Steve Korris News
Garrett Ziegler of Marco Polo seeks to dismiss Hunter Biden’s laptop suit or transfer to Illinois
LOS ANGELES - Garrett Ziegler of Effingham, Illinois, whose Marco Polo website published data from Hunter Biden’s computer, has asked U.S. District Judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles to dismiss a suit Biden filed or transfer it to Illinois.
Wrongful death suit filed against Chinese tire manufacturer following fatal roll-over crash
BELLEVILLE - Widow Kerry Wickline of Caseyville filed a wrongful death suit against a tire shop ten miles away and a tire manufacturer in China.
Dugan rejects immunity claims, grants trial request in Cahokia Heights sewer dispute
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge David Dugan ruled on Jan. 5 that 33 Cahokia Heights residents have a right to trial on claims that floods of rain and sewage damage their properties.
East St. Louis seeks $3 billion in fines, plus additional damages in Monsanto litigation
EAST ST. LOUIS - The City of East St. Louis, seeking more than $3 billion in fines from Monsanto for contamination from its operation in Sauget, plans to seek damages, too.
Former Caseyville trustee, wife reject conspiracy claim in truck dispute, accuse village attorney of defamation
CASEYVILLE - Former Caseyville village trustee Kerry Davis and wife Carroll accused village attorney Doug Stewart of defamation at a meeting of trustees on Jan. 3 for linking them to an alleged criminal conspiracy, which they say is not true.
Duebbert files affidavit claiming malicious prosecution allegations supported by social media posts, cell phone data
BELLEVILLE - Former St. Clair County Circuit Judge Ron Duebbert argues that he can prove his malicious prosecution claims if the defendants produce social media posts and data saved to cell phones and the cloud.
Tillery files class action alleging Apple conspired with Visa, Mastercard to illegally inflate fees
BENTON - Apple, Mastercard and Visa illegally inflate fees for merchants using point of sale payment networks, according to a complaint at U. S. district court.
Oversight committee raised questions about 'assault weapons' ban ahead of Monday's registration deadline
SPRINGFIELD - As the new year begins, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ban on so-called "assault weapons" takes effect under emergency rules that still leave many questions unanswered.
McGlynn denies preliminary injunction so gun ban dispute can move forward, saying 'Gov. exists to serve us, not lord over us'
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn ended what he called preliminary wrangling over the state's controversial weapon law, or the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA), so he can decide whether it violates a constitutional right to bear arms.
Caseyville attorney suggests criminal prosecution against individuals claiming misappropriated funds
CASEYVILLE - Village of Caseyville attorney Doug Stewart requested criminal prosecution of persons who claimed the village repaired a truck it didn’t own, according to a statement he issued to residents on Dec. 20.
Fifth District orders detention of suspects under SAFE-T Act, affirming Judge Katz and reversing judges who granted release
MOUNT VERNON - St. Clair County Associate Judge Julie Katz correctly detained two suspects under the state’s bail reform law, the SAFE-T Act, according to Fifth District appellate judges.
Plaintiffs in Paraquat litigation blame research shortage on Syngenta, EPA; Rosenstengel hears arguments on excluding experts
EAST ST. LOUIS - After an expert witness for plaintiffs claiming weed killer paraquat caused Parkinson's disease testified to attributing 74% of the weight of his causation opinion on one study, the plaintiffs explain a shortage of research by accusing manufacturer Syngenta of corrupting science in general and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in particular.
Rosenstengel presides over four-day hearing on Paraquat experts; Nearly 75% of causation depends on study from 1997
EAST ST. LOUIS - Thousands of plaintiffs who claim weed killer paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease depend mostly on a study from 1997 that didn’t establish causation, according to the transcript from a four-day hearing in Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel's court.
Mandatory mediation sees 57% success rate in the Southern District of Illinois, saving court resources
EAST ST. LOUIS - Mediators have achieved 111 settlements of civil suits in U. S. District Court since Chief Judge Nancy Rosenstengel introduced mandatory mediation.
Former Mormon claims $1.4 billion in tithes were misused for Utah shopping center
EAST ST. LOUIS - Former Mormon Joel Long of St. Louis County filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of Illinois, claiming church leaders took at least $1.4 billion in tithes and invested it for commercial profit.
McGlynn hears arguments on firearm registration injunction; State counsel: Ignorance of statute is no defense to criminal prosecution
EAST ST. LOUIS - Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois can move to enjoin registration of weapons and parts after the deadline passes on Jan. 1, U. S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn said at a hearing on Dec. 12.
Fifth District affirms jury verdict contributing negligence to man injured during construction of his home
MOUNT VERNON - St. Clair County jurors correctly assigned 45% of negligence to plaintiff Stephen Harris in an injury suit against Germantown Seamless Guttering, Fifth District appellate judges ruled on Dec. 6.
Third District reverses dismissal of David Cates' fourth DUI charge
OTTAWA - St. Clair County Associate Judge Tameeka Purchase committed error when she dismissed a misdemeanor charge that Belleville lawyer David Cates drove under the influence, Third District appellate judges ruled on Dec. 5.
Jury returns verdict in favor of Madison County deputies in suicidal man's federal suit alleging excessive force
EAST ST. LOUIS - After a previous jury concluded that Brian Schell did not resist arrest during a criminal trial in 2019, jurors at his civil trial against Madison County deputies heard the full story and decided that he did.
Dugan hears arguments on default judgment against Chinese supplier in electric sock wrongful death suit
EAST ST. LOUIS - Sandra Scott of Washington County testified at a default judgment hearing about the death of husband Toby Scott; but if U.S. District Judge David Dugan grants her request for $10 million, she’ll have to collect from a Chinese company that fired its lawyers and never returned.