News from November 2023
IL 'assault weapons' ban challengers ask SCOTUS to step into constitutional court fight, block gun ban
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett directed the state to respond to the petitioners' assertions that, not only is the law unconstitutional, but federal judges in Chicago have twisted SCOTUS rulings to say the state is clearly allowed to ban "dangerous" weapons that aren't protected by the Second Amendment
Shopper alleges sign fell on her at Granite City Walmart
EDWARDSVILLE — A shopper claims she was injured when a sign fell at the Granite City Walmart.
Filing period to submit campaign petitions ends Dec. 4
Candidates wishing to run for office in the April 2024 Primary Election for an established political party must submit petitions by Dec. 4.
Suit alleges nursing home patient died after being dropped, suffering knee injury
EDWARDSVILLE — The family of a deceased nursing home patient claims she fell and suffered a knee injury, which allegedly contributed to her death.
Some Illinois law enforcement say enforcing gun ban violations not a priority
(The Center Square) – Illinois’ gun ban registry deadline is a month away and some in local law enforcement say investigating and prosecuting infractions will not be a top priority.
Man convicted of killing SIUE student in drive-by shooting near campus sentenced to 29 years
Madison County Associate Judge Neil Schroeder sentenced a Missouri teen to 29 years in prison for killing Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville student Moneer Damra during a drive-by shooting in Edwardsville in January 2021.
Fifth District finds court erred in returning funds to bank
MT. VERNON — The Fifth District Appellate Court has reversed Fayette County Judge Kevin S. Parker, finding that he erred in returning rents owed to the defendant bank.
Dental patient alleges injuries during denture procedure
EDWARDSVILLE — A dental patient claims he suffered injuries while getting dentures.
Madison County real estate Oct. 16-20
A Bethalto home sold for $665,000 as part of the Madison County real estate transactions for Oct. 16-20.
St. Clair County real estate Aug. 7-11
An O'Fallon property sold for $2.24 million as part of the St. Clair County real estate transactions for Aug. 7-11.
Madison County civil docket Dec. 4-8
Madison County Circuit Judge Sarah Smith has hearings scheduled on the civil docket for Dec. 4-8.
Yandle denies sanction request in BIPA suit against Oldcastle; Discovery dispute continues under new counsel
BENTON - Oldcastle Lawn and Garden, defending a class action claim that it violated fingerprint privacy, switched law firms in the midst of depositions and a brush with sanctions.
Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Executive Committee on Practice of Law
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the creation of the Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law (Executive Committee).
IL Supreme Court: Plaintiffs don't need to ID proper personal estate representative before suing dead person
A split Illinois Supreme Court ruled insurer State Farm couldn't defeat a lawsuit against a deceased man for insurance proceeds by arguing the plaintiff failed to properly identify and sue a personal representative of the dead man's estate. The majority said it was enough to ask a court to appoint a special representative instead
Fifth District rejects man's claim that his right to a speedy trial was violated
The Fifth District Appellate Court affirmed St. Clair County Circuit Judge Zina Cruse’s order denying a convicted murder’s request for a new trial.
Kansas City lawyers voluntarily dismiss BIPA class actions they pursued in Illinois federal court
EAST ST. LOUIS - Kansas City area lawyers Jayson Brown and Jason Watkins, who jumped into Illinois fingerprint litigation with two potential class actions, voluntarily dismissed both cases.
Illinois mandated annual reports on Invest in Kids: 4 years, no reports
The Illinois State Board of Education failed to publish diagnostic reports required by the Invest in Kids Act to track scholarship recipients’ progress starting in 2019. State lawmakers are letting the program expire without seeing a single report.
Attorney General Raoul and Cfpb Obtain Order Requiring Student Lender Prehired to Provide Students More Than $30 Million in Relief
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and 11 attorneys general, announced today that student lender Prehired will provide more than $30 million in relief to student borrowers for making false promises of job placement, trapping students with income share loans that violated the law, and resorting to abusive debt collection practices when borrowers could not pay.
Fifth District reverses Hoerner's rejection of summons delivery in suit involving evasion of service
MOUNT VERNON - St. Clair County Circuit Judge Kevin Hoerner improperly found that dropping a summons at a door didn’t count as service of process, Fifth District appellate judges ruled on Nov. 20.
Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states
Illinois could make it easier to escape poverty by letting more people work without first getting a license. Six neighboring states do a better job of easing occupational licensing on low-income professions.