Illinois

Judge allows transgender woman’s suit challenging Chicago ban on topless female performances

A transgender performance artist can proceed with her suit challenging the Chicago ordinance that prevents her from performing topless or in the nude in establishments that sell liquor. U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood ruled earlier this month that Bea Sullivan-Knoff can proceed with claims that the ordinance’s ban on female…

Nov 30, 2018 7:30 AM CST

Former male Chicago law school employee alleges gender discrimination

A former employee at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago has won the right to continue his federal complaint of gender discrimination against the school, although claims of age discrimination and retaliation were dismissed. John Bergholz, 59, was the law school’s executive director of development and alumni relations from…

Nov 12, 2018 1:07 PM CST

Lawyer wins judicial election on a second try after changing his party and name

Chicago-area lawyer Phillip Spiwak lost when he ran as a Republican for a Will County, Illinois, judgeship in 2010. But the Hoffman Estates lawyer won his judicial race last Tuesday in suburban Cook County after he switched parties and changed his name to Shannon P. O’Malley, Injustice Watch reports. The…

Nov 12, 2018 11:11 AM CST

Lawyer for sex assault accuser in criminal case detained after refusing to answer judge’s question

A clash between a criminal defendant’s right to exculpatory information and attorney-client privilege rights of the victim erupted in a Chicago courtroom last Friday, leading a judge to order a lawyer for the victim into custody. The lawyer, Danielle Johnson, was representing a sexual assault accuser under an Illinois law…

Nov 8, 2018 2:02 PM CST

Illinois judge accused of threatening to hold employee in contempt, lying about gun incident

A judge in a suburb of Chicago has been accused in a judicial ethics complaint of making false statements about a gun incident and retaliating against two employees who accused him of sexual harassment. Judge Patrick O’Shea of DuPage County was accused in a misconduct complaint filed Thursday by the…

Oct 29, 2018 10:41 AM CDT

As judges rule for sanctuary cities, Chicago sues Sessions for blocking new public safety grants

Litigation over President Donald Trump's order restricting federal grants to sanctuary cities continues, despite several rulings favoring the cities and other jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Oct 25, 2018 12:10 PM CDT

Judge is acquitted on gun charge after lawyer argues dropped object could have been a toy

A judge charged with a misdemeanor after a gun apparently fell out of his jacket while entering the courthouse has been acquitted in a bench trial after his lawyer argued the object could have been a toy or even a cigar lighter. Judge Joseph Claps of Cook County, Illinois, was…

Oct 24, 2018 9:27 AM CDT

Justice Department will oppose consent decree to reform Chicago Police Department

The U.S. Department of Justice will file a statement of interest opposing a pending consent decree in Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Justice Department’s opposition to the decree reforming the police department in a statement on Tuesday, report…

Oct 10, 2018 12:25 PM CDT

Jurors find Chicago police officer guilty of second-degree murder in shooting death of black teen

A Chicago police officer was found guilty of second-degree murder on Friday for the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The officer, Jason Van Dyke, shot McDonald 16 times in an incident caught on dashcam video. Jurors in Cook County, Illinois, also convicted Van Dyke on 16 counts of…

Oct 5, 2018 3:40 PM CDT

Suburban Chicago judge is reassigned after telling defendant ‘you were never a slave’

A criminal court judge in suburban Chicago has been moved to administrative duties after he reportedly told a black defendant, “you were never a slave.”

Oct 5, 2018 1:10 PM CDT

Are free speech and academic freedom under assault at colleges and universities?

Many see the case of Teresa Buchanan at Louisiana State University as emblematic of the precarious state of academic freedom for college and university professors. Others view the case as an example of the perils of applying a categorical rule to limit professorial speech.

Oct 1, 2018 1:40 AM CDT

Judge is reassigned after being accused of calling prosecutor a slur and implying they had sex

A Chicago-area judge says he doesn’t believe he called a prosecutor a “bitch,” nor does he believe he made a remark that implied they may have had sex. Judge Mauricio Araujo told the Chicago Tribune he “did not call her bitch. I do not believe I did.” Nor does he…

Sep 26, 2018 7:29 AM CDT

Physician calling himself ‘the real Dr. Joshi’ sues indicted doctor with the same name

A Chicago-area pain management physician, dubbed “the real Dr. Joshi,” has filed suit against a physician with the same name who pleaded guilty in July to illegally distributing opioid medications. The federal lawsuit describes Dr. Jay K. Joshi as an “imitator” who, upon realizing that he shared the same first…

Sep 25, 2018 12:59 PM CDT

Priest could face deportation from US after disclosing he mistakenly voted in 2006 election

A retired Episcopal priest with permanent residence status who has been applying for U.S. citizenship may face deportation after disclosing that he voted in a federal midterm election in 2006.

Sep 24, 2018 5:30 PM CDT

Some immigrants picked up by ICE given ‘fake dates’ to appear in court

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has failed to coordinate or clear appearance dates with federal courts in six cities, the Dallas Morning News reports. Some people received documents with orders to appear in immigration court at midnight on Sept. 31—in a month that has 30 days. More than a dozen…

Sep 17, 2018 11:16 AM CDT