2016 Seventh Circuit US Court of Appeals Case Law

Justia Opinion Summary: n 2008, Dorsey, a convicted drug felon, sold 5.5 grams of crack cocaine. He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, the mandatory minimum under the 1986 Drug Act; the court declined to apply the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act…

Justia Opinion Summary: Trachte, a Wisconsin manufacturer, established an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) in the mid-1980s. In the late 1990s, Fenkell and his company, Alliance, began buying ESOP-owned, closely-held companies with limited…

Justia Opinion Summary: Fowler pleaded guilty in Indiana to unlawful possession of a firearm by a “serious violent felon” who was also a habitual offender. The judge sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense and 15…

Justia Opinion Summary: King, now deceased, was a lawyer. For several years he failed to pay his quarterly payroll taxes. The IRS stated that it would grant his request for an installment payment plan, but requested additional financial…

Justia Opinion Summary: Taylor has an IQ of 70-75. In her twenties, living with her mother, and never having worked, Taylor needs help to get dressed, wash her hair, and take her medications. She can do simple household chores, very slowly and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant pleaded guilty in 2011 to aiding and abetting marriage fraud, 18 U.S.C.1546(a), and was sentenced to three years in prison. Marriage fraud is an aggravated felony if the defendant is sentenced to at least…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1997 Hamas suicide bombers blew themselves up on a crowded Jerusalem pedestrian mall. The grievously injured included eight U.S. citizens who filed a civil action against the Islamic Republic of Iran for its role in…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1998, Montana was convicted of aiding and abetting a bank robbery in which an accomplice used a firearm, 18 U.S.C. 2113 and 924(c), and was sentenced to a total of 322 months in prison. The Seventh Circuit affirmed.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officers followed Carter after observing his cocaine transaction. A high-speed chase ensued. Carter wove through traffic, ignoring stop signs, and drove 80 mph through residential streets and alleyways. He narrowly…

Justia Opinion Summary: Neita formerly owned and operated a dog-grooming business and rescue shelter. In 2012, he went to Chicago’s Department of Animal Care and Control to surrender a dog that had killed another dog and a dog that had become…

Justia Opinion Summary: On behalf of Lightspeed, which operates websites purveying online pornography, attorneys Hansmeier, Steele, and Duffy sued a John Doe defendant in Illinois state court under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 U.S.C.…

Justia Opinion Summary: West Virginia sued pharmaceutical distributors, seeking to hold them liable for contributing to the state’s epidemic of prescription drug abuse. The complaint alleged that certain pharmacies, “pill mills,” knowingly…

Justia Opinion Summary: Wilson and Hanson, business partners, had a property ownership dispute. Warren County issued a letter stating that real property occupied by Wilson had to be cleaned up, but sent the letter to Hanson. Hanson, attorney…

Justia Opinion Summary: Schaefer, a server at Walker’s Illinois Original® Pancake House restaurants, alleged violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 201–19, and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law, 820 ILCS 105/1 to 105/15. Those laws…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2009, Hoffman executed a $1.5 million tax‐increment finance (TIF) note for a development project by Fyre Lake Ventures, backed by a TIF bond, a mechanism for local governments to finance real estate development.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Dawkins was convicted of bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. 2113(a), and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, 18 U.S.C. 924(c). He was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment, as a career offender, based on Illinois…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2006, Southern Illinois University (SIU) hired Dr. Hatcher as an assistant professor of political science. In 2010 Hatcher assisted a graduate student in making a sexual harassment complaint about a faculty member.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Miller cut a hole into his basement bathroom wall, installed a clear shower curtain, then took photos and videos of girls, aged 12-16, undressing or showering. He specifically directed some of them to shower in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, a prisoner and a Wiccan, was denied permission to wear a “pentacle medallion,”a five-pointed silver star set in a circle less than an inch in diameter. The pentacle medallion is to the Wiccan religion what…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, the Marchettis purchased real estate for $180,000, with a loan for that amount, plus $155,000, for planned improvements. Jonathon Marchetti acted as buyer, real-estate broker, mortgage broker, and general…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gaylord pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to distribution of oxycodone. Evins had ingested the oxycodone pills distributed by Gaylord, as well as cocaine from another source, and died. Gaylord was sentenced to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Three female employees of Metro Paramedic Services sued Metro and Antioch Rescue Squad, alleging an unrelenting practice of egregious sexual harassment, assault and battery, retaliation for whistleblowing, and failure to…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1994, Shott, a tenured associate professor of biostatistics at Rush University, sued, claiming discrimination by refusing to make reasonable accommodations for her religion (Orthodox Judaism) and disability…

Justia Opinion Summary: Banks was charged based on four separate bank robbery incidents in 2007-2008, all involving the use of a gun. During the four years preceding his trial, Banks terminated his counsel five times. On the first day of trial,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Attorney Turza sent fax advertisements to accountants. In 2013, the Seventh Circuit affirmed that these faxes violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), 47 U.S.C. 227, but reversed a plan to distribute a $4.2…

Justia Opinion Summary: GT owed its bank, Comerica, $7.8 million, secured by a lien on all of GT’s assets. GT filed for bankruptcy. Its assets were auctioned off. If the assets sold for more than $7.8 million, the excess would go to the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Ohio tollways assess a toll only when a driver exits a highway. Illinois’ toll system assesses periodic tolls as a driver continues on the highway and allows drivers to use electronic transponders. At each toll plaza,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Putro, a citizen of Latvia, entered the U.S. on a 4-month, foreign-exchange student visa in 1999 and overstayed. She married a U.S. citizen (Zalesky) in 2004 and gained conditional permanent residency, 8 U.S.C. 1186a(1).…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011, Horning won the subcontract for roofing work at the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The Davis‐Bacon Act, 40 U.S.C. 3141–43, requires contractors who perform construction for the federal government to pay…

Justia Opinion Summary: Torres‐Chavez, a member of the drug‐trafficking cartel “La Familia,” which is based in Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment after his convictions for conspiring to distribute cocaine, 21 U.S.C. 846,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs, current and former detainees, brought a class action under 42 U.S.C. 1983 against Cook County, claiming that the level of dental care at the Jail demonstrated deliberate indifference in violation of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Felix suffers from mental health disabilities, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobia. She takes prescribed medication and attends counseling. Felix was employed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Caudill, the owner of a real estate brokerage, sued Keller Williams for breach of a 2001 franchise contract. Caudill's position as Regional Director of Keller Williams was terminated in 2010; her franchise was terminated…

