Steve Korris News
Symphony nursing homes seek settlement of BIPA claims due to 'eroding insurance policy'
EAST ST. LOUIS – Symphony nursing homes in Illinois are going out of business, according to lawyers pursuing claims that Symphony’s fingerprint scanning violated the biometric privacy of employees.
Dugan: Plaintiff should have notified Wal-Mart about defective helium tanks before filing suit
EAST ST. LOUIS – For three and a half years, a letter without a return address or proof of service sustained a potential class action against Wal-Mart over helium tanks until U.S. District Judge David Dugan shut the action down on Aug. 2.
Transcript: House oversight committee asks Devon Archer about Edwardsville attorney, businessman
WASHINGTON D.C. – At Devon Archer’s hearing with the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on July 31, committee counsel James Mandolfo questioned him about Edwardsville attorney and entrepreneur Jeffrey Cooper.
Former U.N. president and manager of Edwardsville company declines to assist in House oversight committee hearing
WASHINGTON D.C. – Serbian consultant Vuk Jeremic, who previously worked as a manager for Edwardsville attorney Jeffrey Cooper, declined to assist with a Congressional investigation of the Biden family.
IL Supreme Court denies BIPA rehearing; Overstreet dissents, calling 'excessive' liability an 'absurd result' of the law
EAST ST. LOUIS – North Carolina software provider Center Edge settled a biometric privacy suit for an amount beyond its insurance coverage in anticipation of a Supreme Court decision that has made the position of biometric defendants even worse, and the Illinois Supreme Court denied a rehearing on the issue.
Former Alton labor union president sentenced after embezzling more than $200,000
BENTON – Byron Clemons Sr., 36, of Alton, who embezzled $202,100 from Local 124 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and lost most of it in casinos, will serve a sentence of 18 months.
Emergency telecommunications workers sue over alleged unpaid overtime wages
EAST ST. LOUIS – St. Clair County’s emergency agency owes telecommunications workers for thousands of hours of overtime, three of them alleged in U. S. district court on July 28.
Fifth District affirms Witcher's conviction in Bethalto triple homicide
MOUNT VERNON – Madison County jurors correctly convicted Brady Witcher of triple murder, Fifth District appellate judges ruled on July 27.
Audit finds $5.24 billion in Illinois unemployment fraud during Covid pandemic
SPRINGFIELD – Identity thieves walked off with $2.8 billion in unemployment insurance and lockdown relief in 18 months, according to state auditor Frank Mautino.
Illinois AG's office pays sanctions nearly a year later
EAST ST. LOUIS – Assistant Attorney General Tara Barnett of Fairview Heights ended the state’s long struggle to pay sanctions to Carbondale lawyer Shari Rhode on July 27.
Rosenstengel urged to dismiss 47 paraquat claims after plaintiffs failed to answer questionnaires
EAST ST. LOUIS – Two clients of Tor Hoerman’s firm in Edwardsville and 45 clients of firms in other states failed to answer questionnaires about exposure to weed killer paraquat, according to U.S. District Court Special Master Randi Ellis.
Kolker transfers Keefe's wrongful death complaint to Madison County
BELLEVILLE – St. Clair County Circuit Judge Christopher Kolker transferred a wrongful death complaint filed by Swansea attorney Tom Keefe to a new court.
Second Circuit denies Devon Archer's sentencing appeal ahead of questioning by Oversight Committee
WASHINGTON – Congress caught Hunter Biden’s former partner Devon Archer between a year in prison and a fresh investigation of the firm he and Biden operated.
Illinois energy company cites affordability in support of motion to dismiss suit seeking to shut down power plant
MARISSA – Nine people among millions whose homes have run on power from Prairie State Generating have complained in court about the cost in 11 years, and their claims were dismissed.
BIPA suit filed against Grad Images for selling photos to graduate's mother
EAST ST. LOUIS – Joshua Gaertner of Randolph County seeks millions in class damages from photographers who sold images of his graduation to his mother.
Illinois AG's office requests another extension to pay sanction for discovery violation
EAST ST. LOUIS – Chester mental health managers requested another extension of time to pay Carbondale lawyer Shari Rhode a $1,350 sanction they’ve owed her since October and a $2,250 sanction they’ve owed her since February.
St. Clair Country Club settles insurance dispute
BENTON – St. Clair Country Club of Belleville and Cincinnati Insurance settled a dispute over roof replacement in mediation with A. J. Bronsky of St. Louis on July 12.
Fifth District affirms O'Gara in forgery case involving East St. Louis Township consultant
MOUNT VERNON – June Hamilton Dean engaged in misconduct as consultant for East St. Louis Township by committing forgery, Fifth District appellate judges ruled on July 5.
Seventh Circuit reverses dismissal of students' lawsuit against McKendree University over Covid closures
CHICAGO – U.S. Seventh Circuit appellate judges revived a class action complaint claiming McKendree University breached its contract with students by teaching remotely in 2020.
Sivia responds to religious discrimination suit; Law firm 'founded on godly values' but 'respects the beliefs of all employees'
EAST ST. LOUIS – Edwardsville lawyer Todd Sivia responded to a lawsuit filed by former employee Calley Mize, of Bunker Hill, which alleges she was fired for lacking faith and complaining about the inclusion of a Bible verse in an email.