News from 2014
Woman alleges injuries in collision at Fairview Heights intersection
A woman alleges she suffered permanent and severe damages to her back, head, neck, arms and shoulders after a driver allegedly ran a red light and struck her vehicle.
Cook reversed at Fifth District in murder case; Justices say 'hand scribbled order' lacked reason and care
Former St. Clair County judge Michael Cook improperly denied a petition of killer Tiffany Hall to withdraw her guilty plea, Fifth District appellate judges ruled on Nov. 21.
Reaping tens of millions from Common Core: The Gates/Pearson Partnership
To the Editor:Follow the money. It all ends up in the hands of a very few. Pearson Foundation is getting the contracts because of its partnership with the Bill Gates Foundation. Greed, secrecy, deceptions, and lies …. and to think Democrats accuse Republicans of these very things, while Democrats are the ones using government to get richer. The deceptions run very deep. It’s time for exposure. The
Illinois courts are fair
To the Editor:More than 70 percent of Illinois lawsuits are filed by businesses suing businesses for money. The number of civil cases filed in Illinois courts is down 26 percent since 2007. And the number of medical malpractice cases also has steadily declined – it’s down nearly 40 percent since 2003.These are the basic facts of Illinois’ civil justice system. Travis Akin, a paid lobbyist of a front
Former Catholic school teacher claims she was wrongfully fired
A former teacher has filed suit against the Catholic school that she alleges unjustifiably fired her.Lynette M. Lambert filed a lawsuit Nov. 7 in Madison County Circuit Court against St. John Neumann Catholic School, Jack Holmes and Pat Jakel.In her complaint, Lambert alleges she was hired to teach at St. John on May 13, 2013, for a salary of $43,571. She also was eligible for pension benefits, insurance,
How much should a low-skilled state senator be paid?
What should the minimum wage be here in Illinois? Is the current rate of $8.25 an hour too low? Is $10, the figure proposed in the advisory question on the recent ballot, the right amount?
Rauner can help Illinois stop creating lawsuits and start creating jobs
AkinThe election of Bruce Rauner as governor of Illinois will bring many changes to our state. Governor-elect Rauner has promised to “shake up Springfield,” and one area that definitely needs “shaking up” is the state’s notoriously unfair lawsuit climate, which attracts personal injury lawyers and lawsuits from all over the country, which consequently keeps jobs from being created here. Illinois has
Jaw injuries claimed by back seat passenger
A woman has filed suit against the driver whom she alleges rear-ended the vehicle in which she was riding, causing the vehicle to strike a street sign.Tanner Bryant alleges she was riding in the back seat of a vehicle Ryan Withers was driving south on state Route 111 on Sept. 3, 2012. "Mr. Withers slowed his vehicle to make a right hand turn onto Harrison Road when his vehicle was struck on the rear
Granite City rear-end collision results in suit
Two women say they sustained various injuries in a rear-end collision.Brandi E. Selph and Kelsey D. Gallia filed a lawsuit Oct. 30 in Madison County Circuit Court against Curt Wolters and Elite Properties Landscaping.In their complaint, Selph and Gallia allege Selph was driving on Pontoon Road in Granite City on Oct. 22, 2013, when Wolters, who was driving on the same road, struck the back of the vehicl
Trustee of man's estate sues insurer, employer to get attorney fees paid
RothThe trustee of a truck driver's estate has filed suit against his employer and his insurance company, over their alleged failure to pay for his attorney fees incurred following a collision.Maureen Scully, trustee for the estate of Ethan D. Maiden, alleges Maiden was working for defendant Jack Cooper Transport Company on July 11, 2007, when he was involved in a collision with Gail and Kurt Carne
Judge strikes down pension law; State plans appeal to Illinois Supreme Court
A Sangamon County judge has invalidated a 2013 law intended to fix the state’s pension problems, a ruling the state’s top lawyer says she will immediately appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court.Circuit Judge John Belz, in a six-page order issued Friday, said pension reform legislation passed last year “is void in its entirety” because the law “without question diminishes and impairs the benefits of membership
Slip on spilled wine leads to suit against Walmart
GlissonA man has filed suit against Walmart, alleging he sustained injuries when he fell on a broken wine bottle while shopping at the store.Gilbert Summers filed suit Oct. 30 in Madison County Circuit Court.Summers alleges he was shopping at the Walmart at 6660 Godfrey Road in Godfrey on June 6 when he slipped and fell on spilled wine. Because of his fall, Summers sustained neck and back injuries,
lllinois funnels training to big donor union; Mandatory state-funded sessions include time for union pitch
HarrisCARBONDALE -- While a suburban Chicago woman's successful lawsuit against Illinois means home care workers who receive government stipends do not have to join a union, many still must attend training presented by the union.And those mandatory sessions -- which the state funds -- devote a half-hour for the union to pitch itself and distribute membership sign-up cards.Critics say the contractual
Civil and criminal collections for SDIL was nearly $5.5 million in FY14
WiggintonU.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton announced that the Southern District of Illinois (SDIL) collected $5,490,994.09 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2014, ending Sept. 30.Of that amount, $1,574,414.70 was collected in criminal actions and $3,916,579.39 was collected in civil actions, according to a Nov. 19 release from Wigginton's office.Additionally, the SDIL worked with other U.