Justia Opinion Summary: The bank filed a residential mortgage foreclosure suit in Wisconsin state court. The owners, citizens of Minnesota, removed the case to federal court based on diversity of citizenship. The district court entered a…

Justia Opinion Summary: A woman reported that Viren had raped her, that he possessed child pornography, that he possessed nude photographs of her, and that he was using the photographs as blackmail. Rock Island Police executed a search warrant.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Todd sold 22.1 grams of cocaine to an undercover police officer. In 2010, he pled guilty and, having a criminal record that included five prison sentences totaling 22 years, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He…

Justia Opinion Summary: ORIX made a $41 million loan for the purchase of a North Carolina commercial building. Inheritance (a subsidiary of Detroit’s civil service retirement plans) guaranteed the loan. The building’s sole tenant did not renew…

Justia Opinion Summary: Woods and other gang members robbed two convenience stores. People were shot during the robberies, but did not die. At the time the government charged Woods he was 20, but at the time of the crime he was 15; under the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Bell sued several defendants for copyright infringement, alleging that they impermissibly displayed a photo of the Indianapolis skyline that belongs to Bell on websites promoting their respective businesses. With respect…

Justia Opinion Summary: Morris filed an application under 28 U.S.C. 2244(b)(3), seeking authorization to file a successive motion to vacate under section 2255. Morris was sentenced as an armed career criminal under 18 U.S.C. 924(e) and wanted…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officer McVicker pulled over a vehicle with Colorado license plates, traveling in Madison County, Illinois. The vehicle contained Smoot, the driver, and Walton, a passenger and had been traveling 68 mph in a 65 mph…

Justia Opinion Summary: William Charles Construction (WCC) entered into a labor agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the “Biggsville” construction project to expand a section of Rt. 34 to four lanes. A jurisdictional…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officer Johnson spotted defendant driving on an interstate highway in Bloomington, Illinois. Defendant was not speeding, swerving, or committing any moving violation, but had an Indiana temporary vehicle registration tag…

Justia Opinion Summary: Felton was in a car in Harvey, Illinois, when he was approached by an unmarked car with tinted windows. Felton, who was unarmed, claims that he feared for his life and fled onto the expressway, heading toward Chicago.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Mbaye and three co‐defendants ran a mortgage‐fraud scheme that involved “straw buyers” who purchased homes at inflated prices using borrowed funds and then defaulted. Their “take” was about $600,000. Mbaye admitted to…

Justia Opinion Summary: During his 28 years at the City of Anderson Transit System (CATS), Brown developed diabetes and became unable to maintain his commercial driver’s license (CDL). He was then working as a dispatcher, which did not require…

Justia Opinion Summary: Around 4:30 a.m. on January 14, 2012, the Chicago Fire Department responded to a fire at a two‐story building. The first floor was vacant commercial space and the second floor was split into two apartments.One apartment…

Justia Opinion Summary: After he was temporarily suspended from Watseka Community High School for allegedly consuming or possessing drugs, Dietchweiler filed suit under 42 U.S.C. 1983, alleging that the defendants violated his due process…

Justia Opinion Summary: Simpson, a registered nurse, began working at St. James Health in 2008 and was not reprimanded until after 2009 when Kelly, a Caucasian woman, became the manager of Simpson’s department. From October 2010 through…

Justia Opinion Summary: Yuan, a 36-year-old Chinese citizen, illegally entered the U.S. in 2005, and was charged with removability under 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)(i). Yuan applied for asylum and withholding of removal, asserting that he feared…

Justia Opinion Summary: Sainz pled guilty to possessing child pornography, including six images of “Cindy.” Unlawful images of Cindy have circulated widely on the internet. The government argued that Sainz should pay restitution to Cindy, 18…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2009, a growth was discovered on Venita’s pancreas. She was told that cancer could not be ruled out without further testing. She told her supervisor, Linda. Because Venita did not have health insurance and needed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Stoller, the beneficiary of a trust that holds title to a house, assigned his beneficial interest to his daughter but reserved a “power of direction” with the right to obtain loans for himself, secured by the property.…

Justia Opinion Summary: After a fight with another inmate, Ogurek required stitches and was charged with a disciplinary infraction. Ogurek says he told investigator Gabor that he wanted to charge the other inmate with starting the fight and…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2013, Panther, a marketing and brand management company, signed a contract with IndyCar, to purchase access to coveted space in the “Fan Village” at IndyCar racing events, an area where sponsors set up displays to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Secret Service agents observed Graf twice sell counterfeit U.S. currency to an informant. Under a plea agreement, Graf pled guilty to one charge of dealing in counterfeit currency, 18 U.S.C. 473. The court accepted…

Justia Opinion Summary: Baptist began working at Ford’s assembly plant, operating a forklift. Less than three months later, Baptist inadvertently hit a pillar, injuring his left wrist. He visited Ford’s medical department and submitted an…

Justia Opinion Summary: NAMC, which buys, services, and sells residential mortgages, and GSF, a residential mortgage lender that also sells mortgages, entered into an Agreement whereby GSF would sell loans to NAMC. To use the Fannie Mae Desktop…

Justia Opinion Summary: Stanley was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing crack cocaine. The court found that he was a career offender. Stanley did not appeal his sentence or file a collateral attack within…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2003, Hill was convicted of several drug offenses, 21 U.S.C. 843(b), 846. Hill was a career offender based on Illinois convictions for attempted murder (shooting at a car and wounding two occupants) and for aggravated…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gray, an inmate at Illinois’s Stateville Correctional Center for 15 years, sued the warden under 42 U.S.C. 1983, alleging that the warden violated the Eighth Amendment by failing adequately to address the infestation of…

Justia Opinion Summary: HMC was a shipping and shipyard services company, whose president was Hannah. HMC had a collective bargaining agreement with the mechanics union that required it to make contributions to the union’s pension fund to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Indiana Rules for the Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys state: “No person who advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or this state by force, violence or other unconstitutional…

Justia Opinion Summary: For the first seven years of A.M.’s life, he lived in Illinois with his mother, Martinez. A.M.’s father, Cahue, lived nearby. The two never married, but had a private arrangement, never formalized through a court order,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Attorney Conour stole more than $4.5 million from clients’ trust funds, was convicted of fraud, and is serving 10 years in prison. Shortly before Conour’s crimes came to light, attorney Devereux left Conour Law Firm,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011, the bankruptcy court confirmed a Chapter 13 plan, under which the debtors were to pay $660 per month to the trustee for seven months, and then, for 53 months, $758 per month, later reduced to $670 per month.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Imani and Raziga were charged with bank robbery. While fleeing, Imani forced a driver to give him a ride. Police recovered Imani’s fingerprints from the car. The driver identified Imani, in a photo array and later during…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2005, FedEx delivery drivers, represented by Defendants (lawyers), filed suit, alleging that FedEx had misclassified them as independent contractors, citing the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (IWPCA), 820…

