Hot Topics News
Hot Topics
IL Supreme Court asked to hear cross-appeals on judge’s order declaring forum law unconstitutional
Madison County Associate Judge Ronald Foster’s order declaring Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s forum law is unconstitutional for plaintiffs residing or injured outside of Cook and Sangamon Counties has been appealed directly to the Illinois Supreme Court by both parties for separate reasons.
Hot Topics
Realtors to pay $418M to end home seller commission class action; Big changes coming to home sale process
Lawyers who brought the lawsuits could be in for a big payday, as well, potentially claiming $140 million from the deal, plus $69 million from earlier settlements with large real estate brokerages facing similar claims of alleged collusion to boost real estate agent commissions
Latest News
Hot Topics
Foster declares Pritzker's venue law unconstitutional, refuses to transfer firearm liability challenge to Sangamon County
Madison County Associate Judge Ronald J. Foster Jr. declared Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s forum law favoring Cook and Sangamon County is unconstitutional and denied Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s motion to transfer an Alton gun store’s constitutional challenge to both the venue law and the firearm liability law.
Hot Topics
Opponents to Chicago property sales tax hike referendum ask IL Supreme Court to step in
Business groups argued an appellate court's decision reinstating the referendum on the ballot would effectively allow the Chicago City Council and other lawmaking bodies across the state to place any referendum questions on any ballot they wish, regardless if the questions are constitutional
Hot Topics
Judges: Courts must 'remain on sidelines' on school 'gender support' policies until parents' rights are violated
A federal appeals panel has dismissed a lawsuit brought against Wisconsin school district by parents who say the district's new "gender support guidance" for school staff will inevitably lead to school staff violating their constitutional rights as parents to direct the upbringing of their children
Hot Topics
Fourth District: Constitutional challenge to Pritzker's COVID-19 emergency orders declared moot
The Fourth District Appellate Court affirmed Sangamon County Associate Judge Jennifer M. Ascher’s order finding a lawsuit filed by a group of Illinois educators moot because the COVID-19 emergency orders they were challenging are no longer in effect.
Hot Topics
IL's federal chief judge declines to answer senators' questions about S. IL judges' alleged discriminatory orders
Senators Cruz and Kennedy had sought answers from Seventh Circuit Chief Judge Diane Sykes about the courts' response to a complaint over orders issued by three southern Illinois federal judges which establish a preference to hear oral arguments from "newer, female and minority" lawyers
Hot Topics
Counties say Supreme Court decision chastising forced home sales over unpaid property tax bills shouldn't apply in IL
A group of Illinois counties, including DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will, argued that a class action lawsuit over "equity theft" should be tossed, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision that appears to declare sales of entire homes to satisfy delinquent property tax bills to be unconstitutional takings
Hot Topics
Chicago sues oil companies over climate 'disinformation'; Lawsuit 'set up for failure,' industry warns
The lawsuit is backed by some of the same organizations and law firms behind dozens of other similar lawsuits across the U.S., which critics say are politically motivated and designed to bankrupt the industry that fuels the U.S.
Hot Topics
Parents' lawsuit says Chicago Teachers Union should pay $250M for Jan. '22 work stoppage
The lawsuit says CTU and its leaders should pay for calling an 'illegal strike,' which caused a public nuisance and cost CPS students and their families time and money, while causing irreversible learning loss, over fear of Covid
Hot Topics
Maag argues self incrimination claims support partial summary judgment in gun ban challenge
Wood River attorney Thomas Maag supports his motion for partial summary judgment in one of four consolidated gun ban lawsuits filed in the Southern District of Illinois, arguing that the registration requirement violates gun owners’ Constitutional privilege against self-incrimination.
Hot Topics
'Once and for all': SCOTUS asked to strike down IL 'assault weapons' ban, end 'defiance' from states, courts
Three petitions were filed on behalf of Illinois gun owners, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to send a message to defiant courts and state lawmakers, who have all but thumbed their noses at SCOTUS' Second Amendment rulings in passing and upholding new gun restrictions in Illinois and elsewhere
Hot Topics
McGlynn moves forward with gun ban litigation, says he won't wait for gov to figure out what they actually passed
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn told Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wells he won’t wait for the state to explain the choices legislators made in the weapon ban they passed last year.
Hot Topics
Yandle rejects lifetime disarmament for felons, finds the law unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle concluded that the law precluding felons from possessing a firearm is unconstitutional in the same way that gun owners argue the state’s “assault weapons” ban violates the Second Amendment.
Hot Topics
'Political winds:' Biz groups urge judge to nix power grab by City Hall in metal yard permit case
Business advocacy groups warned of dire consequences for Chicago and its economy if City Hall is allowed to use "public health" to justify changing the rules midstream when evaluating industrial development permits, as it did when denying $80M Southside Recycling project
Hot Topics
McGlynn denies motion to stay gun ban challenge, says it's time to 'decide what you’re fighting over'
EAST ST. LOUIS - Plaintiffs challenging Illinois' so-called "assault weapon" ban moved to stay proceedings with agreement from the state’s lawyer, but U.S. District Judge McGlynn told them it was time to move forward.
Hot Topics
Bus company sues Chicago over ordinance enacted to stop Texas migrant drop-offs
The lawsuit claims a city ordinance regulating where and how buses from out of state can drop off passengers is unconstitutionally attempting to regulate immigration and interstate commerce, while illegally discriminating against migrants, as well.
Hot Topics
IL courts help fuel massive class action, settlement activity in 2023: Duane Morris annual report
Class action settlements collective totaling more than $51 billion in 2023 helped to generate 'most extensive ... transfer of wealth' in U.S. court history, new report says. Illinois biometrics class actions one of 'hottest' growth sectors in litigation, according to the report.
Hot Topics
SCOTUS rejects appeal of IL Supreme Court gun ban ruling, despite big Pritzker giving to justices
The U.S. Supreme Court denied appeal from Decatur gun rights supporters, who argued their rights were violated when the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state's new "assault weapons" ban law and the state's two newest Democratic justices refused to recuse, despite millions in campaign gifts from Gov. JB Pritzker and his allies
Hot Topics
Judge halves bond needed to release jailed man to begin paying divorce legal fees
A Cook County family court judge has cut in half the amount of money needed for a River Forest businessman to be released from jail to satisfy a previous order to begin paying off $1.6 million in legal bills compiled during a contentious divorce.