Reform
The Next Battles: BIPA changes will spark new debates, but may not alter field for other rising class action causes
Lawyers who filled Illinois courts with thousands of class actions under the IL Biometric Information Privacy Act have also generated scads of big money claims under the state's Genetic Info Privacy Act. But while the claims are similar, BIPA reforms may not translate into reduced risk for IL businesses under GIPA
Campaigns & Elections
Judge denies TRO sought by GOP candidates to block law that changed election rules to keep GOPers off ballot
Hot Topics
Foxx to curtail prosecutions vs offenders caught in certain car searches; Fioretti pledges to reverse on 'Day One'
State Court
Appeals panel: Oak Lawn must face lawsuit for quick cancel of IT services contract
Illinois appeals judges said Oak Lawn can't use the state Municipal Code to sidestep a lawsuit claiming the village illegally cancelled a 5-year contract for services worth $800,000 after just three months because village officials determined the deal wasn't "working out."
Legislation
IL lawmakers OK bill to limit risk of financial ruin for businesses targeted by biometrics class actions
The Illinois House has passed legislation to reform the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The legislation would specify that the law's costly damages demands should be applied per person, not per fingerprint or other biometric scan. Biz groups say the reforms are welcome, but more are needed
Illinois Democrats retroactively changed the law to knock out Republican challengers. Surely, lawsuits must follow.
From Madison Record
From Madison Record
Lawdragon names Cozen O’Connor’s Shaw among Top 500 leading U.S. bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers
CHICAGO, July 17, 2023 — Lawdragon has named Chicago attorney Brian Shaw, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring practice, to its 2023 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers.
Cozen O’Connor attorney Matt DiCianni honored with Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center
Matt DiCianni, a labor and employment associate at Cozen O’Connor, has been honored with a Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).
Federal Court
Woman sues The University of Chicago Medical Center alleging Pregnancy-Based Discrimination
A woman named Ciara Norals has taken legal action against The University of Chicago Medical Center, alleging pregnancy-based discrimination and retaliation. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, seeks redress under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2023.
Federal Court
Woman sues Dollar Tree Stores for Negligence Resulting in Slip and Fall Accident
In a lawsuit filed in Illinois, a woman alleges that negligence on part of Dollar Tree Stores led to her slipping and falling in one of their stores. She is seeking damages exceeding $50,000.
Federal Court
Man alleges Hearthside Food Solutions failed to pay overtime wages
A lawsuit has been filed against Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC by a former employee, Benjamin Mathes. The plaintiff claims the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay overtime wages.
Federal Court
Plaintiffs accuse USAA Federal Savings Bank of unauthorized transactions
A mother-daughter duo has filed a lawsuit against USAA Federal Savings Bank, alleging unauthorized transactions from their accounts. They claim the bank failed to address their disputes promptly and are seeking reimbursement for the stolen funds.
Federal Court
Man accuses Chicago Police Officers and The City of Chicago of Unlawful Stop and Search
A man has filed a lawsuit against two Chicago police officers and the city itself, alleging he was unlawfully stopped, searched, and falsely charged. He is seeking damages for significant injuries including loss of liberty and invasion of privacy.
Federal Court
Man accuses Fresh Express Incorporated of Age Discrimination
In a recent lawsuit, Robert Davis alleges that Fresh Express Incorporated violated his rights under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The case highlights potential issues around age-based discrimination within the workplace.
Federal Court
Man accuses Village of Lyons Police Officer of unlawful detention and search
A man has filed a lawsuit against a police officer for unlawful detention and search. The case involves allegations of violations of the United States Constitution and the Civil Rights Act.
Federal Court
Man sues Land of A Thousand Hills Coffee Shop, LLC for ADA Violation over Digital Accessibility
A visually impaired man, Holger Fiallo, has sued Land of A Thousand Hills Coffee Shop, alleging that their digital properties are not accessible to visually impaired individuals. The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of digital accessibility in the post-pandemic era.
Federal Court
Police officer accuses City of Chicago police officers of sex discrimination and retaliation
In a civil rights lawsuit, a woman alleges sex discrimination and retaliation by the City of Chicago and several police officers. The plaintiff claims her complaints to the EEOC led to further mistreatment.
Judge says psychiatrists must end class action over Board certification maintenance programs
A federal judge has a class action brought by a group of psychiatrists vs American Board of Psychology and Neurology, in which ABPN was accused of unfairly using monopoly power over certifications to force participation in certification maintenance programs, allegedly encroaching on continuing ed market
Dolton cop says Henyard, police commanders violated law by promoting unqualified officers to sergeant
A Dolton Police officer has filed suit against the village and controversy-plagued Mayor Tiffany Henyard, accusing the village of illegally passing him over for promotion to sergeant and then illegally suspending him without pay for filing a report with a state police oversight board to report a fellow officer who was writing bogus parking tickets
Lawsuit says Northwestern failed Jewish students by 'coddling' pro-Hamas, 'terror-supporting' encampment
A class action lawsuit accuses Northwestern University of a breach of contract with its Jewish students by allowing a pro-Hamas rife with antisemitic bigotry to continue on the campus' central lawn, allegedly in violation of university policies
IL Supreme Court allows Raoul's motion to dismiss cross-appeal on claim that firearm liability law violated the three readings rule
The Illinois Supreme Court has allowed Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s motion to dismiss Wood River attorney Thomas Maag’s cross-appeal on the three readings rule for lack of jurisdiction and rejected Maag’s motion for leave to respond as moot.
