Ann Maher News
Rock climbing wall injury in '06 subject of trial in St. Clair County; Defense argues plaintiff had been drinking, wearing heels
A personal injury trial will get under way in St. Clair County Circuit Court today involving a woman who claims injuries after falling from a motorized rock climbing simulator in Belleville.
Elections board deadlocked in judicial ballot challenge; Judicial review may be sought in Cook or Sangamon County
CHICAGO - A tie vote following a hearing today at the Illinois State Board of Elections means no action will be taken by the board on a St. Clair County judicial ballot challenge.
Fifth District finds circumstantial evidence was sufficient to secure FELA verdict against Union Pacific; Moore sharply dissents
A railroad worker who was rear-ended by a drunk driver while being transported in a van from a rail yard to a train in 2008 will get another shot at convincing St. Clair County jurors that Union Pacific was negligent for the auto accident.
Hearing officer recommends objections to judges' candidacies be overruled
Hearing officer David Herman is recommending that the State Board of Elections overrule objections to the candidacies of St. Clair County circuit judges John Baricevic, Robert LeChien and Robert Haida.
Only one in seven local judicial candidates raised funds in fourth quarter
Only one of seven circuit court candidates in Madison and St. Clair counties raised funds in the fourth quarter of 2015. Madison County Circuit Court Judge William Mudge received $35,150 in individual campaign contributions, half of which were not itemized. In the itemized contributions, Mudge's campaign committee received $17,425 through 62 donations, none of which exceeded $500.
State Board of Elections set to hear objections to St. Clair County judges' candidacies Jan. 20
The Illinois State Board of Elections will meet next week to hear challenges to the candidacies of three sitting circuit judges who have chosen unusual paths toward keeping their positions. Twentieth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge John Baricevic and Circuit Judges Robert LeChien and Robert Haida submitted letters of resignation to Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita Garman both on Aug. 3 and Aug. 14, 2015, writing that they intended to seek election to their seats rather than to seek retenti
Fund-raising reports for Democratic Fifth District contenders show a favorite among some Metro-East attorneys
Fund-raising efforts for two Democratic contenders seeking seats at the Fifth District Appellate Court tell different stories. According to financial disclosure statements filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections, Metro-East personal injury firms or attorneys contributed approximately one-fourth of the total $30,200 in itemized individual contributions received by the campaign committee of Jo Beth Weber of Mount Vernon.
Supreme Court rejects Tillery's latest attempt to revive Price v. Philip Morris
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court has denied attorney Stephen Tillery's request to recall a mandate the Court issued a decade ago after it struck down a $10.1 billion judgment against Philip Morris. In the same announcement posted this afternoon, the Court also denied Tillery's move to recuse or disqualify Justice Lloyd Karmeier from hearing the matter. Only Justice Robert Thomas did not participate in the decisions. Karmeier denied a similar recusal motion last year, after Tillery’s b
McCarter gets endorsement from #Cantored Club for Growth PAC
Kyle McCarter is pretty certain he can win the U.S. House seat in the state's politically conservative 15th Congressional District.
Milk marketing dispute to be argued at Illinois Supreme Court on Jan. 14
A fraud suit that originated 10 years ago in Madison County will be argued at the Illinois Supreme Court on Jan. 14. Prairie Farms Dairy (PFD) is appealing a Fourth District Appellate Court decision involving a milk marketing agreement that went in favor of plaintiffs Michael and Denise Richter of Highland in June.
Was Troy speeding ticket processed in timely fashion? Supreme Court to hear arguments Jan. 12
The Illinois Supreme Court on Jan. 12 will hear oral arguments involving a speeding ticket issued in Troy, and any action it takes could alter the rules of the road. The case involves driver Christopher Geiler who was stopped by Troy police May 5, 2014, for exceeding the speed limit by 15 miles per hour.
Subpoenas sought in challenge to St. Clair County judges' nominations; Dallas Cook seeks emails discussing 'motives and methods'
Subpoenas have been requested of St. Clair County Circuit Judges John Baricevic, Robert LeChien and Robert Haida in a case before the State Board of Elections challenging their nominations as Democratic candidates for seats they vacated. Dallas Cook, Belleville's city clerk, seeks to have the judges' names removed from the March primary ballot, arguing their candidacies are not valid because they are required by statute to run for retention, not re-election as they seek to do.
St. Clair County judges hire election law specialist to defend nomination objections; Kasper has represented Obama, Clinton and Emanuel
A Chicago election law attorney who has represented President Obama and former President Clinton in election litigation will be helping three St. Clair County judges whose nomination papers face challenge at the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Chicago doctor and researcher appears as witness in several Simmons' asbestos suits
A Chicago cancer doctor whose research organization has received funding from the Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation has appeared in at least seven Madison County asbestos lawsuits as a treating physician or expert witness for cases filed by the Simmons firm of Alton.
New St. Clair County GOP leader welcomes 'political refugees'; Objecting to judges' candidacies one of several battle fronts
"Define objectives and organize for victory" is a strategy that retired Army intelligence officer Doug Jameson is applying in his new role as chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Party. And rebuilding the party's foundation by filling vacant precinct committee positions has been a top priority.
Illinois Supreme Court establishes uniform standards, certification process for problem-solving courts
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the creation of uniform standards and a certification and application process for problem-solving courts across the state. Statewide standards will bring uniformity, accountability and administrative oversight to problem solving courts in Illinois, where there are already more than 100 in operation and more in the planning stages.
Supreme Court raises law license, certification fees
For the first time in nearly a century, the fees to obtain an Illinois law license and to certify documents will increase next year. The fee to obtain an initial law license will be raised from $5 to $50 and the fee to certify documents in the state's reviewing courts will go from $1 to $5.
Objections to Baricevic, LeChien and Haida candidacies raised; Judges should have to run for retention, not re-election, petitions say
Election paperwork of three sitting circuit judges running for election in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit is being challenged with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Dallas Cook, Belleville city clerk and a Republican candidate for St. Clair County circuit clerk, objected to the nomination papers of Circuit Judges John Baricevic, Robert Haida and Robert LeChien, who are running on the Democratic ticket.
Cahokia annexation proposal is political say objectors; Judge allows proceedings to go forward
A move to annex portions of unincorporated Cahokia into the village is purely political, according to area residents who showed up for a court hearing Monday morning.
Judicial races take shape in Twentieth Judicial Circuit
Unusual is one way to describe judicial races developing in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Voters will see contests in two of three open seats that were created by judges who vacated their positions so they could win them back by way of a simple majority vote, versus the long-standing tradition of retention which requires three-fifths approval. Two of the sitting judges seeking to stay on the bench are not running for the seats they vacated - they are running for each other's.