Jonathan Bilyk News
IL Supreme Court upholds 'assault weapons' ban; Decision does not address 2nd Amend claims
In seeming 4-3 decision, court's majority says gun ban doesn't violate equal protection rights. Dissents divided, as Pritzker-backed justice says the law wrongly allows cops to keep gun rights, and conservatives say lawmakers unconstitutionally OK'd the law
'Stupid and unconstitutional:' Raoul blocked by federal judge from enforcing IL abortion 'misinformation' law
A Rockford federal judge granted a preliminary injunction sought by pro-life groups and so-called crisis pregnancy centers, who said Illinois, under Gov. JB Pritkzer and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, was attempting to use the new law to silence abortion opponents unconstitutionally
IL appeals panel ends lawsuit in which Pritzker accused of helping friend defraud state
A state appeals court in Springfield says Attorney General Raoul within his power to pull plug on suit, despite political implications against Gov. JB Prtizker
IL pregnancy center law unconstitutional attempt to stifle speech of abortion opponents: Lawsuit
The law empowers Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a staunch supporter of unlimited abortion rights, to use a state consumer fraud law to investigate, prosecute and potentially fine and shut down pro-life pregnancy centers if Raoul believes they are spreading "misinformation" about abortion
Appeals court: IL Supreme Court must rein in lawmakers' abuse of legislative process
A Springfield appeals panel has called on Illinois' highest court to do more than just 'bluster' and follow through on threats to police state lawmakers who rely on prior leniency from the state Supreme Court to all but ignore constitutional rules governing how laws must be passed
Should BIPA plaintiffs who lose pay defendants' legal bills? Yes, says Dior
Fashion designer Christian Dior says courts should send a message to plaintiffs who may bring doomed lawsuits because they believe they can "extract" a settlement from defendant companies, at no risk to themselves
IL Supreme Court: State OK to completely abolish cash bail, because state constitution doesn't require it
The Democratic supermajority on the Illinois Supreme Court agreed that state lawmakers are OK to redefine 'bail' to meet progressive policy goals without first amending the state constitution
Appeals court to decide if Raoul can kill off lawsuit, potentially embarrassing for Pritzker
IL A/G says plaintiff hasn't proven A/G is acting under political pressure to seek to dismiss a lawsuit against politically connected ex-state worker accused of defrauding state for $500K, allegedly under protection of Gov. JB Pritzker's office
Appeals court: Lawsuit can resume challenging constitutionality of feds' across-the-board ban on gun ownership by felons
A divided appeals panel says a Supreme Court ruling means lower courts can't simply agree with governments that they have the authority under the Second Amendment to categorically deny gun ownership rights to those convicted of felonies, or other "dangerous" people
Judge says California law requiring racial minority, LGBT representation on corporate boards is unconstitutional
The ruling could have implications for similar legislation or laws in other Democrat-dominated states, like Illinois, where lawmakers have considered following California's lead on increasing corporate board diversity by force of law
SCOTUS won't step into IL 'assault weapons' ban fight, for now
Illinois' ban on so-called 'assault weapons' will remain in place, likely through much of the summer, as the Supreme Court turned aside a long-shot bid for an emergency injunction blocking enforcement of the law while a federal appeals court and the Illinois Supreme Court consider constitutional challenges to the gun ban
IL Supreme Court grapples with how to address state constitutional claims in challenge to 'assault weapons' ban
Justices on the Illinois high court questioned what legal standards to use to determine the fate of the lawsuit by downstate gun owners claiming the Illinois 'assault weapons' ban violates their rights to equal protection, by denying most of Illinois a right to own and use 'assault weapons,' while exempting others
'California Knows Best:' SCOTUS says California can use Prop 12 to regulate pork producers across the country
Dissenting justices warned California should now expect other states to respond in kind, following California's "blueprint" to use state laws and market power to bypass Congress and bend the rest of the country to the will of voters in just one or a handful of states
Appeals court reinstates IL 'assault weapons' ban, for now; Invites challenger response
A federal appeals court judge in Chicago has put a hold on a southern Illinois federal judge's injunction blocking enforcement of the new Illinois gun ban. The appeals court judge will allow challengers to argue why prior appellate decisions allowing "assault weapons" bans may no longer apply under U.S. Supreme Court rulings
Madigan associates 'ComEd Four' convicted in bribery scheme
Jurors sided with prosecutors, who accused the former ComEd CEO and three top associates of former Illinois House Speaker and Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan of participating in a scheme to bribe Madigan in exchange for legislation to boost ComEd's revenue
S. IL fed judge says IL 'assault weapons' ban likely violates Second Amendment, puts enforcement on hold
The judge said the state has fallen far short of proving the banned weapons are not only 'dangerous,' but also 'unusual,' which he said is the correct standard for evaluating gun bans under recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions
Battle over IL gun ban expanding, setting stage for big showdown to come before Chicago fed appeals court
Lawyers for gun makers' trade group, the National Sports Shooting Foundation, and others have filed briefs seeking to undo a Chicago federal judge's order largely upholding the Illinois "assault weapons" ban, saying the reasoning doesn't hold up under the U.S. Supreme Court's recent rulings
Who benefits from Illinois' biometrics privacy law? Mostly trial lawyers, new report says
A report from the Chamber of Progress, which speaks for many "progressive" minded big tech and ecommerce companies, says Illinois' controversial Biometric Information Privacy Act has harmed Illinois' economy and limited access to new tech offerings in the state, while enriching lawyers
Two new Dem IL Supreme Court justices asked to step aside from hearing challenge to IL 'assault weapons' ban
Lawyers for plaintiffs say Justices Rochford and O'Brien both accepted millions in campaign contributions and endorsements from Gov. Pritkzer, other top Dems, and gun rights activists, making it difficult for public to believe they can be impartial on gun ban challenges
IL Supreme Court justices hear arguments over cash bail abolition
The justices will decide if state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker had the authority to simply abolish cash bail, despite constitiutional language and past constitutional amendments appearing to assume the existence of the system