Illinois

Ex-partner of law firm indicted, accused of aiding unlawful use of energy tax credits by clients

An Illinois lawyer has been federally indicted in what the government describes as a scheme to promote the unlawful use of alternative-fuel-generation tax credits by his clients, while working as a partner at a Chicago law firm. The indictment against Gary J. Stern says he “aided and assisted in, and…

Oct 16, 2014 2:08 PM CDT

Former ‘People’s Attorney’ radio host is tried in $10M mortgage-fraud case over real estate closings

An Illinois lawyer is being tried in a criminal fraud case in federal court in Chicago, accused of cheating mortgage lenders out of almost $10 million by representing buyers he knew were not qualified to purchase at real estate closings.in and around the city. Warren Ballentine has said on Facebook…

Oct 15, 2014 10:00 AM CDT

Woman gets 7 years for filing fake $100B liens against 4 judges, US attorney and others

Five years ago, Cherron Phillips was a successful career woman with two children, friends and relatives with impressive records of achievement and no criminal record. On Tuesday, the 44-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison by a federal judge in Chicago for filing bogus $100 billion maritime liens against…

Oct 14, 2014 2:15 PM CDT

Chicago generated 77,000 additional red-light tickets by shortening yellow-light times, report says

The city of Chicago shaved a tenth of a second from a yellow light threshold this spring, generating 77,000 tickets for motorists caught on camera for running red lights, according to the city inspector general. The unannounced change allowed red-light ticketing when yellow lights lasted a minimum of 2.9 seconds,…

Oct 10, 2014 11:09 AM CDT

Traffic court defendant didn’t deserve jail for cursing in courthouse hallway, says appellate court

A judge went too far in imposing an eight-day, indirect criminal-contempt sentence for using using the F-word in a traffic court hallway, an Illinois appellate court found last week. Valerie Perez, who was in court for a speeding ticket, uttered the profanity after Will County Circuit Court Carmen Goodman took…

Oct 6, 2014 1:22 PM CDT

Woman accused of plotting to kill town’s president and its attorney

A Chicago-area woman has been charged with plotting the murders of her town president and its attorney. Joann Walker, 76, is accused of trying to put out a hit on Cicero Town President Larry Dominick and town attorney Michael Del Galdo, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Prosecutors said that Walker spoke…

Sep 29, 2014 4:24 PM CDT

Lawyer and interpreter are accused of embellishing asylum claims

A suburban Chicago lawyer and an interpreter who worked with him are accused in a federal indictment of making false claims of religious persecution and providing other phony information in a bid to win asylum for their clients. Federal agents raided the Morton Grove, Illinois, offices of 51-year-old lawyer Robert…

Sep 24, 2014 11:20 AM CDT

Federal judge says she thinks convicted drug dealer killed police officer, gives defendant 35 years

State prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois, couldn’t prove a murder case against Jason “J-Rock” Austin in the 2008 slayings of an off-duty Chicago police detective and his companion. But federal prosecutors in a subsequent drug case argued at sentencing that Austin had indeed killed Chicago police detective Robert Soto and…

Sep 18, 2014 4:35 PM CDT

State law may ban Nik Wallenda’s plan to walk Windy City tightrope

An announced plan by Nik Wallenda to walk a tightrope between two Windy City high-rises, 600 feet above the Chicago River, may have hit a legal roadblock. Although city officials supported the idea, Illinois lawmakers previously nixed the concept. A state law says it is a misdemeanor for an individual…

Sep 17, 2014 2:00 PM CDT

Imprisoned for plotting to kill federal judge, law grad wants to play the violin in supermax

Nearly a decade into his 40-year prison sentence for plotting to kill a federal judge in Chicago, law graduate Matthew Hale is finding the conditions of his solitary confinement in one of the country’s most secure prisons onerous. The would-be Illinois lawyer, who was denied bar admission over his admitted…

Sep 16, 2014 2:45 PM CDT

Detective’s new look at 2006 case leads to murder charge against former prosecutor

A former Illinois prosecutor has been charged with murder in the 2006 death of his wife after a newly promoted detective took another look at the case file. Curtis Lovelace, a former assistant state’s attorney in Adams County, Illinois, appeared in court last Friday, where he asked for more time…

Sep 15, 2014 9:47 AM CDT

Will Illinois become the sixth state to allow granny cams in nursing homes?

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is backing legislation that would allow families to place recording devices in nursing homes to monitor treatment of their loved ones. Madigan says the bill would require consent from nursing home residents being recorded as well as from their roommates, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago…

Sep 9, 2014 2:03 PM CDT

Off-site video that saved woman from felony charge is now supporting a $150K civil rights settlement

An off-site security video that saved a Chicago tanning salon manager from a felony charge is also helping her to win a likely $150,000 settlement in her federal civil rights case against the city concerning a raid at the north side business last year. The city council’s finance committee has…

Sep 9, 2014 9:55 AM CDT

Lawyer who billed corporate client for his sanctions is reprimanded

An Illinois lawyer has been reprimanded in Iowa as a result of a discovery dispute in which he billed his corporate client for sanctions stemming from his conduct. Cameron Davidson was reprimanded on Aug. 18 in connection with his representation of agricultural equipment maker Deere & Co., report the Quad…

Sep 2, 2014 8:41 AM CDT

Federal judge says mom sued too late accusing Chicago officials of cover-up in son’s death

It wasn’t until a report was issued earlier this year by a top Chicago law firm at the conclusion of an unusual court-driven investigation that Nanci Koschman decided to sue city police and Cook County prosecutors over the way her son’s death investigation was handled. But that litigation was filed…

Aug 28, 2014 8:50 PM CDT