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Judges: Reforms to limit harm from IL biometrics law should apply to pending lawsuits, too
Recent rulings from a Chicago federal judge and a Cook County judge are seen as key wins for Illinois businesses, as they begin the work of answering a key question that could decide the fates of potentially hundreds of lawsuits with many millions of dollars at stake
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Constitution doesn't block Indiana's ban on gender transition procedures for kids: Appeals court
A divided federal appeals panel said the Indiana ban on surgeries, puberty blockers and other care do not violate parent's rights to direct their children's medical care nor the speech rights of doctors, dissolving a lower court's injunction blocking enforcement of the law
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'Unconstitutional affront:' Federal judge strikes down Illinois 'assault weapons' ban
Saying the law falls far short under the Constitution, U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn entered an injunction which would block the state from enforcing Gov. Pritzker's ban on so-called 'assault weapons.' The ruling is stayed for 30 days, pending an expected appeal from the state
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Judge mostly tosses effort to force IL elections authorities to make voter rolls more accurate
A Chicago federal judge said conservative groups don't have standing to sue Illinois state and county election officials for allegedly failing to live up to their obligations under federal election law to remove people who aren't eligible to vote from Illinois voter rolls
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Federal judge asked to block IL law that restricts what employers can say to their workers
In a new filing, the Illinois Policy Institute and Technology and Manufacturing Association say the state has unconstitutionally set up a regime to allow labor unions and other political allies to speak, while silencing employers' speech on politics, public policy and religion in the workplace
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IL counties can't end lawsuit accusing them of unconstitutionally taking homes over unpaid taxes
A Chicago federal judge said the counties can't beat the lawsuit by claiming they aren't violating the Constitution because state law allows private investors to keep the homes and the profits from the forced sales, not the governments themselves
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IL Baptists plan to appeal ruling that IL abortion coverage mandate doesn't violate religious rights
A Springfield judge agreed with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul that the state's abortion health insurance coverage mandate doesn't violate religious objectors' rights because they can still buy health insurance from other states
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Illinois ban on carrying concealed weapons on transit unconstitutional, judge says
A Rockford federal judge particularly called a legal theory advanced by Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx that government can ban guns on all public property "breathtaking, jawdropping, and eyepopping" for the harm it could deliver to constitutional rights everywhere
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GOP House candidates rail against defunding of Invest in Kids with DNC as backdrop
CHICAGO - Republican candidates for the General Assembly stood for school choice at an outdoor exercise in free speech near the Democratic national convention.
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Appeals court tosses Dorman suit challenging IL ban on short-barreled rifles
The Fifth District Appellate Court said the state's ban on short-barreled rifles doesn't violate the Second Amendment or recent Supreme Court decisions because federal courts have consistently ruled that such weapons aren't commonly used for self-defense, but rather for crimes
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Supreme Court won't step in - yet - to overturn Illinois 'assault weapons' ban
The U.S. Supreme Court denied petitions from Illinois gun owners to review a Chicago federal appeals court's decision allowing Illinois' controversial gun ban law to take effect. Justice Clarence Thomas, however, called that decision 'nonsensical,' and warned the Illinois law will ultimately face a difficult reception at the high court
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Cook Co 'assault weapons' ban not constitutional, even under prior appeals court ruling upholding IL gun ban: Filing
Second Amendment rights advocates urged the Seventh Circuit Appeals Court to strike down Cook County's "assault weapons" ban ordinance and overrule their colleagues, saying the ordinance and the decision violate the Constitution and clash with two Supreme Court rulings
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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
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Devon Archer to get new hearing on prison sentence for fraud, conspiracy
NEW YORK CITY - U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who sentenced Hunter Biden’s former partner Devon Archer for a year when guidelines ranged from 81 to 135 months, plans to further soften his punishment.
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'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
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McKendree University graduate student dismisses claims over COVID closures; Proposed class action remains pending
McKendree University graduate student Kaitlin Pennington voluntarily dismissed her claims against the college, alleging students were deprived of the full on-campus services due to COVID-19 closures.
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Nearly 750 Paraquat cases tossed after S. IL federal judge demands end to far fetched, implausible exposure claims
A year ago, U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel, chief judge of the Southern District of Illinois, ordered plaintiffs to dispense with questionable claims that weed killer paraquat caused plaintiffs' illness. Since then, 746 cases have been dismissed or withdrawn.
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Study finds lawyers concerned about AI
CHARLESTON — A recent study that looked at different careers found that lawyers are the most cautious regarding artificial intelligence technologies.
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Fifth District reverses pretrial release for man who fled police in stolen vehicle, drove towards on-coming traffic
The Fifth District Appellate Court reversed Madison County Associate Judge Emily Nielsen’s order rejecting pretrial detention under the SAFE-T Act for a man who fled police in a stolen vehicle, speeding towards on-coming traffic until he crashed head-on with another motorist.
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St. Clair County voluntarily dismisses opioid suit against Express Scripts, OptumRx and United Health Care
EAST ST. LOUIS - St. Clair County voluntarily dismissed a claim that pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts, Optum Rx and United Health Care addicted its population to opioids and should bear the extra costs incurred by the local government.