Justia Opinion Summary: Thomas applied for Supplemental Security Income in 2010 when she was 55 years old. An administrative law judge identified her medically determinable impairments as degenerative changes in her back and left shoulder,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Citilink, a municipal corporation that provides bus service in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has regulatory authority over advertisements inside the buses and on the buses’ exterior. Health Link, a nonprofit corporation,…

Justia Opinion Summary: After Evans broke the jaw of a customer for a heroin debt, that customer told his probation officer that Evans sold heroin in Beloit, Wisconsin, often from the apartment of his coconspirator. After four controlled buys,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff, walking her brown labrador retriever, “Dog,” encountered a gray and white pit bull running loose, which lunged at Dog’s neck. The dogs began to fight. Neighbors unsuccessfully tried to separate them. Plaintiff…

Justia Opinion Summary: Riverside, owned half by GMH and half by Heritage (Rezko’s company), owned a valuable Chicago property. Sirazi had helped Rezko finance several investments, including guaranteeing a $5 million loan from Republic. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: Herrera-Valdez became a permanent resident of the U.S. in 1990. In 1992, Herrera-Valdez was charged under 21 U.S.C. 846, 841(b)(2), pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and was…

Justia Opinion Summary: Responding to a 2011 call reporting “shots fired,” officers found Bloch, a convicted felon, intoxicated, and discovered a loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun, an assault rifle, and ammunition. He was convicted of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2005 the City of Joliet filed a condemnation action concerning the Evergreen Housing Complex. The complex’s owner filed suit under the Fair Housing Act and other federal statutes. After a remand by the Seventh…

Justia Opinion Summary: Bell, a practicing attorney and professional photographer, filed a copyright infringement action against 46 defendants including Lantz, based on their website publication of Bell’s photograph of the Indianapolis skyline.…

Justia Opinion Summary: After the Supreme Court’s 2010 holding that the Second Amendment applies to the states, the Seventh Circuit concluded that states must permit law-abiding and mentally healthy persons to carry loaded weapons in public.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Rhein called and sent papers to Illinois Representative DeLuca, accusing DeLuca of violating the constitution and threatening violence. One document asserted: “Now you know why so many of you people or going to be shot…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Bickarts prepared and filed an income tax return containing false income and withholding amounts, supported by fabricated 1099‐OID forms, appearing to come from major financial institutions. The IRS paid a claimed…

Justia Opinion Summary: After the Bank foreclosed on the hotel housing Trade Well’s leased furnishings and started searching for buyers, Trade Well demanded the return of its property. The Bank refused. Trade Well sued. While the replevin…

Justia Opinion Summary: Wagener agreed to review proposed ads from MR, then received a fax from MR, including pricing and sample fax advertisements, and stating that MR would not send out ads unless Wagener returned an approved copy. During a…

Justia Opinion Summary: BMO Harris Bank holds a security interest in the assets of Gillen, formerly in the construction business. Gillen failed to perform on a subcontract with Meyne, which received an arbitration award of $1.8 million. Liberty…

Justia Opinion Summary: Milwaukee officers, responding to a domestic violence call, spoke with the victim, who stated that Clinton sold cocaine and had a firearm that she had hidden under clothing. The officers searched, with her consent, and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gil‐Lopez, a citizen of Mexico, entered the U.S. in 1987. He became a lawful permanent resident in 2000. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to violating Idaho Code 18‐1501(1), “Injury to Children,” after originally having been…

Justia Opinion Summary: Using a form provided by CGS, the general contractor for construction of an 18-story Milwaukee office building, PNA submitted a $12,675,421 bid to provide a glass curtainwall--a nonstructural outer covering for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Blatt firm filed a collection lawsuit against Oliva in the first municipal district of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Oliva resided in Cook County. Under the Seventh Circuit’s 1996 “Newsom” decision, interpreting…

Justia Opinion Summary: Patterson was an armed-robbery suspect. Officer Strayer and FBI Agent Stewart approached Patterson in a driveway. Neither was in a uniform, but both were armed. They identified themselves as FBI, and asked Patterson to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Tri-Corp, a nonprofit corporation, offered low-income housing to mentally disabled persons in Milwaukee. Its lender, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, filed a foreclosure action. Tri-Corp blamed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Dells Hospitality borrowed $12,600,000 to purchase the Lake Delton Hilton Garden Inn. Dells’ owner and president, Sobsczak-Slomczewski, agreed to indemnify the lender against all losses.. Dells defaulted. The lender…

Justia Opinion Summary: McCurdy, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Department patrol deputy, applied for a job with the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, which investigates drug crimes. She was selected, subject to a background check. While that…

Justia Opinion Summary: Marcotte was charged with four counts of making a false claim for federal tax refunds, 18 U.S.C. 287 and falsely pretending to be an officer of the United States to demand a thing of value, 18 U.S.C. 912. The court, on…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, two men wearing ski masks staged an armed robbery of a Hoyleton, Illinois bank, taking $115,000 in cash. A teller testified, describing the gun carried by each robber and the getaway vehicle, a “bluish purple…

Justia Opinion Summary: In March 2009, Wheatley injured her foot at her home. During the months that followed, she was unable to work and saw several doctors. Her employer granted her leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) plus…

Justia Opinion Summary: The brothers robbed five Madison businesses at gunpoint. Four times, Jack entered alone while William waited in the getaway car; once they reversed roles. During each robbery, one man demanded money while displaying a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Sam was driving; his wife, Toni, was a passenger when their car slammed into a tree. Toni was injured and died within a week. Her estate sued Sam, claiming negligent driving, and sued the hospital and physicians,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Saunders and Bounds sold heroin on the west side of Chicago. Their co-conspirators testified against them, and they were convicted of conspiring to distribute at least 100 grams but less than one kilogram of heroin. At…

Justia Opinion Summary: Schal Bovis, a Chicago-area general contractor, was a party to collective bargaining agreement, 2005-2008, that created the Fringe Benefit Funds and limited Schal’s ability to subcontract work “coming within the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jason’s, a wholesaler, provided unprocessed meat to Sparrer, a sausage manufacturer. Sparrer filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. During the 90-day preference period preceding the filing, Sparrer paid invoices from…

