On April 15, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed an Illinois Appellate Court judgment that held the state failed to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon when a police officer found a gun in a minivan driven by the defendant.
On Sept. 4, 2020, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that a new trial is required when jurors are exposed to outside information that may have prejudiced them.
On May 20, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court held that a public contractor cannot be liable under section 11 of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act for failing to pay prevailing wages when the contract did not provide a clear notice that prevailing wages be paid.
On May 20, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court decided that for identity theft, venue was proper in both the county where a defendant’s acts occur and the county where the victim resides.
On Oct. 6, 2020, the Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that closing a public street for a recreational event a few days a year may not be enough to alter the street’s character under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act.
On Aug. 26, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed a First District Illinois Appellate Court decision holding the defendant was not qualified to run in a mayoral race after a federal mail fraud conviction.
The Illinois State Board of Education adopted amendments to the Part titled Special Education. The rulemaking creates a “qualified interpreter” position to assist parents with limited English proficiency during individualized education program (IEP) meetings.
On Sept. 8, 2021, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court denied a quantum meruit recovery because the underlying contract was unenforceable on public policy grounds.
On Nov. 6, 2020, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court reversed a judgment for attorney fees for which there existed no reliable timekeeping records and remanded a judgment for attorney fees grossly disproportionate to compensatory damages for further inquiry into their reasonableness.
On Nov. 19, 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court held that a Rule 201(b)(3) nontestifying expert’s identity, opinions, and work product are discoverable only upon a showing of exceptional circumstances in medical malpractice cases.
The Department of Agriculture adopted amendments to the Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act, easing restrictions on livestock producers when disposing of animal carcasses.
The School Code is amended to mandate school districts to include in their policies a definition of prohibited grooming behaviors and how to report these behaviors.
The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation adopted amendments to the Nurse Practice Act, clarifying the scope of practice and licensure procedures for licensed nurses. Licensed nurses and their employers are affected by these changes.
