Liberty Justice Center
Recent News About Liberty Justice Center
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Judge: Democrats can't change 2024 election rules now to block Republicans from fall ballot
A judge in Springfield has permanently blocked the state from enforcing a new law backed by Dems which the judge said unconstitutionally rewrote candidate selection rules and would keep Republican state legislative candidates from the 2024 ballot -
More GOP candidates join court case vs IL Dems over 'candidate slating' ballot blocking law
Democrats told a Springfield judge she needs to can the case, saying the changes to the election rules in the middle of the 2024 election cycle don't violate anyone's rights, and judges have no place deciding if state lawmakers abided by the constitution in deciding how candidates can get on the ballot -
IL Supreme Court rewrites attorney 'discrimination' rule; Critics predict court challenges forthcoming
Supporters say the rule change will create a stronger 'deterrent' to discriminatory and harassing behavior by lawyers in the state. Opponents say the new rule imposes an unconstitutional 'speech code' on Illinois lawyers, and likely will be challenged in court -
'Anti-democracy' law blocked: GOP candidates win court order stopping Dems from using new law to keep them off ballot
A Springfield judge said she believed four prospective Republican state legislative candidates were likely to win their case, accusing the state's Democratic supermajority of unconstitutionally using a hastily enacted law to keep them and other GOP challengers off the ballot in November -
Judge denies TRO sought by GOP candidates to block law that changed election rules to keep GOPers off ballot
The lawsuit, filed by four prospective Republican state House and Senate candidates, say Illinois Democrats violated the right to vote by rushing through a new state elections law that rewrites the candidate selection process in the middle of the 2024 election cycle to protect their incumbents from possible challengers -
Liberty Justice Center sues over law forcing Illinoisans to litigate constitutional challenges in Chicago, Springfield
The Liberty Justice Center is suing Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul in St. Clair County Circuit Court, challenging a state law that requires all Illinois residents to file Constitutional claims against state laws, rules, or orders in Cook or Sangamon County Circuit Courts. -
Judge blocks IL Dems' law to block out-of-state donations to judge campaigns
Democrats said the law was needed to maintain judicial integrity. A federal judge said he feared the law was actually motivated by a desire for the Democrats who dominate Springfield to "maintain the status quo" of Democratic control of the courts, not to fight corruption -
Appeals panel won't block pro-union Amendment 1 from ballot; Critics: Would give unions unconstitutional powers
Appeals panel says the pro-union Amendment 1 must be approved by voters before it can be challenged in court, even though opponents say the amendment's language already blatantly conflicts with federal law and is itself unconstitutional -
Lawsuit challenges campaign contribution limits in Illinois judicial races
Limits on political donations in Illinois judicial races are illegal and violate the U.S. Constitution, according to a lawsuit filed today in federal court in Chicago. -
Fear & Politics: Judges, lawyers reluctant to defend rights vs guv's, mayors' emergency power amid pandemic
Why have judges and lawyers - including those who bill themselves as defenders of civil liberties - largely deferred to the widespread use of emergency executive power by governors, mayors and others, throughout the Covid pandemic, despite constitutional questions? -
Lawsuit: Pro-union IL constitutional amendment would clash with federal law, U.S. Constitution, must be struck down
A group of Cook County taxpayers, with lawyers from the Liberty Justice Center and Illinois Policy Institute, say the measure, known as Amendment 1, would unconstitutionally give unions expansive new powers that exceed the limits on union organizing and bargaining set by federal law -
IL Dems revise Conscience Act, but say they're not, in 'implicit recognition' law protected vax mandate objectors
Courts will ultimately be left to unravel whether the Democrats' "declaration of existing law" should now allow the state and employers to enforce vaccine mandates against religious objectors, when courts have been skeptical, at best. -
Judge: COVID gathering limits not likely to return, so IL GOP can't sue Pritzker over earlier shutdowns
Republicans had argued Gov. JB Pritzker's COVID-related limits on the size of political gatherings were unconstitutional, because he selectively enforced them, allowing huge Black Lives Matter protests, while shutting down GOP gatherings in 2020. -
Amy Jacobson, AM560 accuse Pritzker of unconstitutionally blocking Jacobson from press conferences over her views
The federal lawsuit asserts Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker used Jacobson's speech at an anti-lockdown rally to justify banning a 'contrarian' journalist who asked difficult questions of the governor. -
Supreme Court declines to let Illinois caregivers seek order forcing union to refund fees
WASHINGTON , D.C. -- The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down an effort by a group of non-union home caregivers to persuade the high court to order unions to refund millions of dollars in fees that they collected from the caregivers under an Illinois state law declared unconstitutional. -
US Supreme Court: Forced collection of 'fair share' union fees unconstitutional, violates workers' free speech rights
Compelling non-union government workers to pay so-called “fair share fees” to unions they do not wish to join violates the First Amendment speech rights of non-union workers and is unconstitutional, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, finding in favor of an Illinois state worker who had sued to end the fees, also known as agency fees, in Illinois and across the country. -
Janus v. AFSCME oral arguments scheduled Monday
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Janus v. AFSCME on Feb. 26, in a case challenging the constitutionality of compulsory union dues for state government workers. -
GOP state lawmakers join Supreme Court brief asking to reject challenge to compulsory union fees
A group of nine Republicans currently serving in the Illinois General Assembly, including two rookie state lawmakers, have signed their names to a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the court to uphold the state’s ability to allow unions to extract fees from government employees who don’t wish to join a union, arguing the country’s founding federalist principles should allow the 50 states to decide such policy questions for themselves. -
Janus v. AFSCME oral arguments scheduled Feb. 26 at Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear oral arguments in Janus v. AFSCME on Feb. 26, in a case challenging the constitutionality of compulsory union dues for state government workers. -
SCOTUS to take up Illinois case challenging power of unions to collect fees from non-union state workers
The U.S. Supreme Court will again wade into the question of whether public sector worker unions can force government employees who don’t wish to join their union to still pay fees, ostensibly for collective bargaining representation.