Justia Opinion Summary: Bell was convicted of conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and of using a communications facility to commit a felony, 21 U.S.C. 841(a), 843(b), 846. The Seventh Circuit affirmed Bell’s 300-month sentence following a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Indiana Code 3‐5‐9‐5, enacted in 2012, provides that “an individual is considered to have resigned as a government employee when the individual assumes an elected office of the unit that employs the individual.” A…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2013-2015, defendant and her accomplices defrauded several people in the U.S. and Canada, whom they had met on dating websites, by persuading them to wire money to bank accounts controlled by the schemers to help…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Indiana State Police received a tip that Fogle’s close friend and employee, Taylor, had sent text messages expressing a sexual interest in children. A warranted search of Taylor’s home and electronic devices revealed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Schmid was convicted of murdering her boyfriend. She testified that she had heard a voice telling her that she is the Messiah and that the boyfriend had sexually abused her daughter. The jury found her guilty but…

Justia Opinion Summary: Amaya, a ranking officer in the Latin Kings street gang, was convicted of drug‐related crimes (distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it, and carrying a gun in furtherance of his cocaine…

Justia Opinion Summary: Heinz was the victim of a 2011 home invasion. One burglar entered, punched Heinz and locked him in a closet, then was joined by a second burglar. They stole Heinz’s possessions, including his car. Police arrested…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2005, D.U., then three years old, was severely injured in a car accident. She qualified for Wisconsin Medicaid services on financial grounds and was provided extensive medical care until August 2013. After a change in…

Justia Opinion Summary: An undercover agent connected with Hancock using peer-to-peer software to download child pornography. Hancock granted access to his files and shared his password, allowing the agent to download child pornography from…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Board of Education has a written policy that forbids teachers from using racial epithets in front of students, no matter the purpose. Brown, a Chicago sixth grade teacher, caught students passing a note in class. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Seventh Circuit held, in Irish v. BNSF (2012), that the plaintiffs, injured by a 2007 flood in Bagley, Wisconsin, had forfeited an argument concerning the scope of Wis. Stat. 88.87. The statute concerns liability for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulates contracts concerning commodities for future delivery when offered on margin or another form of leverage, 7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(D), with an exception for contracts that…

Justia Opinion Summary: Trailer Transit contracts with shippers for the movement of cargo, then contracts with independent drivers, who provide the rigs that carry the cargo, promising those 71% “of the gross revenues derived from use of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: After Aparicio-Brito’s fourth arrest for driving under the influence, the government commenced deportation proceedings, 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)(i).. Aparicio-Brito, a citizen of Mexico who entered the U.S. in 1998, did…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gill and Bostic both pled guilty to participating in a heroin distribution conspiracy, 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), 846. Gill challenged his sentence of 280 months’ imprisonment as procedurally unsound, disputing his criminal…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2009 Crespo applied for Supplemental Security Income benefits for his mother, representing that she lived with him in Illinois and that he took care of her. He served as her representative payee. By signing the form,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2013, Calumet River Fleeting fired a boat operator. The Union, which represents operators in three states, filed a grievance. Calumet refused to participate in arbitration. In 2006, Calumet and the Union had signed a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Shaw, a convicted bank robber in custody at the Pekin Correctional Institution appealed his conviction for possession of heroin while in a federal prison, 18 U.S.C. 1791. A search of Shaw’s cell was planned after two…

Justia Opinion Summary: Garbe, an experienced pharmacist, began working at Kmart pharmacy in Ohio in 2007. When Garbe picked up a personal prescription at a competitor pharmacy, he discovered the competitor pharmacy had charged his Medicare…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officers attempted to serve a warrant on probationer Hayden on April 9, 2012. A gun fight ensued, leaving Hayden dead and one officer injured. Using the serial number, officers identified Hayden's Glock firearm as…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1990 Schmidt, then age 27, was convicted in a Wisconsin state court of raping a woman multiple times, burglarizing her apartment, falsely imprisoning her, and intimidating her as a witness. He was sentenced to prison…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Kankakee County Sheriff has a written policy requiring a strip search of every arrestee before that person enters the detention center’s general population. The policy permits manual body-cavity inspections of some…

Justia Opinion Summary: Epic Systems sent an email to employees, containing an arbitration agreement mandating that wage-and-hour claims could be brought only through individual arbitration and that the employees waived “the right to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Peterson, a Madison Wisconsin entrepreneur, owned a polyurethane scrap-foam material company and a development company, with Shapiro and Spahr. Peterson made unauthorized intercompany loans and used corporate funds to…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2013, Orlando was indicted on charges of producing and possessing child pornography. He agreed to plead guilty to four counts of producing child pornography, 18 U.S.C. 2251(a) in exchange for a sentencing…

Justia Opinion Summary: On July 4, 2002, Cox was standing outside a Chicago restaurant when he was gunned down by two men. Two women driving cars near the scene saw the murder and the shooters’ faces. Less than two months later, both women…

Justia Opinion Summary: Lewis was convicted of five federal sex offenses. The district court sentenced Lewis, who is 66 years old and in poor health, to the statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison. The district judge, while…

Justia Opinion Summary: Twenty-year-veteran Deputy Yahnke supported the Sheriff’s opponent in a 2006 election. The prior Sheriff had approved Yahnke’s request to work as the part-time Maple Park police chief. After the new Sheriff took office,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Phelps was convicted of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in prison, the statutory minimum. The Sentencing Guidelines range was 188–235 months. A year later the government moved…

Justia Opinion Summary: Waters cooked methamphetamine at locations throughout southern Illinois and also taught others to do so. He eventually pled guilty to conspiring to manufacture a controlled substance, 21 U.S.C. 846, 841(a)(1). Waters had…

Justia Opinion Summary: Maxwell, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of a substance containing a cocaine base, 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1). The Seventh Circuit affirmed his conviction, but remanded twice for…

Justia Opinion Summary: As part of a malicious prosecution lawsuit against Chicago, the plaintiffs sought by subpoena to discover documents from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Lawyers representing the Office, including McClellan,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Left Field publishes Chicago Baseball magazine, producing four issues per baseball season. Copies are sold for $2 outside Wrigley Field before the Chicago Cubs’ home games. On the day of the Cubs’ 2015 home opener,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Stampley, an independent truck driver, sued Altom Transport, alleging that Altom had failed to pay him enough for driving his truck for it. Altom turned to its insurer, Westchester, for coverage in the suit. Westchester…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from threatening to take an action that they do not intend to take in the course of collecting a debt, 15 U.S.C. 1692e(5). The defendants, debt collectors,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Thomas was convicted of the 2001 murder of Shakir. In 2005, after his conviction was final, Thomas received a letter informing him that unidentified gang members told police that Thomas did not commit the murder and that…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2003 Wilkozek pleaded guilty mail fraud for participation in a mortgage-fraud scheme. Wilkozek drafted and submitted phony mortgage applications for buyers (participants in the scheme) to purchase properties from…

