Federal Court News
Federal Court
Dugan allows Cahokia Heights' residents to join EPA sewer suit
EAST ST. LOUIS - Citizens of Cahokia Heights who sued for decent sewers can intervene in a suit that state and national environmental agencies brought for the same purpose, U.S. District Judge David Dugan ruled on April 28.
Federal Court
Feds seek to strike down IL law that threatens employers for using E-Verify
Critics have said a new IL 'workplace privacy' law sets up a 'Catch-22' for employers using E-Verify to screen out illegal immigrants, forcing them to choose to follow state or federal law. The Justice Department says the IL law trespasses onto federal authority
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Federal Court
McGlynn denies move to dismiss East Palestine train derailment suit
U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn has denied Norfolk Southern Railroad's motion to dismiss a property damage lawsuit arising from the derailment of 38 freight cars carrying toxic and hazardous materials on Feb. 3, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio.
Federal Court
Raichle responds to asbestos bankruptcy abuse allegations; Accuser claims plaintiff lawyers misappropriated $5-10 billion
CHARLOTTE - Asbestos lawyer Marcus Raichle Jr. of St. Louis objected to an allegation that he and others have abused bankruptcy trusts so badly that future claimants will collect a fifth of what past claimants received.
Federal Court
Yandle takes jurisdiction in downtown Highland development dispute
BENTON - U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle decided to exercise jurisdiction over a claim that developers of a project in downtown Highland failed to honor a construction contract.
Federal Court
Paraquat plaintiffs and defense ask for stay at Seventh Circuit while discussing settlement
CHICAGO - About 5,600 plaintiffs who claim weed killer paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease joined with defendants Syngenta and Chevron in a motion to stay proceedings at U.S. Seventh Circuit for 60 days to settle almost all claims.
Federal Court
Sierra Club gives up on suit alleging Prairie State Generating operates Marissa plant without permit
BENTON - Sierra Club has ended its effort to shut down the Prairie State Generating power plant near Marissa.
Federal Court
Asbestos lawyers destroyed documents to evade bankruptcy judge's ruling, lawyer claims; Simmons allegedly among them
CHARLOTTE - Asbestos lawyers coordinated destruction of documents in bankruptcy trusts to evade rulings of bankruptcy judge Laura Beyer, according to a letter Beyer posted on the docket of Georgia Pacific entity Bestwall.
Federal Court
Testimony in $11 million legal malpractice trial shows defense ‘on their heels’ by Keefe team
BENTON - Jurors at U.S. district court didn’t decide whether attorney James Borland of Springfield committed legal malpractice in St. Clair County but they heard fascinating testimony from him and from the lawyer who defeated him, Thomas Keefe III of Swansea.
Federal Court
Plaintiffs in Caseyville flood suit: 'We're going after CSX as landowner who just happens to be railroad company'
EAST ST. LOUIS - Flood damage claims that Caseyville and Keller Farms brought against CSX don’t involve the railroad’s bridge over a creek, village attorney Doug Stewart and Keller Farms counsel Jason Johnson argued on March 5.
Federal Court
St. Louis man sentenced to 12 years in scam involving online private car sales totaling $1.7 million
EAST ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for his involvement in a vehicle sale scheme using fake cashier’s checks and targeting victims in Madison, Jasper, Bond and Fayette counties.
Federal Court
Judge denies move to dismiss Cheddar Bay Biscuit case; Plaintiff claims 3.1 biscuit shortage per box
EAST ST. LOUIS - Accuracy of information on a box of Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuit mix doesn’t excuse baker Continental Mills from liability for inaccurate information on the box, Chief U.S. Judge Nancy Rostengel ruled on March 20.
Federal Court
More plaintiffs should be dropped from Paraquat MDL over failure to answer questions, special master says
EAST ST. LOUIS - Special master Randi Ellis recommended dismissal of 117 paraquat exposure suits on March 20 for failure to return necessary questionnaires.
Federal Court
Legal malpractice case settles as jurors begin deliberations
BENTON - Ansur America Insurance and lawyer James Borland of Peoria settled a legal malpractice claim after seven days of trial with jurors just beginning to deliberate.
Federal Court
Judge dismisses racketeering suit against Simmons firm and lawyers
CHICAGO - U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman dismissed a racketeering suit against John Simmons’s asbestos firm of Alton and seven of the firm’s lawyers on March 18.
Federal Court
Jersey County treasurer resigns amid divorce, foreclosure and shortage investigation
JERSEYVILLE - Jersey County treasurer Katie Abbey resigned on March 6 in the midst of divorce, foreclosure and an investigation of a shortage in the county’s books.
Federal Court
Seventh Circuit upholds Gilbert in short barrel tax and registration case
CHICAGO - Senior U.S. District Judge Phil Gilbert of Benton correctly upheld taxation and registration of rifles with short barrels, Seventh Circuit appellate judges ruled on March 10.
Federal Court
Judge orders arbitration in Auffenberg class action alleging commissions not fully paid
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn ordered arbitration of a class action claim that auto dealer Christopher Auffenberg didn’t fully pay commissions on used car sales.
Federal Court
Celebrities claim strip clubs misappropriated their images in suits against Oz and Pony
BENTON - Ten celebrities claimed Oz nightclub in Sauget misappropriated their images and Carmen Electra claims the Pony club across from Cape Girardeau misappropriated hers.
Federal Court
Arizona Beverages awarded $154K as Dugan finds Sheehan pursued fraud claim for plaintiff who loved 'Arnold Palmer Lite'
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge David Dugan awarded $154,862.50 to lawyers for Arizona Beverages on Feb. 25 for work that class action lawyer Spencer Sheehan put them through on a claim that had no chance.