Steve Korris News
McGlynn hears arguments on vaguness claim in gun ban challenge, raising concerns about constructive possession
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn pried confirmation out of Assistant Attorney General Chris Wells of the possibility that law enforcement could arrest whole families in their homes, all occupants of vehicles and other groups in the presence of unregistered regulated weapons or devices that Illinois criminalized.
Wage dispute against Brock Group alleges laborers' paychecks were trimmed
BENTON – Texas labor contractor Brock Group didn’t pay wages it agreed to pay, former employee Kevin Kelley of St. Louis County alleges at U.S. district court.
Amazon settles suit alleging imported electric socks caused death
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge David Dugan, who granted default judgment against Chinese electric sock maker Global Vasion in a wrongful death suit in 2021, has set a hearing on Nov. 15 to determine damages.
Rosenstengel dismisses 47 Paraquat claims for failing to answer exposure questionnaire
EAST ST. LOUIS – Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel dismissed 47 suits blaming weed killer paraquat for Parkinson’s disease on Oct. 6 for failure to state basic facts.
Seventh Circuit remands $3.5 billion suit against Country Mutual to St. Clair County
CHICAGO – U.S. Seventh Circuit judges directed District Judge David Dugan to remand a $3.5 billion suit against Country Mutual to St. Clair County Circuit Court on Oct. 2.
Belleville Crossing shareholders voluntarily dismiss suit alleging developer spent funds on lavish living
EAST ST. LOUIS – Belleville Crossing shareholders dismissed a suit claiming Arizona developer Jonathan Larmore neglected the property and spent their money on himself, his wife and his mother.
Dugan delays depositions in Casino Queen pension suit pending settlement efforts
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge David Dugan stayed depositions about the collapse of Casino Queen’s pension plan for 30 days so they wouldn’t affect settlement negotiations.
Dugan grants summary judgment in butter cake class action over faulty reports
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge David Dugan, who accepted reports provided by class action attorney Spencer Sheehan about research on butter cake as true last year, found butter in the cake but no truth in the reports.
Cahokia Heights argues advancements in surrounding communities caused its sewer failures
EAST ST. LOUIS – Cahokia Heights argued at U.S. district court that development in mostly white communities caused the failure of storm and sanitary sewers in its mostly black community.
Edwardsville School Board settles suit with golfer alleging burns from electric pain reliever
BENTON – Former Edwardsville High Scol golfer Bailey Vorachek and the school board settled a claim that an electric pain reliever burned her back.
Union Pacific sues farmers, alleging fatal crash with tractor caused $3.6 million in damages
EAST ST. LOUIS – Monroe County farmers facing a claim that their tractor derailed a Union Pacific freight train argued on Sept. 22 that Union Pacific caused the derailment.
Ann Barnum replaces Frank Bergman as human resources director in St. Clair County
BELLEVILLE – Frank Bergman, who served as St. Clair County’s human resource director for 12 years, has resigned from his position.
St. Louis attorney cautions lawyers about using AI for research, but says it could still be used effectively
ST. LOUIS – Lawyers who trusted Chat GPT for artificial intelligence cited fake cases and a judge fined them $5,000, Paige Tungate of Downey Law Group reported to asbestos lawyers at HarrisMartin's annual Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference on Sept. 20.
Carruthers to preside over Madison County asbestos docket beginning Oct. 1
ST. LOUIS - Associate judge Andrew Carruthers told asbestos lawyers on Sept. 20 that he will preside over Madison County’s asbestos docket as of Oct. 1.
Plaintiffs settle separate claims with Taco Bell, Pay Pal to avoid arbitration
EAST ST. LOUIS – Two plaintiffs in U.S. district court settled BIPA claims against Taco Bell and Pay Pal rather than arbitrate.
IL Supreme Court confirms Belleville attorney's suspension for keeping clients' money
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Supreme Court Justices suspended Belleville injury lawyer Jason Caraway for a year and until further notice on Sept. 21.
Gilbert allows wrongful termination suit against Madison County to continue after delay in service
BENTON – St. Louis County attorney Michael Gras sued Madison County for former employee Janice Koehler last December, but didn’t serve the complaint until Senior U.S. District Judge Phil Gilbert caught his attention.
Settlement reached ahead of trial in fatal train crash suit
EAST ST. LOUIS – Amtrak, Illinois Central, and the family of a man who died at a railroad crossing settled a suit that was scheduled for trial starting on Sept. 11.
IL Supreme Court grants outside judge in Hulme, Dorman defamation suit
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Supreme Court Justices granted an outside judge to former Madison County officials Doug Hulme and Rob Dorman for a suit over their termination in 2020.
NSSF seeks preliminary injunctive relief from firearm liability law
BENTON – Illinois legislators equipped Illinois judges to shut down every gun business in America, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) argued at U.S. district court on Sept. 15.