Justia Opinion Summary: Tate was convicted of conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine (2013-2014) and of a single count of distribution stemming from a 2014 controlled buy. Tate’s criminal history category was VI, regardless of the career…

Justia Opinion Summary: At his Reedsville, Wisconsin home, Dessart manufactured and sold products containing the active chemical ingredients in numerous prescription drugs, offering them for sale online with the disclaimer “for research only”…

Justia Opinion Summary: Milwaukee police saw a car stopped within 15 feet of a crosswalk, which is unlawful unless the car is “actually engaged in loading or unloading or in receiving or discharging passengers”. One police car drew up parallel…

Justia Opinion Summary: Koglin was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute, 21 U.S.C. 846, 841(a)(1) and separately charged with engaging in a…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2003, a closely held corporation purchased a United life insurance policy on Clark, then its President. Buck, its COO, was the beneficiary. Clark thought that the $1 million death benefit would enable Buck to buy out…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2012 Brown pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender, 18 U.S.C. 2250(a), and was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 60 months of supervised release. Within months of being released from prison,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hyson USA and Hyson 2U are food distributors. Hyson USA is wholly owned by its president, Tansky, and has operated since 2006. Kaminskas was one of its managers. In 2012, Hyson USA encountered serious financial…

Justia Opinion Summary: Attorney Fleisher worked for two affiliated law firms. In 2013 Fleisher filed a written demand with the firms, claiming that when he retired, in 2011, he had accrued more than 90 weeks of unused vacation time and more…

Justia Opinion Summary: Spotting an opportunity for profit, Chicago drug dealer Coleman began to focus on Kewanee in 2008. Eventually, Brown, Capers, Clark, Qubid, and Tatum joined the operation as runners. In 2012, they were charged with…

Justia Opinion Summary: Guzman-Rivadeneira came to the U.S. from Ecuador. In 1993 he was convicted in California of possession of counterfeit prescription blanks. After returning to Ecuador, he returned to the U.S. and became a lawful permanent…

Justia Opinion Summary: Becker sued Evansville, Indiana police officer Elfreich under 42 U.S.C. 1983, alleging Elfreich used excessive force in arresting him because, after Becker had surrendered, Elfreich pulled him down three steps and placed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Titus and others were indicted for a mortgage fraud scheme involving Chicago-area residential properties. Defendants recruited straw buyers, helped them fill out fraudulent mortgage applications, and took kickbacks from…

Justia Opinion Summary: Over the past decade, Attorney Novoselsky has filed many lawsuits alleging improprieties by Dorothy Brown, in her capacity as Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Brown later made statements to private…

Justia Opinion Summary: After auditing the 2008-2010 returns filed by Integra, the IRS concluded that they owed more taxes. Integra hired Bastian, a lawyer and CPA. As the three-year limitations deadline, 26 U.S.C. 6501(a) for the 2008 tax year…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Home and Community‐Based Care Waiver Program allowed states to diverge from the traditional Medicaid structure by providing community‐based services to people who would, under the traditional structure, require…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Adents filed joint federal income tax returns for 1998 and 2001, but did not pay. The IRS sent a demand. As of October 2012, they owed $90,681.26. Leonard also owed federal employment and unemployment taxes,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Powers drove through a stop sign and caused a four-vehicle accident. The plaintiffs suffered personal injuries. Trotter was the driver of the vehicle; Jackson and Petrie were passengers. Powers was insured under a policy…

Justia Opinion Summary: The manager of a Milwaukee pub arrived with cash and was followed inside by a man who drew a gun, demanded and fled with the cash. The manager offered a confident identification of the robber as Sweeney, who had…

Justia Opinion Summary: McDonald was diagnosed with arthritis and high cholesterol while serving a life sentence at Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois. For 10 years, he received a low-cholesterol diet planned by a prison dietician In…

Justia Opinion Summary: The National Labor Relations Board determined that Polycon had violated the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. 158(a)(1), (5), by refusing to sign a collective bargaining agreement after agreeing to its terms…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officers noticed Morgan as he crossed the street and pursued him on suspicion that he was in possession of a firearm. They apprehended Morgan outside a house, using force that Morgan would later contend was excessive but…

Justia Opinion Summary: Columbia hired Professor Roberts in 1999. Roberts achieved tenure in 2003 and began creating a custom textbook, with the help of a colleague and graduate students. Roberts worked with McGraw‐Hill and used materials from…

Justia Opinion Summary: From 2005-2009, Assaf was medical director for Trinitiy's epilepsy clinic. Trinity terminated his employment; Assaf filed suit. The parties entered into a settlement agreement in 2010,under which Assaf would be employed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Dual‐Temp installs refrigeration systems. A crucial component of such systems is the refrigeration control system (RCS), which regulates temperature, humidity, and ammonia levels and controls compressors and condensers.…

Justia Opinion Summary: CIT, a large finance company, leased credit‐card processing machines to businesses and individuals. The leases describe themselves as business rather than consumer contracts and contain a forum‐selection clause that…

Justia Opinion Summary: Carson, a former employee of the U.S. Postal Service, pleaded guilty to delaying the mail, 18 U.S.C. 1703(a), and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment plus one year’s supervised release, three months of which must…

Justia Opinion Summary: Morris pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1). The agreement contained a typographical error that was repeated at the sentencing hearing. The sentencing range, stated as 118-235 months,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Cairel and Johnson, lawfully repossessing cars, were stopped for a traffic violation. The officers, aware of recent robberies in the area, grew suspicious and called a victim to the scene. The victim identified Cairel…

Justia Opinion Summary: Dominguez-Pulido unlawfully entered the U.S with his parents around 1993. Approximately 15 years later, Dominguez-Pulido was convicted of burglary, a felony offense under Illinois law. An Immigration Judge concluded that…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, Resnick, a long‐haul truck driver, took T.M., the nine‐year‐old son of family friends, on a cross‐country work trip that was supposed to end at Disneyland. Instead, they traveled to Washington State and back to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Arrazabal , a Salvadoran, entered the U.S. in 1995 at age 19, and became a lawful permanent resident alien because his mother and sister were naturalized citizens. He became involved with the Los Angeles chapter of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Crisp was convicted 25 times of various crimes, including seven convictions involving a controlled substance. In 2013, Crisp sold crack cocaine twice to a person cooperating with law enforcement. A subsequent search of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Knauf Insulation, the Delaware subsidiary of a German corporation, has its principal place of business in Indiana. SBI was a distributor of Knauf’s insulation; the Dowds are SBI’s principals. For many years SBI was…

