Cook County
Recent News About Cook County
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Pritzker campaign accused in lawsuit of discrimination, harassment against black, Latino campaign staffers
Saying the Illinois gubernatorial frontrunner’s campaign has routinely “herded” and “marginalized” its workers of color, a group of African American and Latino workers for Illinois Democratic gubernatorial nominee JB Pritzker has sued Pritzker’s campaign organization for discrimination and harassment. -
Choosing a hat: Proposal seeks to ease home closing costs by rewriting rules for IL lawyers who sell title insurance
A new legislative proposal would force real estate lawyers in Illinois who also serve as title insurance agents to 'choose which hat they will wear' in a home sale transaction, in a bid to reduce the typical closing costs paid by Illinois homeowners, and bring those costs more in line with the national average. But the proposal has drawn fire from lawyers and their associations, accusing supporters of the bill of unfairly 'scapegoating' lawyers for Illinois' relatively more expensive title insurance costs. -
New IL law mostly bars towns from regulating drones, giving regulatory 'predictability,' attorney says
A recent change to the Illinois Aeronautics Act has provided drone operators “more predictability,” according to Chicago attorney Andrew Fiske. -
Appeals judges: Chicago not right court for John Crane's asbestos fraud RICO claims vs Simon Greenstone, Shein Law
A federal appeals panel in Chicago has agreed industrial seals and couplings maker John Crane Inc. should be afforded the chance to air its claims two law firms allegedly engaged in racketeering and fraud in the way they pressed asbestos-related personal injury claims against the company in the past. However, the judges also agreed with lower court judges that Chicago federal court is not the right place for John Crane can pursue its claims. -
Fair Maps Amendment not called for vote, deadline passes to place it on November 2018 ballot
Illinois voters will not get a chance to weigh in on the question of whether Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and other legislative leaders in the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly should continue to hold the keys to drawing the state's legislative district maps, after the leaders of the state House and Senate refused to call a vote for a constitutional amendment designed to curtail their influence over the process. -
IL Supreme Court calls for fix of rules apportioning blame in multi-car crashes; could leave defendants 'holding bag'
Illinois’ highest state court has upheld a Chicago appeals panel and a Cook County judge's rulings that a defendant in a car crash suit had no basis to contest his codefendant's settlement with the plaintiff under Illinois law, because there was no evidence of fraud, despite concerns the ruling could leave less culpable co-defendants “holding the bag” at trial. -
IL appeals court upholds dismissal of class action challenging Chicago red light camera program law
Saying state law designates Chicago’s red light and speed camera enforcement programs as something different from ordinary traffic laws, a state appeals court has again handed a defeat to a class action attempting to overthrow the city’s automated traffic citation program, which annually adds millions of dollars in fines from ticketed motorists to the city’s coffers. -
Cook County retirees outnumber active employees in two years
Recently released data shows retirees outpacing active employees, adding pressure to an already stressed pension fund. -
Cook County repeals 'pop tax,' but lawsuits it spurred are still pending - though perhaps not for long
CHICAGO - The Cook County “pop tax” will soon be a thing of the past, after the Cook County Board buckled to public pressure and repealed the widely panned and unpopular penny-per-ounce tax on soda and a wide range of other sweetened drinks. -
'Speculation' about Cook County 'pop tax' proves accurate
“As to the concerns that improper collection of the tax will open the Merchants up to litigation, any such notion is merely speculation at this point and does not render the Ordinance unconstitutionally vague.” -
Cook County officials and their attorneys need hard discipline
Here's the thing about inappropriate behavior: What is outrageous will seem less so when compared to something more outrageous. -
Preckwinkle suing soda tax opponents, judge fears 'chilling effect'
Cook County’s lawsuit seeks damages from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. -
‘Show Me Your Lawsuit State’ tops ATRA’s Judicial Hellholes list
The Metro-East St. Louis region joined the ranks yet again as this year’s worst jurisdictions, with St. Louis topping the American Tort Reform Association’s Judicial Hellholes list and Madison and St. Clair Counties ranking sixth in the nation. ATRA, however, praised Associate Judge Stephen Stobbs’ recent revised case management order governing the Madison County asbestos docket. -
Crowder installed as treasurer of IJA for '16-'17 term
Madison County Circuit Court Judge Barbara Crowder started a one-year term as treasurer f the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) following installation of a new slate of officers for 2016-2017 on June 3. -
Judge slaps restraining order on access to Topinka campaign money amid lawsuit by late comptroller's son
The campaign funds of the late Judy Baar Topinka are now formally frozen, thanks to an order issued Jan. 22 in Cook County Circuit Court. -
Unconstitutional: Cook County judge rules against new jurors law
An Illinois Circuit Court judge says reducing the number of jurors in civil trials is unconstitutional, a decision that could bring the law passed late last year to the state supreme court.