Steve Korris News
Makers, sellers of nasal congestion medicine face class action over the use of phenylephrine ingredient
EAST ST. LOUIS - Companies that made and sold remedies for nasal congestion with government approval for 16 years find themselves defending fraud and misrepresentation claims now that the government is considering reversing its position.
Student alleges John A. Logan College's refusal to exempt COVID-19 vaccination cost him $222,000 in damages
EAST ST. LOUIS - Refusing vaccination cost Luke Wegmann of Woodlawn $222,059, according to an expert in his suit against John A. Logan College.
Government accuses father of causing son's death in counterclaim to negligence suit alleging injuries at birth
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. attorney Rachelle Crowe claims plaintiff Tyler Thompson, who sued the government over the death of his son P.J., caused the child to die.
Everytown for Gun Safety and others file amicus briefs supporting gun liability law, claiming 'bad actors in the gun industry ... enable gun violence'
BENTON - Limits in federal law on civil liability of gun makers and dealers for crimes shouldn’t interfere with expansion of their civil liability in Illinois, private groups argued as friends of U.S. District Court on Oct. 23.
Yandle recuses herself from Fayette County tree dispute
BENTON - U. S. District Judge Staci Yandle recused herself in a tree cutting suit against Nathan Marlen of Freeburg after stating his brother, lawyer Matthew Marlen, rented space to her and worked with her at times.
NAACP general counsel joins lawsuit over Cahokia Heights sewer failures; Dugan rejects dismissal
EAST ST. LOUIS - The civil rights group NAACP sent general counsel Martina Tiku here on behalf of Cahokia Heights residents suing for better sanitary and storm sewers after the city sought to dismiss or stay the suit.
Raoul moves to dismiss constitutional challenge to firearm liability law
BENTON - Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul claims U. S. District Judge Staci Yandle lacks jurisdiction over a challenge to the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act because he hasn’t started enforcing it.
Grad Images moves for arbitration in BIPA class action
EAST ST. LOUIS - Iconic Inc., provider of graduation photographs on its Grad Images website, moved on Oct. 5 for arbitration of a class action claim that it invaded biometric privacy.
FBI investigating former East St. Louis official convicted of corruption
BENTON - Former federal judge Michael Reagan severely sentenced former East St. Louis Township Supervisor Oliver Hamilton to deter corruption; but according to an investigation by the FBI, a five year prison sentence didn’t deter Hamilton from possibly violating supervision terms.
Seventh Circuit: Netflix and other video streamers can't be taxed as cable providers
CHICAGO - East St. Louis can’t tax Netflix and other video streamers as cable providers, U.S. Seventh Circuit appellate judges ruled on Oct. 13.
Rosenstengel rejects improper party argument in wrongful death suit alleging excessive use of force
EAST ST. LOUIS – Former Madison County sheriff John Lakin must defend a claim that his office shared liability with deputy Timothy Mudd and others for a wrongful death, Chief U. S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel ruled on Sept. 29.
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.