Justia Opinion Summary: Four persons were charged with arranging the murder of “Montes” in Mexico to reduce competition against a Chicago-based criminal organization that created bogus immigration documents. The Seventh Circuit reversed…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2006, Bell was adjudicated a sexually dangerous person and civilly detained. After attacking a guard at the Rushville Treatment and Detention Facility, he was convicted and spent the four years in prison. When his…

Justia Opinion Summary: Karroumeh, a citizen of Jordan then married to a Jordanian woman with whom he had two children, was admitted to the U.S. as a visitor in 1996. Within months, he obtained a proxy divorce and married Wright, a U.S. citizen…

Justia Opinion Summary: Central States is multiemployer pension fund. Bulk Transport is a Fund member and made contributions to the pension account of its employee, Loniewski. Bulk had certified that Loniewski was entitled by a collective…

Justia Opinion Summary: Smith, pretending to be pregnant, took her half-sister’s newborn son from his bassinette during the night and started to drive from Beloit, Wisconsin, to her home in Colorado. In Iowa, she learned that Wisconsin police…

Justia Opinion Summary: Rebolledo contacted a DEA confidential informant (CI), believing him to be a cocaine purchaser. During three meetings at the CI’s horse ranch, Rebolledo offered to connect the CI with a supplier; the CI agreed to…

Justia Opinion Summary: During an argument, Burris fired his handgun, hitting Kamal in the neck and paralyzing him. Burris fled and evaded police for five months, before surrendering. The state judge instructed the jury on first-degree reckless…

Justia Opinion Summary: Wells worked as a “computer navigator” at the Winnebago County courthouse, helping pro se litigants deal with the judicial system’s requirements. She claimed that before her departure to take a better job, state and…

Justia Opinion Summary: NISC operates portable rock-crushing units that it dispatches to quarries as needed. When inspecting some of these units, the Mine Safety and Health Administration concluded that NISC failed to comply with some safety…

Justia Opinion Summary: Milwaukee police officers saw Williams walking in the middle of the road and talking on a cell phone at 1:30 in the morning. When they asked him to stop, he fled, running through a yard and jumping over two fences. He…

Justia Opinion Summary: Miller was convicted in Indiana of three counts of child molestation and sentenced to three consecutive 40-year terms. The sexual abuse, including anal intercourse, began when the victim was nine and continued for six…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff, a pretrial detainee at Cook County Jail, fell and injured his back. It was a month before he was able to see a doctor. Correctional officers did not move him although the doctor determined that he needed to be…

Justia Opinion Summary: Houston sued Hyatt and C.G. for breach of contract, intentional misconduct, and negligence in connection with injuries she sustained after falling at the downtown Indianapolis Hyatt hotel during a hotel‐sponsored New…

Justia Opinion Summary: Former gang member Herron is serving long sentences. Before his transfer to Terre Haute, he was attacked by inmates and left permanently disabled and confined to a wheelchair. At Terre Haute, Herron was assigned to a…

Justia Opinion Summary: American Litho was owed $113,772 by Union Transport (Las Vegas), a large amount by Alcan (Wisconsin), and $146,167 by Concrete Media (New Jersey). Dziuban, American's part-owner, unsuccessfully attempted to obtain…

Justia Opinion Summary: Lewis, representing himself at trial, was convicted and sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment for a four-count wire fraud conviction, and 120 months for the 11-count money-laundering conviction, to be served…

Justia Opinion Summary: For several months Melendez traveled with Craig to Chicago every two to three days to jointly purchase heroin from a supplier that Melendez introduced to Craig. The two pooled their money to obtain a discounted bulk…

Justia Opinion Summary: DEA and Chicago Police officers observed Soto at the residence of a major drug supplier. They followed Soto as he entered his car with large garbage bags, which he discarded in a dumpster. Officers recovered the bags;…

Justia Opinion Summary: Indiana Pendleton Correctional Facility inmate Ellison was notified of a disciplinary proceeding concerning his possession of heroin that was confiscated by Officer Bynum during a cell-search. Ellison told Officer…

Justia Opinion Summary: Seeing an internet advertisement for a 1997 FLTHTC Harley‐Davidson motorcycle, Hahn visited City Limits dealership, test‐drove a 2004 motorcycle, took pictures, and made a downpayment. Days later, Hahn returned, paid the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Consumer Health Information sued Amylin Pharmaceuticals,alleging copyright infringement. 17 U.S.C. 101, concerning patient-education materials Consumer Health developed for Amylin’s use in marketing its diabetes drug…

Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted for defrauding Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield by submitting claims for reimbursement for respiratory therapy that had not been provided and was sentenced to 75 months in prison and also…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2014 the Tax Court held that Roberts had deducted expenses from his horse‐racing enterprise on his federal income tax returns for 2005 and 2006 erroneously because the enterprise was a hobby rather than a business, 26…

Justia Opinion Summary: P.F. Chang’s restaurant company announced that its computer system had been breached and some consumer credit- and debit–card data had been stolen. Kosner had dined at a P.F. Chang’s and paid with his debit card. Four…

Justia Opinion Summary: Kuttner began working as a DuPage County deputy sheriff in 1998. In an October 2009 complaint, Sheriff Zaruba asserted that, several months earlier, Kuttner, in uniform, visited the home of a person who owed money to her…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Blanchards agreed to sell Marathon County property to the Hoffmans, who paid $30,000 up front. The land contract balance was due in 2015, with an option to close early by paying off the Blanchards’ new $142,000…

Justia Opinion Summary: Indiana inmate Flynn claims that the prison impermissibly favored Honor Program participants by allowing them more time outside their cells, more visits, exclusive access to video games, and greater use exercise machines…

Justia Opinion Summary: Nettles-Bey travels to assist African-American youths. El-Bey invited Nettles-Bey to South Holland, offered accommodations at “his house," and gave Nettles-Bey a garage-door opener. Nettles-Bey entered the house;.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Milwaukee ordinances required certain licenses before a business was permitted to offer nude or partially nude entertainment. Six Star, which applied for a license, and Ferol, which did not apply challenged these…

