Author Archives: Ann Maher

Cook charged with heroin possession; Coroner confirms Christ died from cocaine toxicity

(This story has been updated). St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook has been charged with heroin-related offenses in federal court in East St. Louis. He waived indictment on charges of possessing heroin and being an unlawful user of a … Read More »

News, St. Clair County

Judge Cook under federal investigation; Being held at Washington County Jail

(This story has been updated) St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook is under federal investigation and is no longer presiding over a docket of approximately 200 criminal felony cases. Following warrants executed Wednesday evening at his Belleville home, court … Read More »

News, St. Clair County

LW Systems counters John Doe motions to quash; Says no valid legal reason why it can’t access IDs

Anonymous individuals seeking to quash the release of their identities in a St. Clair County lawsuit that accuses them of illegally downloading pornography have failed to identify “a single valid basis under the law” on which the court should sustain … Read More »

News, Personal Injury, St. Clair County

Lawsuit against Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative settles

A lawsuit against Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative filed in March by the mother of a minor boy has settled. Dona Walker had claimed her son, Douglas Walker III, was utilizing a hammock at the school on March 29, 2012, … Read More »

News, Personal Injury, St. Clair County

MCT and Agency for Community Transit deny liability in disabled woman’s suit

Madison County Mass Transit District (MCT) and the Agency for Community Transit deny liability for a disabled woman’s injuries suffered while she attempted to board a bus in March 2012. The agency responded to a suit filed in February over … Read More »

Madison County, News, Personal Injury

Hylla denies Grafton Zipline Adventures’ motion to dismiss, allows first amended complaint

Madison County Circuit Judge Dave Hylla has denied Grafton Zipline Adventures’ motion dismiss a suit filed by a woman allegedly injured at the facility’s “Barn Burner” run last October. Hylla declared the defense motion moot in light of granting plaintiff’s … Read More »

Madison County, News, Personal Injury

Religious discrimination suit against Aaron’s removed to federal court

A Madison County religious discrimination suit against an East Alton rent-to-own store has been removed to federal court. Ralph Calame Jr. sued Aaron’s Inc. on April 1 claiming he was unlawfully fired for his religious beliefs in March 2012. Calame … Read More »

Madison County, News, Retaliatory Discharge

Defendant in fatal apartment fire suit wants judge to enforce discovery agreement

A Roxana property owner fighting a Madison County wrongful death lawsuit is asking the Court to force one of the plaintiffs to respond to interrogatories and requests for production. Dawson M. Cooper was sued last year by Tiffany Gresham and … Read More »

Madison County, News, Wrongful Death

WVS hires litigation support specialist and forms eDiscovery practice group

Williams Venker & Sanders LLC of St. Louis has announced the creation of its eDiscovery & Information Management (eDIM) group and hired litigation support specialist, James R. Arnold. The new eDIM group will be led by Williams Venker & Sanders … Read More »

Features, Madison County, News

Hearing in LW Systems case reset for June; Affidavit in Minnesota case outlines alleged ‘John Doe’ strategy

Internet service providers (ISPs) seeking to quash subpoenas of customer identities will argue their joint motion before St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Gleeson on June 6 – reset from May 16 – in a case where targets are accused … Read More »

News, St. Clair County