Illinois Lawyer Blog

Was retained by a young man to investigate potential cause of action after he was badly beaten up at a get-together in his neighborhood. In doing some research, ran across the Illinois Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsiblity Act of 2004. The Act provides that any person[18 or older] who willfully supplies acohol or illegal drugs to a person under 18, and… Read More

According to a recent Chicago Daily Law Bulletin article, the United States Supreme Court has elected not to intervene in Chicago-area case retaliatory discharge case where the plaintiff secured a jury verdict of $2.8 million dollars in punitive damages. The plaintiff in the case, Jerri Blount, had alleged that Joseph Stroud, the owner of Jovon Broadcasting, r… Read More

Saw a fascinanting article in the November 8, 2010 Sports Illustrated, written by Selena Roberts. Ms. Roberts details how a Silsbee, Texas high school cheerleader was kicked off the cheerleading squad. Her crime? She didn’t cheer for an athlete that she claimed had sexually assaulted her. In October, 2008, the cheerleader, who is simply identified as H.S… Read More

Battling it out against one of the national insurance companies for failure to pay on a fire loss. In doing some research today, came across an excellent Illinois Appellate decision. The case, Norman v. American National Fire Insurance is a great read for those handling fire loss cases The language I found particularly useful is at 198 Ill.App.3d 291. There, t… Read More

The Illinois State Bar Association[ISBA], the largest voluntary association of lawyers in Illinois, is condemning some radio ads concocted by JUSTPAC, the political action committee of the Illinois Civil Justice League. The ads, which attack Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride, were described as “inappropriate” and the ISBA said they dis… Read More

Great piece today by Greg Hinz in Crain’s Chicago Business about the efforts by the Illinois Civil Justice League[ICJL] to unseat Illinois Supreme Court Judge Thomas Kilbride. [pictured above]. The ICJL, through its political action committe JUSTPAC has issued a couple of vicious smears on Kilbride. A recent JUSTPAC radio ad featured actors, playing crim… Read More

Every Illinois personal injury lawyer dreads the “permitted and intended user” defense. You see it every time you represent someone who was injured while on public property. The law in Illinois says that a municipality owes a duty or ordinary care to people using public property only if the injured person was a “permitted and intended”… Read More

Saw this case while doing some research for a new client who suffered extensive damage to his condo… The Illinois Appellate Court, Second District recently handed down a decision involving the damages available[or more accurately NOT available] to people displaced from their homes due to the actions of others. In Mayer v. Chicago Mechanical Services[CMS]… Read More