Subject Index Constitutional Law

On June 21, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the lower court's holding that the common-law "corrupt or malicious motives" exception limited the immunity granted by the Tort Immunity Act, 745 ILCS 10/1-101 et seq, and that the village could be held liable in quasi-contract.

On April 13, 2001, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Fourth District, applied the void-for-vagueness doctrine to a constitutional analysis of section 1(D)(h) of the Adoption Act, 750 ILCS 50/1 (D)(h).

On April 19, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's holding that § 2-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure violated the special legislation clause, Ill Const Art IV, § 13, and the right to equal protection, Ill Const Art I, § 2, guaranteed by the Illinois Constitution.

On March 2, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's holding that section 1(D)(p) of the Adoption Act was facially unconstitutional.

On February 16, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court's finding that § 21-6 of the Criminal Code of 1961, 720 ILCS 5/21-6, was unconstitutional.

Under Senate Bill 20, persons driving under the influence in school speed zones would be guilty of aggravated DUI.

Representative Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, hopes a new proposal will cut down on the number of "rubbernecking" drivers who fail to yield to emergency vehicles.

Under current Illinois law, courts may permit children under 18 who are witnesses in certain criminal prosecutions like sexual assault, predatory sexual assault of a child, and sexual abuse to testify via closed-circuit television outside the courtroom if the judge determines that in-court testimony would result in the child suffering serious emotional distress.

On January 19, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court's finding that the defendant, Anthony Crane, had his constitutional right to a speedy trial violated.

On November 22, 2000, the Supreme Court of Illinois affirmed the appellate court's finding that a defendant was denied his constitutional right to confrontation during his trial when the trial court allowed the use of podiums to prevent a child witness and the defendant from seeing each other as the witness testified about an alleged sexual attack.

On September 21, 2000, the Supreme Court of Illinois ruled that the trial court did not err in refusing to suppress a confession given by the defendant while in custody on a murder charge.

On September 5, 2000, the seventh circuit court of appeals reversed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defendants, Hasara and Danner, officials of the city of Springfield, on Myers claim under 42 USC § 1983 alleging violations of her constitutional rights.

On July 6, 2000, the Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the circuit court's finding that section 11-501.4-1 ("the section") of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code is unconstitutional and violated the defendant's right to privacy of his medical records.

Public Act 91-649 permissively approves sales taxes for all nonhome rule municipalities. Previously, a nonhome rule municipality needed at least 130,000 inhabitants to pursue a sales tax, which effectively precluded most proposals.