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State Court
John Trapp sues City of Burbank Firefighters’ Pension Fund and The Board of Trustees for wrongful termination of pension benefits
In a case filed in the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, John Trapp has appealed against the City of Burbank Firefighters’ Pension Fund and The Board of Trustees of the Burbank Firefighters’ Pension Fund.
State Court
IL courts hit with avalanche of pre-trial jail appeals under SAFE-T Act; Rules rewritten to ease 'staggering' burden
The Illinois Supreme Court has rewritten rules governing how criminal defendants can appeal judges' decisions to keep them locked up while they await trial, after such appeals rose from 171 in the past 10 years to more than 1,900 in the past five months under Illinois Democrats' SAFE-T Act
State Court
Mark Sporcich sues Village of Arlington Heights for building code violation
In the case of Mark Sporcich versus Village of Arlington Heights, Village of Arlington Heights Administrative Adjudication, Village of Arlington Heights Department of Building and Life Safety, and Daniel Hanlon, filed in the Appellate Court of Illinois (First District), with court case ID 1-23-1140 on March 14, 2024.
State Court
Lorenzo Davis sues City of Chicago for unlawful retaliation and violation of the Whistleblower Act
In the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, Lorenzo Davis, represented by his attorney, is the Plaintiff-Appellee/Cross-Appellant against the City of Chicago, the Defendant-Appellant/Cross-Appellee.
State Court
Kelly King sues Illinois State Board of Elections for objection to Montelle L. Gaji's nomination papers
In a case filed in the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District (case ID: 1-24-0256), Kelly King has lodged an appeal against the Illinois State Board of Elections and several individuals associated with it.
State Court
IL Supreme Court: Hockey club that rents ice arena can be sued under IL human rights law for 'banishing' teen diagnosed with depression
The Illinois Supreme Court says the teen's mental health diagnoses mean she could be protected by the IL Human Rights Act's anti-discrimination provisions protecting access to "places of public accommodation." Objectors contended such reasoning could open broad range of private organizations to lawsuits, violating First Amendment
State Court
Illinois Supreme Court sets new standard on when convicted felons can credibly claim 'torture' by cops
A divided Illinois Supreme Court rejected the attempt by Darrell Fair, who was convicted of murder and armed robbery, but claimed some of his statements while in police custody were coerced by torture. A Cook County trial judge had called such claims "an absolute lie."
State Court
Jerico Matias Cruz sues Illinois State Board of Elections and Kent Sinson for disqualification from running for office
The lawsuit filed by Jerico Matias Cruz against the Illinois State Board of Elections and Kent Sinson in the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District (Case ID: 1-24-0333) was decided on March 11, 2024.
State Court
British law firm Baker & McKenzie must face lawsuit in Chicago over seized Russian coal mine, appeals panel says
Dissent argues ruling makes Illinois' already clogged courts even more appealing to foreign plaintiffs, even if the cases have no real connection to the U.S. The Baker firm says the case is a prime example of "forum shopping," and the decision is an "affront" to legal doctrines governing where cases are heard
State Court
Appeals panel upholds record $42M verdict vs Advocate for quadriplegic who died awaiting surgery
Illinois state appeals panel says Advocate Health bore direct responsibility to ensure supplies and medications were on hand at the right time for surgery in 2017 to replace implant needed to keep man alive
State Court
Appeals panel sides with Arlington Heights vs Rolling Meadows over wrongly kept tax 'windfall' from Cooper's Hawk restaurant
Rolling Meadows says it may take the case to the Illinois Supreme Court.
State Court
IL Supreme Court says temp worker firms can be sued for collusion under state antitrust laws
A unanimous state Supreme Court said nothing in Illinois law protects temporary worker staffing firms and the employers to whom they supply workers from lawsuits accusing them of conspiring to hold down worker wages and prevent worker poaching by competitors.
State Court
Lawsuit asks court to order Dolton to pay $33.5M verdict to families of men killed, injured in police chase crash
The lawsuit says the court could order the village to raise taxes to fund the judgment. They say such action is needed to address financial mismanagement in Dolton under Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
State Court
IL Supreme Court: State OK to consolidate local police, firefighter pension funds
The state high court said the state law consolidating control over 650 local pension funds for police officers and firefighters - which the state has projected will bring in an additional $2.5B over 5 years for pensions - did not run afoul of the Illinois pensions protection clause.
State Court
IL state appeals panel curbs class action vs Stone Park over red light camera tickets
Appeals justices rule the class action stood as an improper attempt to circumvent village's administrative hearing process through which such tickets can be challenged, before suing in court.
State Court
IL Supreme Court curbs class action vs Chicago over alleged bogus Central Biz District parking tickets
The court ruled the plaintiff should not have filed his lawsuit before "exhausting" his opportunities to challenge the validity of the ticket through Chicago's city administrative hearing process.
State Court
Illinois Supreme Court says cyclist can't sue Chicago for injuries caused by pothole
The state high court said a lower court was wrong to determine that the presence of Divvy stations meant the city has abandoned its longstanding position that cyclists should be considered "permitted, but not intended" users of many city streets, unless the streets are clearly marked for bicycle use
State Court
Cook County judge says bankruptcy doesn't mean man gets out of jail without paying divorce lawyers
Calling it a "Christmas present," a Cook County divorce court judge said she'd release River Forest businessman Marty Paris, who has been jailed since Dec. 8, if he came up with $300K now, and pay $200K later, rather than full $500K immediately. Paris had sought his release while his Chapt. 7 bankruptcy moves forward
State Court
Appeals panel: Road builders can keep up lawsuit accusing Cook County of misusing transportation tax dollars
The appeals panel says a Cook County judge wrongly shut down the lawsuit from contractors who say the county has budgeted transportation money to fund other county departments, allegedly in violation of the 2016 Safe Roads Amendment to the Illinois state constitution.
State Court
Man says Cook County judge wrongly jailed him for not paying divorce lawyers, asks bankruptcy court to free him
River Forest real estate developer Marty Paris was sent to Cook County Jail on Dec. 8, under orders from a Cook County judge, with no release in sight unless he pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to his ex-wife and lawyers amid highly contentious divorce