Daily Legal News Archive
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Confidentiality Issues Mushroom in the Tribune Bankruptcy
The Tribune Co. bankruptcy, which has already seen its share of dustups over such diverse matters as fee examiners and Sidley Austin's proposed rates, has generated yet another twist, according to court records: possible sanctions against a bondholder after its law firm, Brown Rudnick, mistakenly included confidential papers in a public filing.
From: American Lawyer
Judge fines Sheriff Dart $1,400 over eviction delay
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart -- who made international headlines in 2008 when he temporarily stopped evicting tenants in foreclosed buildings -- was fined $1,400 Monday over a delay in carrying out a 2009 eviction order.
From: Chicago Sun-Times
Provena tax ruling: Justices have many options
A long-awaited decision on the taxable status of Provena Covenant Medical Center is expected from the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday morning.
From: Champaign News-Gazette
Chicago man to plead guilty in terror case
After cooperating with authorities for months, a key figure in the ongoing investigation into the 2008 deadly terror attacks in Mumbai, India, plans to plead guilty this week in federal court.
From: Chicago Sun-Times
Ex-judge on Fire Dept. case
A former state and federal prosecutor turned associate circuit judge will investigate sexual harassment allegations against Chicago Fire Commissioner John Brooks.
From: Chicago Sun-Times
State Capitol Q&A: Lobbyist registration back, fees still undetermined
The lobbying activities of more than 3,900 Illinois lobbyists and lobbying groups can once again be tracked online.
From: Springfield State Journal-Register
In Urbana, White case resolutions cost $2.6M
The cost of resolving abuse claims filed by students of former Unit 5 teacher Jon White has topped $2.6 million in Urbana, where White went to teach after he was forced to resign from the Normal school district.
From: Bloomington Pantagraph
Illinois House member arrested for DUI
An assistant minority leader in the Illinois House has been charged with driving under the influence.
From: Springfield State Journal-Register
Lawmakers look to close loophole in predator law
Suburban lawmakers are hoping to close a loophole in the law that allows the most dangerous sexual predators to loiter in public parks throughout the state.
From: Daily Herald
Daley secretly questioned by FBI in 2008 over real estate controversy
Mayor Richard Daley was secretly interviewed in 2008 at a downtown hotel by FBI agents who questioned him about the politicians who pushed for a Chicago real estate project now at the center of a federal bribery trial, the Tribune has learned.
From: Chicago Tribune
Ex-CBOE vice-chair gets cash incentive to refrain from suing fellow members
The Chicago Board Options Exchange’s board director and former vice-chairman will get a “cash award” of as much as $300,000 after the company completes its demutualization and becomes a public company if he agrees to not sue any fellow members for patent infringement in the future.
From: Chicago Business
Cop accuses another cop of telephone harassment
A Chicago Police officer is accusing his former girlfriend -- a Chicago Police commander -- of making telephone threats against him, court records show.
From: Chicago Sun-Times
Judge rules teen may be sent to Tennessee after probation violation here
A Cook County judge refused to halt the extradition of a Tennessee juvenile who will likely serve 10 years in prison after violating his probation while living in Illinois.
From: Chicago Tribune
Family pursues lawsuit over crash
A lawsuit filed more than a year ago by the family of 14-month-old Kirstin Blockinger is still in its discovery phase, according to attorneys.
From: Aurora Beacon News
Visitation hearing scheduled in Watkins murder case
Jennifer Watkins would rather let her grandmother sit in jail than allow the parents of her late husband to visit the little girl who’s at the center of a murder trial and a growing amount of civil litigation, according to court documents.
From: Springfield State Journal-Register
Ex-president of Clinton hospital wants her job back
The former president of the Dr. John Warner Hospital board says she wants her position back and that she was “coerced” into resigning.
From: Bloomington Pantagraph
Judges hear appeal of Luciano murder conviction
Kane County prosecutors were worried convictions would be hard to come by in the Operation First Degree Burn murder trials. The results since the 2007 gang sweep have been mixed, but prosecutors did win several key cases. Now those convictions are being tested again on appeal.
From: Aurora Beacon News
Thomson prison sale inches forward
The Quinn administration has taken another step toward selling the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government.
From: Quad-City Times
Judicial Conference Moves Federal Courts Toward More Public Access
At its closed-door meeting at the Supreme Court Tuesday, the Judicial Conference approved measures aimed at making federal court documents and courtroom audio recordings more widely available and at lower cost.
From: National Law Journal