Steve Korris News
Route 13 Diner employee sues over alleged unpaid overtime wages
EAST ST. LOUIS - Former Route 13 Diner cook Dorrine Douglas claims owner Jimmy Johnson failed and refused to pay overtime for working in excess of 40 hours a week.
Missouri lawyers file BIPA suits in Southern Illinois against Kraft Heinz, McDonald's
BENTON - Missouri lawyers Jason Brown and Jayson Watkins filed two biometric privacy invasion suits in three days at U. S. district court, one against Kraft Heinz and one against a local group of McDonald’s restaurants.
Local leaders find 8,748 documents involving sewer dispute in Centreville city hall basement
EAST ST. LOUIS - Local leaders, who for two years ignored discovery requests of Centreville area residents suing for better sewers, are now claiming they found 8,748 pages of evidence in a closet in the basement of the former Centreville city hall.
Graduation picture provider challenges Illinois jurisdiction in BIPA suit
EAST ST. LOUIS - Graduation picture provider Candid Color Systems of Oklahoma challenges Illinois jurisdiction over a potential class action alleging invasion of biometric privacy.
Apple rejects proposal to amend BIPA suit by subdividing the class, demands explanation of the 'undeveloped argument'
EAST ST. LOUIS - Apple rejected an "undeveloped" proposal from class action lawyers Jerome Schlichter and Andrew Schlichter of St. Louis to reduce the size of a class by adding plaintiffs “to conform to the evidence adduced.”
Woman settles 'Rent-a-Tribe' suit alleging Orlando lender fraudulently charged 677% interest
EAST ST. LOUIS - Online lender Stanley Chao of Orlando, facing a class action complaint that he charged 677% interest under a false cover of tribal immunity, settled with borrower Katherine Schnefke of Edwardsville in two months.
Subpoena withdrawn on neurotoxicologist who disputes theory that paraquat causes Parkinson's disease
EAST ST. LOUIS - Lawyers who blame weed killer paraquat for causing Parkinson’s disease tried to use the power of the U.S. district court to investigate neurotoxicologist Douglas Weed of Salt Lake City for writing an article against their theory.
Edwardsville attorney, former employee settle suit alleging religious discrimination
EAST ST. LOUIS - Edwardsville lawyer Todd Sivia and Bunker Hill lawyer Calley Mize, formerly of his firm, settled her suit alleging she was discriminated against due to her lack of religion.
BIPA suit against Graphic Packaging International settles
EAST ST. LOUIS - Jocelyn Roberts, who worked for maintenance contractor ABBCO of St. Louis at a Graphic Packaging International plant in Centralia, agreed to settle a class action claim that Graphic invaded biometric privacy.
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.