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Sunday, May 5, 2024

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Parents' lawsuit says Chicago Teachers Union should pay $250M for Jan. '22 work stoppage

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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

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Maag argues self incrimination claims support partial summary judgment in gun ban challenge

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
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.

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'Once and for all': SCOTUS asked to strike down IL 'assault weapons' ban, end 'defiance' from states, courts

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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

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McGlynn moves forward with gun ban litigation, says he won't wait for gov to figure out what they actually passed

By Steve Korris |
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.

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Yandle rejects lifetime disarmament for felons, finds the law unconstitutional

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
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.

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'Political winds:' Biz groups urge judge to nix power grab by City Hall in metal yard permit case

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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

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McGlynn denies motion to stay gun ban challenge, says it's time to 'decide what you’re fighting over'

By Steve Korris |
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.

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Bus company sues Chicago over ordinance enacted to stop Texas migrant drop-offs

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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.

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IL courts help fuel massive class action, settlement activity in 2023: Duane Morris annual report

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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.

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SCOTUS rejects appeal of IL Supreme Court gun ban ruling, despite big Pritzker giving to justices

By Jonathan Bilyk |
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

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Judge halves bond needed to release jailed man to begin paying divorce legal fees

By Chris Dickerson |
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.

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Oversight committee raised questions about 'assault weapons' ban ahead of Monday's registration deadline

By Steve Korris |
SPRINGFIELD - As the new year begins, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ban on so-called "assault weapons" takes effect under emergency rules that still leave many questions unanswered.

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McGlynn denies preliminary injunction so gun ban dispute can move forward, saying 'Gov. exists to serve us, not lord over us'

By Steve Korris |
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn ended what he called preliminary wrangling over the state's controversial weapon law, or the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA), so he can decide whether it violates a constitutional right to bear arms.

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McGlynn hears arguments on firearm registration injunction; State counsel: Ignorance of statute is no defense to criminal prosecution

By Steve Korris |
EAST ST. LOUIS - Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois can move to enjoin registration of weapons and parts after the deadline passes on Jan. 1, U. S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn said at a hearing on Dec. 12.

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SCOTUS declines to block IL 'assault weapons' ban; Law poised to take effect on Jan. 1

By Jonathan Bilyk |
In the past two days, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined two invitations to issue emergency injunctions blocking the state from enforcing the new gun ban law. The decision leaves thousands, if not millions, of Illinois residents facing the risk of criminal charges while constitutional challenges to the law continue to play out in court

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Illinois native Circuit Judge Millett authors ruling on Trump's gag order, partially upholding restrictions

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
After receiving attention last month for yelling at former President Donald J. Trump’s lawyer for refusing to answer a hypothetical question, Marine native and Circuit Judge Patricia A. Millett delivered an opinion for the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit partially upholding his gag order.

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Raoul gives up targeting pro-life centers under law judge called 'stupid, unconstitutional'

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has agreed to never attempt to enforce a new state law targeting abortion 'misinformation.' The law was labeled a blatant attempt to silence religious and political speech of abortion opponents

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Illinois state officials move to dismiss amended gun ban challenge, relying on prior Seventh Circuit ruling

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
The state defendants accused of violating the rights of law-abiding gun owners in Illinois seek to dismiss the new due process claims raised in the amended complaint filed by gun advocates, which allege citizens did not receive proper notice of the vague “assault weapons” ban rules.

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IL 'assault weapons' ban challengers ask SCOTUS to step into constitutional court fight, block gun ban

By Jonathan Bilyk |
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett directed the state to respond to the petitioners' assertions that, not only is the law unconstitutional, but federal judges in Chicago have twisted SCOTUS rulings to say the state is clearly allowed to ban "dangerous" weapons that aren't protected by the Second Amendment

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McGlynn rejects state's request for more time to respond to motion for injunctive relief from firearm registration deadline

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
U.S District Judge Stephen McGlynn denied the state’s request for additional time to respond to a motion by gun advocates seeking injunctive relief from the approaching firearm registration deadline, but he granted their request to file a lengthy response “due to the complexity of the arguments in the motion for preliminary injunction.”