Blog
St. Louis Scores Win Against Stan Kroenke and the NFL
On Tuesday September 3rd the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the lawsuit against the Rams owner, Stan Kroenke, and the NFL must be heard in an open court room and not behind the closed doors of arbitration.[1] The City’s lawsuit alleges that the Rams violated the NFL’s 1984 league guidelines. The league and Mr. Kroenke
Illinois Says No to Smoking in Cars with Minors
On Friday August 23, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed into law House Bill 2276, effectively amending the Illinois Vehicle Code and making it illegal for anyone to smoke in a car containing a person under 18 years of age.[1] Specifically, it will be illegal for anyone to inhale, exhale, burn, or carry a lighted cigarette, cigar,
Impound Must Return Vehicles During Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
On June 19, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rendered its decision that the city of Chicago violated the Bankruptcy Code’s automatic stay provision when it continued to hold cars belonging to individuals who had filed for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. [1] This decision was the result of a consolidated appeal
Gender Violence Act
Back in 2004, Illinois passed what is known as the Gender Violence Act in an effort to deter violence directed toward women. Since its inception, the Gender Violence Act has undergone little change. It classified gender-related violence as a form of sex discrimination and allowed a person who had been subjected to gender-related violence to
Illinois Prohibits Landlords from Evicting Tenants Based on Immigration Status
On Wednesday August 21st, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 1090, making Illinois only the second state to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants solely because they are living in the U.S. illegally.[1] The bill also prohibits landlords from reporting or threatening to report a tenant’s immigration status to authorities as a means of
Should Illinois End Religious Exemption for Vaccines?
Last month New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill officially banning religious exemptions for vaccinations. The law was passed after states across the U.S. saw the largest measles outbreak since 1992 and since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. [1] In fact, just this year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Illinois to Require Fire Protection for Kennels
As of August 6, 2019, Illinois is the first state to require fire protection for pets kept in kennels and other boarding facilities.[1] House Bill 3390 amended the Illinois Animal Welfare Act to require that all kennel operators install a fire alarm monitoring system that triggers notification to local emergency responders, unless the kennel is staffed
You Get The House, They Get The Car, But Who Keeps The Dog?
It is no secret that many individuals consider their companion animals, or pets, a member of their family. In fact, a recent survey conducted found that over 80% of pet owners consider their pets to be full fledged family members, equivalent to the human members alike. [1] Considering this information, it is unsurprising to learn
Illinois Proposes Animal Abuse Registry
Illinois may be on the path to establishing a statewide registry for individuals convicted of animal abuse. State Senator Tom Cullerton, who has introduced similar legislation in the past, says that he intends to reintroduce the idea this January when the next legislative session begins.[1]His proposed bill states that anyone convicted of aggravated animal cruelty,
Salary History Question is History in Illinois
On July 31, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed into law House Bill 834, effectively amending the Equal Pay Act of 2003 and banning employers from requiring job applicants to disclose their salary history.[1]The new law prohibits employers from requiring that an applicant’s prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum criteria, requesting information about prior wages or salary
Illinois Procedures To Protect Children During A Divorce
Divorce and custody proceedings can be an emotional and tense time for all individuals involved. In these situations, it is often the children shared by the parties that suffer the most. While both spouses have attorneys representing their own wishes, the children are in the position of relying on their parents to advocate for their
How Does The Court Calculate Child Support In Illinois?
Upon filing for divorce, one party may request support from the other party and in the state of Illinois support payments take two forms. If a party is requesting support for themselves to ensure that they are able to adequately provide for their own livelihood, it is considered maintenance (also know as alimony or spousal