Justia Opinion Summary: Acting on information that drugs were being sold from a certain Madison apartment, law enforcement obtained permission from the apartment property manager and brought a narcotics- detecting dog to the locked, shared…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2009, Tolliver agreed to deliver drugs for Tyson. Tolliver left Tyson's house with cocaine. A confidential informant had described Tolliver’s car and a drug packaging operation at Tyson’s house. Two officers, in…

Justia Opinion Summary: Two individuals made false statements to a Village of Deerfield police officer, which resulted in Doe’s arrest. The Village prosecuted Doe for ordinance violations. Although the Village became aware of the falsity of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chicago Officer Jung, patrolling with his partner, approached “Maxwell Street Hot Dog Stand” and saw a woman run into traffic waving her hands, her face covered in blood. She stated that her husband had struck her and…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011 Wisconsin enacted a statute requiring voters to present photographic identification. A federal district judge found violation of the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act and enjoined its application. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: Mays left the scene of a fight, followed by an investigating officer who wanted to interview him about the altercation. Mays repeatedly declined to stop and talk to the officer, using “colorful and abusive language.” …

Justia Opinion Summary: In September 2008 Dixon was sent to the Cook County jail as a pretrial detainee. A month later, he developed severe and persistent pain in his back and abdomen. In December, he had a CT scan that revealed a paratracheal…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hernandez and his mother entered the U.S. unlawfully when he was a small child. They adjusted their status to that of lawful permanent residents in 1989, when Hernandez was seven. His mother became a naturalized citizen…

Justia Opinion Summary: During the 2008–09 financial crisis, Wisconsin’s AnchorBank was struggling. Needing cash to pay its lenders, the bank’s president told vice president Weimert to try to sell the bank’s share in a Texas commercial real…

Justia Opinion Summary: Acceptance, a debt collector, purportedly acquired consumer debts purportedly owed by plaintiffs. The Fulton firm sent initial collection notices to the plaintiffs or their attorneys, identifying Acceptance as the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in prison plus a fine and restitution and 5 years of supervised release. He filed a notice of appeal, but his federal public defender,…

Justia Opinion Summary: MISO, a regional association, monitors and manages the electricity transmission grid in several midwestern and southern states, plus Manitoba, Canada, balancing the load, setting competitive prices for transmission…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chaib worked for GEO Group, a private company that managed an Indiana correctional facility. In 2011-2012, Chaib filed several complaints of racism and workplace harassment with the human resources department and her…

Justia Opinion Summary: Collazo, a real estate developer, bought apartments for conversion to condominiums and formed LLCs to hold title to the properties. In 2002, Collazo's employee, Julie Siragusa, introduced the developer to her father. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hill, an Indiana inmate, sued prison staff under 42 U.S.C. 1983, alleging that they had violated the Eighth Amendment by failing to protect him from inmates who threw feces at him on four occasions in 2011-2012. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Indiana Department of Child Services oversees state child protection services, child support enforcement, and the Indiana foster care system. For nine years, Nuñez and Martinez worked as investigators in the DCS Gary…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chicago Officers were patrolling a high‐crime area. They noticed Common walking with his hand clenched, as if concealing something, and a bulge near Common’s waistband. They called out to Common, who dropped bags of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, Boulb was charged with three counts related to methamphetamine manufacturing materials, appeared in an Illinois court via video conference, and waived his right to appointed counsel. Boulb alleges that he met…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hill and Roberts applied for firefighter positions with the Chicago Fire Department in 1995, but were not hired because of their scores on a pre-employment examination. They joined a class of roughly 6,000…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gardner was shot to death in front of a Chicago apartment building in 1999. The state charged three men, including Carter, with Gardner’s murder. Carter was tried alongside his brother, Stone. Both were convicted of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2004, Bianchi was elected as McHenry County, Illinois State’s Attorney and embarked on reforms. In 2006, a secretary resigned and took sensitive documents with her. Working with an Assistant State’s Attorney, whom…

Justia Opinion Summary: Zyapkov, a Bulgarian citizen, entered the U.S. in 2002 with a visitor’s visa. His daughter had entered two years earlier and eventually obtained citizenship through the “diversity lottery,” 8 U.S.C. 1153(c). Three months…

Justia Opinion Summary: Ortiz was sentenced to prison for 135 months for three bank robberies. The Seventh Circuit reversed the judge’s supervised‐release rulings and remanded for full resentencing. On remand the judge reimposed the 135‐month…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2012, Illinois enacted legislation requiring prior approval for reimbursement for more than four prescriptions for one Medicaid patient within a 30‐day period. 305 ILCS 5/5‐5.12(j). Ciarpaglini is an Illinois Medicaid…

Justia Opinion Summary: The class representatives in three suits had purchased the Smoothing Kit, a hair product that supposedly would smooth hair and coat it with Keratin, a protein found naturally in hair. The Smoothing Kit was a disaster.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Sgouros purchased a “credit score” package from TransUnion. Armed with the number TransUnion gave him, he went to a car dealership and tried to use it to negotiate a favorable loan. The score he had bought, however, was…

Justia Opinion Summary: A drug-dealer-turned-informant (Weil) identified Hernandez and Gonzalez his suppliers. Weil had sold methamphetamine provided by Gonzalez, who lived in California but had designated Hernandez as a local go-between. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: ACL manufactures and operates tow boats and barges that operate in U.S. inland waterways. Lubrizol manufactures industrial lubricants and additives, including a diesel‐fuel additive, LZ8411A. VCS distributed the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1995, Neal was working on Mitchell’s car in the backyard of Neal’s home when Mitchell hit Neal in the head with a brick, causing Neal’s death. Mitchell asserted that Neal had attacked him with a wrench. A post‐mortem…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs, including many with disabilities, had cases pending in state courts and were represented by an attorney who uses a wheelchair. They claimed that the St. Joseph County Courthouse and the Mishawaka County…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hughes is confined at Rushville as a sexually violent person under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act, 725 ILCS 207. He will remain there unless it is no longer “substantially probable that [he] will engage in…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1992, Holmes, was convicted of two murders committed three years earlier at the restaurant where he worked. He and Vance had stabbed three people and stolen the till. He was sentenced to death. Holmes’s conviction and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jepson executed a note and mortgage on Illinois property, listing America’s Wholesale Lender as the lender and Mortgage Electronics Registration Systems (MERS) as its nominee. Jepson’s note was endorsed in blank by…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1998 IGF bought Continental’s crop-insurance business at a price to be determined at either side’s option by the exercise of a put or call. In 2001 Continental exercised its put option; under the contractual formula,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Sheboygan officer Fickett stopped a car driving without license plates. He recognized Guidry, the driver, who was suspected of using and dealing drugs. Fickett called officer Saeger, who handled a drug-detection canine.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hill walked into a Naperville Illinois Credit Union, pointed a pistol at the teller, and ordered her to give him money. Hill escaped with a bag containing about $134,000 and a dye pack. As Hill fled, it stained most of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Joyce law firm purchased professional liability insurance from Professionals Direct. In 2007 the firm won a large damages award for a class of securities-fraud plaintiffs and hired another law firm to sue to collect…

