Steve Korris News
Pritzker answer in weapon ban case: 'Lack knowledge on impact of citizens' arms against British empire'
EAST ST. LOUIS - Governor Pritzker doesn’t believe the American experiment might not have begun if not for citizens taking up arms against the British empire's overreach, according to one of his answers to a plaintiff challenging his weapon ban.
Syngenta, Chevron say plaintiffs feign disbelief over implausible Paraquat claims
EAST ST. LOUIS - Syngenta and Chevron claim Paraquat lawyers who oppose dismissal of 586 suits pretend that they haven’t repeatedly revealed implausible cases on their docket.
Caseyville misses deadline to respond to flood lawsuit; Judge mulls dismissal
EAST ST. LOUIS - Caseyville sued CSX railroad for causing a flood but missed a deadline for responding to a motion to dismiss the suit.
ESL housing authority board member and police officer sue over alleged corruption
EAST ST. LOUIS - City leaders fired housing authority board member Shonte Mueller and assistant police chief Nicholas Mueller because she tried to clean up the housing authority and he protected her, according to a suit they filed at U.S. district court on Oct. 15.
Disbarred lawyer seeks to change plea in federal fraud case
EAST ST. LOUIS - Jason Caraway of Belleville, who the Supreme Court suspended for spending money that belonged to clients, seeks to change his plea on wire fraud charges.
St. Clair County first responders settle pay dispute lawsuit
BENTON - St. Clair County emergency management employees Ann Ellis, Candis Cross and Tina Joaquin agreed to settle claims that the county shorted their pay.
Asbestos defendant wants fraud settlement to carry weight in RICO suit against Simmons firm
CHICAGO - J-M Manufacturing of Los Angeles claims fraud allegations that lawyer Scott Peebles of California settled with the Simmons Hanly Conroy firm of Alton carry enough weight to support its racketeering and fraud suit against the firm in Illinois.
In protracted GP asbestos bankruptcy, plaintiff lawyers ask for three more years of discovery
CHARLOTTE - Lawyers who for five years have resisted efforts of Georgia Pacific entity Bestwall to expose crooked asbestos suits asked Bankruptcy Judge Laura Beyer for three more years to prove they caused no harm.
More voluntary Paraquat dismissals in MDL; Total dropped reaches nearly 1,200
EAST ST. LOUIS - In a single day Alabama lawyer Gary Anderson voluntarily dismissed 26 suits claiming weed killer paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease and in a single day Mississippi lawyer Madison Keyes voluntarily dismissed 18 paraquat suits.
Prisoner's 18-year effort to secure second trial gets new life at Fifth District
MOUNT VERNON - Fifth District appellate judges granted prisoner Charles White a hearing and a fresh lawyer on his 18 year old petition for a second trial.
Prisoner serving 182 year sentence settles excessive force case against cop
BENTON - Menard penitentiary resident De’Angelo Higgs and East St. Louis settled an excessive force claim against former police officer Leland Cherry on Sept. 30.
Paraquat plaintiffs oppose deadline for evidence production
EAST ST. LOUIS - Paraquat producer Syngenta and former producer Chevron can’t enforce a discovery order against 431 plaintiffs who sued after the order expired, according to lead plaintiff counsel Sarah Doles of Florida.
ARDC panel recommends suspension of 2A lawyer; Conduct unrelated to weapon ban challenge
SPRINGFIELD - A hearing board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission is recommending the Illinois Supreme Court suspend Thomas Maag of Wood River for two years and until further order.
Yandle denies summary judgment for Peoria law firm in million dollar legal malpractice claim
BENTON - U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle ruled that Ansur Insurance can proceed to trial on a claim that it lost millions in St. Clair County court due to malpractice by James Borland and the Quinn Johnston firm of Peoria.
Blend Jet plaintiff attorney dismisses Illinois case while class action proceeds in California
EAST ST. LOUIS - Texas lawyer Stuart Cochran relieved Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel of a duty to decide whether his potential class action over dangerous blenders duplicated one in California.
Lawyer for expelled OTHS student introduces videos of extreme bullying, asks what punishment those kids got
EAST ST. LOUIS - O’Fallon High students posted videos of 51 physical and verbal collisions on an Instagram account and many of them look worse than the one that resulted in expulsion of Zariah Anthony, according to her counsel Mark Schuver of Belleville.
Judge to decide lawyer's qualification to serve as legal malpractice expert
BENTON - U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle must decide whether 38 years of legal practice qualifies Joseph Bleyer of Marion as an expert in legal malpractice.
Highway worker who sued over Mascoutah highway crash doesn't need surgery, after all, attorney says
Shortly after attorneys for an Oregon truck driver moved to take the case from St. Clair County court to federal court, a lawyer representing a highway worker allegedly injured in a construction zone crash says he expects his injuries will be far less costly, so the case belongs back in St. Clair court, not federal
Rosenstengel says US Steel can't avoid testifying about policies, practices for disabled workers
The judge said she will allow plaintiffs to question US Steel representatives under oath and consolidate two cases concerning treatment of injured workers at its Granite City plant
Gilbert on crash suit lawyers: 'Avoid crossing the thin line separating zealous advocacy from obstructionism'
BENTON - Senior U. S. District Judge Phil Gilbert tried to reduce friction between the Rich, Rich and Cooksey firm of Belleville and the Chartwell firm of St. Louis County in a crash suit and the lawyers quarreled again.