Illinois

Suspended lawyer can’t shield home in bankruptcy from malpractice judgment, 7th Circuit says

A suspended Illinois lawyer who had owned his home as a tenant by the entirety before his wife’s death won’t be able to shield the property in bankruptcy from a former client who won a default malpractice judgment.

Aug 6, 2019 10:13 AM CDT

In-House Ethics: Top state court says ethics rules haven’t ‘evolved with the profession’ and lawyer-client relationships

A fired in-house lawyer may sue his former employer for breach of contract and violation of public policy, despite an ethics rule that “robustly protects” a client’s right to terminate a lawyer at any time, for any reason, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-3 decision.

Jul 25, 2019 3:31 PM CDT

7th Circuit won’t overrule precedent barring female inmate’s challenge of strip searches as training exercise

Female prisoners in Illinois can't sue under the Fourth Amendment for being forced to show their genitals in a training exercise, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Jul 19, 2019 1:15 PM CDT

Sexual assault victims are sometimes billed for rape kits, despite federal law’s protections

The Violence Against Women Act requires states that receive certain federal grants to certify that sexual assault victims don’t have to pay for the medical exams that gather forensic evidence. But some hospital billing departments aren’t getting the message. Some women are still being billed for forensic rape examinations, known…

Jul 11, 2019 10:46 AM CDT

Impounded vehicles can’t be held after drivers file for bankruptcy, court says

Thousands of Chicago motorists may be able to get their cars and trucks out of city impound lots immediately after filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy following a federal appeals court ruling that the city could no longer hold onto the vehicles.

Jul 10, 2019 9:28 AM CDT

Lawyer awarded $229K in pregnancy bias suit after judge slams defendant law firm for slow discovery

A Chicago immigration lawyer has been awarded $229,498 in her suit claiming that she was fired from her job at a law firm after disclosing her pregnancy. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer awarded the money to Jessica Hernandez last week after entering a default judgment against the Katz Law Office…

Jul 9, 2019 11:45 AM CDT

This state is set to expunge nearly 800,000 marijuana convictions in 2020

Illinois residents will automatically receive clemency for convictions of up to 30 grams of cannabis after a new state law goes into effect in 2020. The Cannabis Regulation & Tax Act, signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week, makes cannabis legal for people age 21 and older and offers relief…

Jul 1, 2019 3:54 PM CDT

Formerly incarcerated people are building their own businesses and giving others second chances

Formerly incarcerated people have a difficult time separating themselves from their criminal histories, which makes getting jobs a struggle. Even when they’re eligible to get their records sealed or expunged, most don’t go through the process because they are either unaware of how to do it or lack the legal help they need to get it done.

Jul 1, 2019 12:30 AM CDT

Urge to merge: Difficult times for law schools have prompted several to attempt to be acquired by other schools

In the past three years, seven law schools announced plans to partner, gift or sell themselves to universities—all but begging the question: Why would anyone want them?

Jul 1, 2019 12:15 AM CDT

New York legislature OKs ban on gay and trans ‘panic defenses’

New York is poised to join the increasing number of states that are banning gay and trans “panic defenses” in murder cases. As the ABA Journal reported in January, legislatures have increasingly considered this type of ban.

Jun 26, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

Lawyer suspended amid accusations of ‘inappropriate diatribes’ and ‘vitriolic emails’

A Chicago lawyer accused of sending “vitriolic emails” to opposing counsel and making false claims and “inappropriate diatribes” in pleadings has been suspended from law practice. In an order on Wednesday, the Illinois Supreme Court suspended lawyer Joel Brodsky from law practice “immediately and until further order of the court.”…

Jun 20, 2019 3:24 PM CDT

Lawyer engaged in ‘sustained campaign of unfounded litigation,’ disbarment recommendation says

An Illinois lawyer should be disbarred for trying to gain control of a long-running case by filing several unfounded suits alleging malpractice, fraud and a “virtual kidnapping,” according to an ethics hearing board. The actions by Waukegan, Illinois, lawyer David Alan Novoselsky caused an “astonishing amount of harm” to several…

Jun 14, 2019 1:17 PM CDT

Suits accuse dairy company of consumer fraud for touting ‘extraordinary care and comfort’ of cows

Two lawsuits filed in federal court in Chicago accuse the Fairlife milk company of consumer fraud for promoting its “extraordinary care and comfort” of dairy cows. The would-be class actions, filed June 11 and June 12, cite mistreatment of cows at the company’s northwest Indiana dairy, Fair Oaks Farms, that…

Jun 13, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Judge engaged in ‘inappropriate and harassing behavior’ toward women, complaint alleges

Cook County Judge Mauricio Araujo “engaged in a pattern of inappropriate and harassing behavior toward women with whom he has interacted in professional settings and in his official judicial capacity,” according to a complaint filed Thursday by the state’s Judicial Inquiry Board. The complaint cites specific incidents in which Araujo…

Jun 7, 2019 2:37 PM CDT

Chicago police used more force against black people, although they resisted less often, study says

Chicago police officers tended to use more force against black people, even though they resisted police slightly less often than white people, according to a study based on data obtained through an open records request. The disparity between police use of force on black and white people was greatest when…

Jun 7, 2019 8:30 AM CDT