Judge Evans is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Terrence J. Lavin on March 31, 2026. The appointment is effective August 17, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.

Federal immigration enforcement officials threatened to file criminal charges against Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart if he failed to comply with subpoenas asking his office to turn over detainees being held at Cook County Jail.

Called Rosie's Law, HB4540, also known as the Companion Animal Custody Equity Act, "provides that in a possession dispute involving a companion animal, a court may consider the well-being of the companion animal regardless of the marital status of the parties."

Illinois State University said it will not appeal a federal court decision from southern Illinois that affects the cost of college for students who are undocumented immigrants.

Illinois is set to strengthen civil rights protections amid federal rollbacks. A new state law codifies the use of disparate impact standards within the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Pullman Innovations at 100th Street and Torrence Avenue was featured in a 2023 Sun-Times investigation that found city citations did little to thwart polluters across Chicago. City inspectors described the facility as having a “very strong odor that could best be described as rotting fish/decay of flesh.”

More than 50 people with the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice watched detention hearings in May and June 2025 to conclude “accused people were jailed in 74% of cases where a prosecutor petitioned to detain them.”