Ex-Onward restaurant owner pressing on with court fight vs Loyola over restaurant's demise
Restaurateur Michael Olszewski says Loyola University undermined and "kicked to the curb" the Onward Rogers Park fine dining restaurant into which Olszewski said he sunk more than $1M, at Loyola's request. The university says Olszewski "caused problems" for years and didn't pay rent during the Covid shutdowns
Foxx to curtail prosecutions vs offenders caught in certain car searches; Fioretti pledges to reverse on 'Day One'
Cook County State's Attorney candidate Robert Fioretti called Kim Foxx's new policy unconstitutional and a 'dereliction of duty' which would make unsafe neighborhoods worse. His opponent in the race to replace Foxx, former judge Eileen O'Neill Burke has not weighed in on the policy critics say will further bind police vs violent crime
SCOTUS to decide soon whether to review IL 'assault weapons' ban
Allowing the 'absurd' legal reasoning to stand that was used by lower courts to uphold Illinois' law would undermine SCOTUS decisions and essentially empower states to ban all manner of guns, challengers said, urging the high court to take their appeals
White Castle to pay $9.5M to settle contentious worker fingerprint scans case
A long court fight over the case had resulted in a landmark Illinois Supreme Court decision, which placed Illinois businesses at risk of "annihilative" payouts, leading lawmakers to at last move to reform the law to potentially avert further economic harm.
Dexter Reed's family sues Chicago cops over Reed's death, after Reed fired at Chicago cops in traffic stop
The family says officers are to blame because they shouldn't have stopped Reed at all, and then acted "outrageously" in pulling their weapons on Reed. They do not concede Reed fired first. Police advocates say the plaintiffs look to be seeking a "quick settlement" from Mayor Brandon Johnson's City Hall
Cook County shuts door on class action claims that property tax sale system discriminates vs black, Latino homeowners
A federal judge said class action plaintiffs haven't done enough to support claims that Cook County's property tax sale system - which sells off homes to collect unpaid property taxes - discriminates vs black and Latino homeowners. The decision doesn't end claims the system is unconstitutional
Judge denies TRO sought by GOP candidates to block law that changed election rules to keep GOPers off ballot
The lawsuit, filed by four prospective Republican state House and Senate candidates, say Illinois Democrats violated the right to vote by rushing through a new state elections law that rewrites the candidate selection process in the middle of the 2024 election cycle to protect their incumbents from possible challengers
IL lawmakers OK bill to limit risk of financial ruin for businesses targeted by biometrics class actions
The Illinois House has passed legislation to reform the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The legislation would specify that the law's costly damages demands should be applied per person, not per fingerprint or other biometric scan. Biz groups say the reforms are welcome, but more are needed
Big asbestos law firm accused of cheating its way to billions
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Fraud drove asbestos lawsuits at the prominent plaintiffs firm Simmons Hanly Conroy, J-M Manufacturing Company is alleging in a new racketeering lawsuit.
Appeals panel: Oak Lawn must face lawsuit for quick cancel of IT services contract
Illinois appeals judges said Oak Lawn can't use the state Municipal Code to sidestep a lawsuit claiming the village illegally cancelled a 5-year contract for services worth $800,000 after just three months because village officials determined the deal wasn't "working out."
Chicago jury orders downstate hospital system, dialysis clinic to pay $41M to lawyer who suffered stroke, paralysis
The verdict vs OSF Healthcare and Fresenius Medical Care, among other downstate medical providers, was the largest ever awarded in Illinois for medical malpractice for a victim over the age of 70. Judges refused to send the case to central Illinois, where the injuries occurred and the stroke victim lived and received medical care.
Woman sues Dollar Tree Stores for Negligence Resulting in Slip and Fall Accident
In a lawsuit filed in Illinois, a woman alleges that negligence on part of Dollar Tree Stores led to her slipping and falling in one of their stores. She is seeking damages exceeding $50,000.
Judicial reform advocate says IL Judges Assn allows judges to band together to squelch public criticism
Attorney and court reform advocate Edward "Coach" Weinhaus sued the Illinois Judges Association in federal court, accusing the organization of serving as a cabal enabling judges to quell critics. He pointed to his experiences in Illinois courts after criticizing the presiding judge over Cook County's divorce courts
Cook County Judge Carl Boyd suspended from hearing cases after charged with domestic battery
Cook County Circuit Judge Carl Boyd was charged with domestic battery in an incident Chicago Police say left a woman with a cut on her cheek from broken glass. Boyd has served on the Cook County bench since 2012