freedom of Information law by refusing to provide PDE with staff communications that may discuss the Holocaust or conflict in Gaza.

Appeals panel closes lid on class actions vs Abbott from people never harmed by contaminated Similac baby formula

By Scott Holland |
Judges said the claims in the case from people whose children never ingested any allegedly contaminated Similac baby formula are no different than if someone were to sue a restaurant because someone else became ill from food poisoning

KCIC: Madison, St. Clair Counties were top asbestos jurisdiction in 2023; Cook County saw greatest increase

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
Madison and St. Clair Counties again saw the most asbestos case filings for 2023 nationwide, and Cook County saw the highest increase in filings according to a report by KCIC, a Washington D.C.-based technology and management consulting company.

Salvi firm, Wise, Morrissey end dispute over fees for cases Salvi grabbed amid Wise, Morrissey tiff

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A confidential settlement among the firms and attorneys was announced in court last week, resolving the action filed by Salvi to protect its fees from 21 cases that moved to the firm with a former Wise Morrissey lawyer.

Wow Bao says never scanned customer faces, letting biometrics class action continue would be 'injustice'

By Jonathan Bilyk |
In a case with potentially far-reaching implications, the Asian-themed fast food chain says it never possessed nor authorized customer face scans at self-service ordering kiosks, meaning it can't be face the risk of a potentially huge payout under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act in this case

Coalition seeks to let IL voters deliver message on parents' rights in November

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Thousands of volunteers aligned with conservative social policy groups across Illinois are seeking signatures to place an advisory referendum on the fall ballot asking voters if they believe Illinois law should require parents' consent before children receive non-emergency medical care or therapy

Gun advocates seek summary judgment in constitutional challenge to state's "Carry Ban" for gun owners under age 21

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
Gun advocates and their members under the age of 21 are asking the court to grant summary judgment in their constitutional challenge against Illinois’ “Carry Ban” for gun owners between the ages of 18 and 20.

Appeals court: Lawsuits vs Smith & Wesson over Highland Park massacre belong in Lake County court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A federal appeals panel, led by a judge who has repeatedly upheld "assault weapons" bans, has ruled that gun makers can't use their regulatory relationship with the federal government to keep themselves from being sued in state court when criminals use their weapons to commit mass murder

Maag files expert witness list disclosure in challenge to 'assault weapons' ban

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
Wood River attorney Thomas Maag filed an expert witness disclosure on behalf of the Langley plaintiffs in their constitutional challenge to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s law banning so-called “assault weapons.”

Judge: Bulls great Kukoc can't use Chicago courts to sue Swiss banks over fraud

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A Chicago federal judge said Kukoc making his home in the Chicago area, and communicating with the banks here, is not enough to allow him to sue Swiss banks for allegedly allowing an employee to work with Kukoc's ex-financial advisor to 'raid' millions from Kukoc's accounts

Amazon can't escape potentially huge biometrics class action over virtual try-on tool

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A federal judge has cleared a Cook County woman and her Chicago lawyers to proceed with a class action under Illinois' biometrics privacy law. The same woman and her lawyers failed in 2022 in their bid to target an online eyewear seller over similar claims

Judge says Potawatomi Tribe can't sue Waukegan over casino developer selection process

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The tribe, which operates casinos in Wisconsin, asserted the city had engaged in a rigged and discriminatory bid process that unfairly excluded their proposal. Court documents noted the tribe had also said it sought to reduce losses for its successful Milwaukee location and 'reclaim' ancestral land

Raoul asks IL Supreme Court to dismiss cross-appeal on claim that firearm liability law violated the three readings rule

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
In response to a challenge to the state's firearm liability law, Attorney General Kwame Raoul is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to dismiss Wood River attorney Thomas Maag's cross-appeal on the three readings rule for lack of jurisdiction.

Judge shelves class action vs. The Children's Place for allegedly selling clothing containing PFAS

By Scott Holland |
Kennelly rules plaintiffs have standing but failed to state a claim

Chevron seeks to take Chicago's climate change 'disinformation' suit to federal court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The filing by Chevron says the city's lawsuit is dangerous and misguided, as it would seek to impose Chicago's left-wing policy goals across the globe, and upset a "balance" established by federal regulation that has allowed oil and gas to fuel the modern life enjoyed by everyone in Chicago and worldwide

IL Supreme Court: Patient privacy rights don't extend to medical info collected under child sex assault cases

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The Illinois Supreme Court refused to overturn the conviction of a man who allegedly was convicted of sexually assaulting his daughter after both he and the young girl twice tested positive for chlamydia.

Chuy Garcia takes down ex-alderman candidate's defamation claims over domestic violence rumor

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A state appeals panel says one time 14th Ward aldermanic candidate Jaime Guzman can't revive defamation suit accusing U.S. Rep Jesus "Chuy" Garcia of launching a false rumor accusing Guzman of domestic violence to take him out of 2019 campaign for Ed Burke's seat

Co-pay kickback Medicare, Medicaid fraud lawsuit revived vs Walgreens after 10 years in court

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The lawsuit, filed by two pharmacy techs at a small specialty store in Glenview, accuses Walgreens of intentionally ignoring pharmacists' decisions to waive copays to steer business from a West Side clinic, and then improperly auto-refill prescriptions at higher rates, billed to the government aid programs