Plaintiffs filed suit challenging the constitutionality of Chicago’s amusement tax. In 2015, the city comptroller issued Ruling 5, indicating the existing 9 percent amusement tax on charges paid for the privilege to enter, witness, view, or participate in certain activities in Chicago would also be applied to amusements delivered electronically to a patron in the city.
On Oct. 24, 2019, the Illinois Supreme Court vacated a circuit court’s ruling, which held that section 513 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act was unconstitutional.
On Feb. 4, 2020 the Second District Appellate Court held that sections 16 and 19(l) of the Workers’ Compensation Act do not provide statutory authority for the award of attorney fees and penalties against an employer who unreasonably delayed authorizing surgery for an employee injured on the job.
On May 21, 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court by holding that plaintiffs who do not suffer an economic loss cannot maintain a tort action based on a claim that solely alleges an economic injury.
The Illinois General Assembly enacted the Removal of Private Compromising Images Act. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, the Act prohibits the “posting of private compromising images” of another person online.
On July 7, 2020, the Fifth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that the simultaneous possession of a firearm and any amount of cannabis is prohibited under the Illinois Criminal Code.
The Election Code is amended to require election authorities in counties with populations under three million to collaborate with the primary county jail to facilitate voting.
On Aug. 24, 2020, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court reversed a trial court’s decision to deny a leave to substitute counsel solely on the grounds that the new attorney was not ready for trial.
On Jan. 31, 2020, the Third District Appellate Court reversed a trial court decision that failed to provide adequate self-defense and second-degree murder instructions to the jury.
On Sept. 28, 2020, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in declining to hear a motion for continuance when the defendant and his attorney could have participated in the trial but chose not to.
On Aug. 20, 2020, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that court-awarded attorney fees during the pendency of marriage-dissolution proceedings are interim and not subject to immediate appeal.
On Sept. 24, 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court found that the trial court’s sua sponte vacatur of the defendant’s guilty plea did not improperly terminate jeopardy; thus, the subsequent bench trial did not constitute double jeopardy.
The Department of Insurance adopted a Part titled Temporary Health Coverage Requirements During an Epidemic or Public Health Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Aug. 21, 2020, the Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that evidence obtained through violation of the Illinois eavesdropping statute must be suppressed, including testimony about illegally recorded conversations prompted by illegal recording devices.
The Department of Children and Family Services adopted amendments to Licensing Standards for Day Care Homes, Licensing Standards for Day Care Centers, and Licensing Standards for Group Day Care Homes.
On April 16, 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Third District Appellate Court and ruled that a warrantless dog sniff outside the door of the defendant’s motel room did not violate his Fourth Amendment rights.
On Dec. 24, 2019, the First District Appellate Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of a mistrial in a medical malpractice case for negligence, finding that the court did not abuse its discretion.
