Stephen Tillery Poised to deliver one of the most powerful decisions in recent times, the Illinois Supreme Court will rule Thursday whether a $10 billion Madison County bench verdict is upheld or overturned.
Sherman "Tiger" Joyce Madison and St. Clair County Courts have been taken off the hottest spots in the nation's "judicial hellholes" list, according to the fourth annual report issued by the American Tort Reform Association.
Ed Murnane On the eve of the fourth annual "Judicial Hellhole" report, a review of this year's class action lawsuits in Madison County provides a hint that the American Tort Reform Association may move the Illinois venue off the roster's top spot.
Attorney John Aldock of Washington, who argued for dismissal of a Madison County class action suit against State Farm Insurance on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, says he expected the Court's decision to dismiss the suit.
Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron Three years ago, auto insurer GEICO urged Madison County Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron not to certify a policyholder’s lawsuit as a national class action until the Illinois Supreme Court decided the similar case of Avery vs. State Farm.
Byron certified a national class action anyway.
In case anyone missed the message that the Illinois Supreme Court sent in Avery vs. State Farm, the justices added an exclamation point in Gridley vs. State Farm.
Four years before the Illinois Supreme Court knocked the props out from under class action attorneys with its decision in Avery vs. State Farm, the Court ignored pleas to recognize the dangers of class actions.
Gary Peel For three months class action defense lawyers have celebrated an Illinois Supreme Court decision that wiped out a $1.2 billion verdict in Avery vs. State Farm.
Circuit Judge George Moran Pekin Insurance Company has invoked the Illinois Supreme Court’s blockbuster decision in Avery vs. State Farm, in a motion to dismiss a proposed Madison County class action suit.