Steve Korris News
Proposed statewide class action in Southern District court challenges constitutionality of tax deed foreclosures
EAST ST. LOUIS - Illinois counties violate the U.S. Constitution when they hold and sell liens on properties with overdue taxes, former homeowners and a business in East St. Louis alleged at district court on April 10.
Epic Games seeks sanctions over 'frivolous' Fortnite addiction suit filed days after gaming account was created
EAST ST. LOUIS - Marion County parent Cynthia Jiminez sued Epic Games for addicting her child to video game Fortnite three days after the child created an account, Epic Games claims at U.S. district court.
Norfolk Southern settles Ohio train derailment case for $600 million, pursues third party complaint
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Following a $600 million settlement, Norfolk Southern switched positions from defendant in an explosion suit to plaintiff seeking contribution from three sources.
Video game makers oppose MDL for suits alleging exploitation of minors
EAST ST. LOUIS - National consolidation of six video game addiction suits in three states makes no sense and probably won’t happen, argued defendants in the only suit at Southern Illinois District Court.
Agriculture offices, universities subpoenaed in Paraquat litigation
EAST ST. LOUIS - Mass action lawyers who claim weed killer paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease responded to an order for individual discovery by serving subpoenas on 48 agriculture offices from Idaho to Georgia and two universities.
EEOC files rare lawsuit against pig weaning company Sis-Bro for allegedly discriminating against transgender employee
EAST ST. LOUIS - Employment regulators claim pig weaners Clare Schilling of New Athens and Drew Schilling of Smithton constructively discharged a transgender employee after transition from male to female.
Dugan rejects Cahokia Heights' report on sewer system
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge David Dugan rejected a report by Cahokia Heights on progress toward a consent decree for better sewers and decided to measure it for himself.
Maintenance worker alleges wrongful termination for reporting racist comments at Collinsville American Legion
BENTON - Gregory Clark, a white grandfather of black children, claims American Legion Post 365 in Collinsville fired him for reporting a white co-worker’s racist comments.
St. Clair Co primary results demonstrate partisan power of East St. Louis
The election produced no competition but it demonstrated the partisan power of East St. Louis.
Trademark violation suit over shuttered Hofbrauhaus in Belleville settles
BENTON - Owners of American rights to the brand of Germany’s Hofbrau beer and a receiver for the vacant Hofbrauhaus on Route 15 in Belleville settled a suit over its failure.
Plaintiffs seek MDL for claims that minors became addicted to video games
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lawyers who claim in federal courts of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas that video games damage young minds seek consolidation of their cases by the Judicial Panel on Multi District Litigation.
Meta Platforms to appeal arbitration denial in unfair competition suit
BENTON - Meta Platforms posted notice on March 22 that it would appeal denial of arbitration for an unfair competition claim that 107.1 FM owner Metroplex Communications of Alton brought in U.S. district court.
Cahokia Heights disputes residents' claims about the sewer system's capacity
EAST ST. LOUIS - Cahokia Heights claims residents suing for better sewers filled a brief about a possible consent decree with inaccuracies, misstatements, and misrepresentations.
Yandle finds claims against Honeywell were not timely filed; Metropolis residents claim uranium processing caused cancer
BENTON - U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle granted summary judgment for Honeywell on claims that its uranium processing caused cancer.
Fifth District: Watson failed to hold preliminary hearing in felony assault case
MOUNT VERNON - St. Clair County Associate Judge Jeffrey Watson erred when he failed to conduct a preliminary hearing, ruining a criminal trial and making the prospect of further proceedings "ludicrous," according to Fifth District appellate judges.
Casino Queen employees appeal denial of class certification in pension dispute
EAST ST. LOUIS - Past and present Casino Queen employees petitioned U. S. Seventh Circuit appellate judges to review denial of class certification for their suit over the collapse of their pension plan.
McGlynn grants $1 million default judgment for British musician Jason Kay in suit alleging trademark violations
EAST ST. LOUIS - British musician Jason Kay secured a permanent injunction against counterfeit websites and will collect $1 million if he can find the owners or their assets.
Sky Zone trampoline park operators settle BIPA suit for $1.3 million
EAST ST. LOUIS - Operators of Sky Zone trampoline park in Fairview Heights agreed to pay $285,000 to settle claims that they violated the privacy of worker through the use of fingerprint scanners.
Express Scripts, Optum Rx move to dismiss St. Clair County's opioid suit, claim they are 'too far removed from any direct harm'
EAST ST. LOUIS - Pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Optum Rx claim St. Clair County can’t sue them to recover the county’s spending on opioid addiction because they didn’t make, distribute, or prescribe opioids.
Cahokia Heights residents urge Dugan to order sewage cleanup, sewer repairs
EAST ST. LOUIS - Neither Cahokia Heights nor environmental regulators will expand the capacity of the city’s sewers and nothing less will work, according to residents pressing U. S. District Judge David Dugan for action.