Steve Korris News
Kolker leading fundraising as circuit judges seek retention in November
BELLEVILLE - St. Clair County Circuit Judge Christopher Kolker raised $114,630 for his retention campaign in the first half of this year, mostly from lawyers.
Student lied about address, OTHS says in defense of bullying lawsuit
EAST ST. LOUIS - O’Fallon Township High School plans to plead that it couldn’t have harmed Zariah Anthony because she lied about her address.
East St. Louis responds to $825K default judgment: 'No valid service'
BENTON - East St. Louis and its police objected to a recommendation for an $825,035.97 default judgment in favor of Dorian Hendricks of Belleville on July 26, claiming they didn’t know he sued them.
Bad faith sanction order may be brewing for lawyer Sheehan in 'Arnold Palmer Lite' case
EAST ST. LOUIS - Law clerks write orders for U.S. District Judge David Dugan but he will make an exception for a motion to impose a $155,810.45 sanction on Spencer Sheehan of Great Neck, New York.
Belleville lawyer sues Amtrak in federal court for collision information
BENTON - Belleville lawyer Nathaniel O. Brown sued Amtrak at U. S. district court on July 23 to obtain information about collisions.
Judge recommends $825K default judgment against East St. Louis in excessive force case
BENTON - U.S. Magistrate Judge Reona Daly recommended default judgment of $825,035.97 on a claim that East St. Louis police used excessive force on Dorian Hendricks of Belleville.
McGlynn preparing for September trial on state gun ban; Neither side will call historians to testify
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn, preparing for a September trial on the state’s weapon ban, finds his parties have planned a hybrid event of paper and people.
In moving to dismiss asbestos fraud suit, Simmons calls it retaliation for $22 million verdict
CHICAGO - Attorney John Simmons of Alton alleges at U.S. district court that J-M Manufacturing of Los Angeles sued his firm in retaliation for winning a $22.2 million verdict.
Rosenstengel to decide $135 million stillborn lawsuit against Alton Memorial
EAST ST. LOUIS - Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel gets to decide whether the estate of a stillborn baby can recover damages.
Washington Park strip club settles wage class action
BENTON - Scarlett’s Cabaret in Washington Park and its exotic dancers settled a class action complaint alleging violation of state wage laws and national labor law.
Bestwall subpoenas 21 plaintiff firms in asbestos bankruptcy challenging exposure
CHARLOTTE - Bestwall, the company Georgia Pacific created to resolve its asbestos liability, served subpoenas for documents of 21 law firms on July 2 including the Gori firm, Flint Cooper, and Goldenberg Heller of Edwardsville.
Illinois high court declines review of Madison County pre-trial detention case
SPRINGFIELD - Supreme Court Justices decided not to review an appellate court ruling that Madison County Associate Judge Emily Nielsen committed an error when she denied detention before trial for felony suspect Matthew Delaney.
Father of jailed daughter sues over fentanyl death
EAST ST. LOUIS - Romy McAlexander of Centralia died because of willful negligence in Marion County jail at Salem according to her father Keith McAlexander.
Man convicted of Bluford stabbing gets new trial because of his sexual relationship with his ex-lawyer
A state appeals panel has ruled that Robbie Hayes, who was convicted of cutting a man's throat with a knife at the Bluford American Legion, should get a new trial because his sexual relationship with his ex-defense lawyer compromised her ability to effectively defend him at trial
Lawyer says Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles labels lie, seeks statewide ban
EAST ST. LOUIS - Alex Landry of Madison County seeks to ban sales of Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles cereals statewide because their labels lied about the number of servings.
California Blendjet class action lawyers seek to intervene in Illinois action
EAST ST. LOUIS - Lawyers seeking certification of a class against appliance maker Blendjet in California claim a “mirror image action” at U.S. district court here could harm their class.
'Pete's' Market in Troy survives copyright infringement suit in federal court
BENTON - Pete’s Market in Troy and the Pete’s Fresh Market group in Chicago settled a trademark suit on June 26 and Senior U. S. District Judge Phil Gilbert canceled a trial that would have started on July 8.
Wrongful tree cutting case can proceed to trial, Gilbert rules
BENTON - Reasonable jurors could find Nathan Marlen of Freeburg directed a costly trespass next to his property near Vandalia, U.S. District Judge Phil Gilbert ruled on June 21.
Labor Department goes after O'Fallon and Alton IHOP tip jars
EAST ST. LOUIS - Khalid Ramadan maintained an invalid tip pool at IHOP restaurants in O'Fallon and Alton and directed managers to delete hours, according to acting U.S. labor secretary Julie Su.
Hartford says it doesn't have to defend former Edwardsville business in BIPA suit
EAST ST. LOUIS - Hartford Casualty seeks a declaration that it doesn’t have to defend a potential class action alleging that Customized Distribution Services invaded biometric privacy of job applicants at its former location in Edwardsville.