Justia Opinion Summary: Clark runs Affordable Hearing in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 2006, Clark received calls from a B2B employee, who offered to market Affordable Hearing’s services by faxed advertisements. Clark agreed to try fax-advertising,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Smith distributed heroin in Chicago. Four times, he sold heroin to an FBI confidential source. The FBI recorded telephone conversations between the two, searched the source and his car, provided the money, equipped him…

Justia Opinion Summary: Boss, an African-American engineer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2002 to 2011, sued HUD under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 2000e, alleging workplace discrimination;…

Justia Opinion Summary: Illinois attorney Jahrling was contacted and paid by attorney Rywak to prepare documents for the sale of 90-year-old Cora’s home. Rywak’s clients paid $35,000 for Cora’s property, which was worth at least $106,000 and…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2004, the Simstads, developers, began the process of seeking approval from the Lake County Plan Commission for a proposed subdivision, “Deer Ridge South.” In late 2006, the Commission approved the plans. The Simstads…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. 1001, sets minimum funding and vesting requirements, insures benefits through the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation and includes reporting, disclosures,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Magruder bought 940,000 shares of Bancorp through his Fidelity account, paying $9,298. Years later he asked Fidelity for a certificate showing his ownership. When Fidelity did not comply, Magruder initiated arbitration…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chicago police responded to an emergency at the house where Pedro and Abraham lived with others. Pedro stated that armed intruders had broken in, tied up the occupants, and demanded money and drugs. In a bedroom, police…

Justia Opinion Summary: Beverly, a former Abbott employee whose employment was terminated on October 20, 2010, filed suit against Abbott. She alleged that during her employment, Abbott had discriminated and retaliated against her on the basis…

Justia Opinion Summary: Lawler was charged, with 30 others, based on a heroin‐distribution conspiracy that led to five overdose deaths. Lawler “purchased relatively small quantities" to resell and for personal use. Lawler pleaded guilty under…

Justia Opinion Summary: A confidential informant arranged to purchase cocaine at Duenas’s garage. Trailed by federal agents, the informant drove to the garage, parked, entered (with the consent of Duenas, the owner), and discussed the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff took early retirement from Union Pacific in 2006 and began receiving his monthly benefit (1,022.94) in 2009. In 2010 he retired from Terminal Railroad. Terminal’s retirement plan, governed by ERISA, provides…

Justia Opinion Summary: Dr. Liu, an Asian woman, began working at Stroger Hospital in 1984. Liu says that, beginning in 2003, her supervisors sent a disproportionate number of her cases to review committees as compared to white male colleagues.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Davis trafficked heroin and crack cocaine in Rockford, Illinois. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy in exchange for a sentence equal to 66 percent of the greater of the low end of the USSG sentencing…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2012, Pierce began working as a Zoetis sales representative. Pierce had several unpleasant encounters with her supervisor, Heuchert, and others. Pierce complained about Heuchert’ to Human Resources, which she alleges,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Rainone was suspected of robberies. In 2009, officers placed a GPS device on Rainone’s vehicle without his consent or a warrant. With information gained from the device, they arrested Rainone, then obtained a warrant to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, now 62 years old, applied in 2011 to the Social Security Administration for disability benefits, citing ailments including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asbestosis, and a heel spur…

Justia Opinion Summary: Vee’s is a Subchapter S corporation wholly owned by Vee, who reports its income on his own tax returns. Vee sought a refund of $40,000 in penalties that the IRS had assessed because he took deductions for contributions…

Justia Opinion Summary: Smith was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives to complete an unfinished term. During his campaign to be elected in his own right, his assistant, “Pete,” alerted the FBI that Smith might be corrupt. Pete…

Justia Opinion Summary: Great Lakes, which automotive service stores throughout the Midwest, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The unsecured creditors’ committee filed an adversary action against T.D., which had leased two oil-change stores to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed suit against USPS for employment discrimination based on race and age, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1963, 42 U.S.C. 2000e-2 and 2000e-3, and the Age Discrimination in Employment…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed suit against Illinois and the Board after the Board refused to put plaintiff's name on the ballot for a local government election in 2015. The district court dismissed plaintiff's amended complaint. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: The district court vacated defendant and his codefendants' convictions on the conspiracy charged in Count 1 of the indictment after the district court learned that the government had knowingly used false testimony at…

Justia Opinion Summary: After being terminated by Logansport when he was 61-years-old, plaintiff filed suit against the company under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. 621 et seq. The district court granted Logansport's…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft pursuant to a written plea agreement. Defendant's conviction stemmed from his multi‐year scheme to fraudulently obtain and use credit cards. On appeal,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendants Anthony Lomax, Brandon Lomax, and Demond Glover were convicted of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin. Defendants raised various issues on…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant contested the sentencing procedure the judge used after he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment. The district judge arrived at the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hassebrock hired the Bernhoft Law Firm in 2005 to help with legal problems, including a federal criminal tax investigation, a civil case for investment losses, and a claim against Hassebrock’s previous lawyers for fees…

Justia Opinion Summary: Essex issued a professional liability insurance policy to Galilee Medical Center, covering claims against Galilee physicians, including Angarita. Galilee’s application asked, “Do[] the Applicant’s employees or…

Justia Opinion Summary: When the defendant was sentenced, the guidelines range applicable to his multiple violations of the federal laws relating to child pornography was 360 months to life. Under the version of the guidelines in force years…

Justia Opinion Summary: The EEOC investigated Aerotek staffing agency for compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. 621, and served a subpoena requesting information: about all persons that Aerotek referred from its…

Justia Opinion Summary: Debtor, a construction business, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition, which was converted to chapter 7. A The Bank holds a valid, first-priority security interest in all of the Debtor’s assets, including…

Justia Opinion Summary: Until 1997, Illinois residents could only purchase power from the local public utility, whose rates were regulated by the Commerce Commission (ICC). The 1997 Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law allows…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, Mutual Bank (UCB’s predecessor) made loans to the investors to purchase three properties and agreed to loan the investors $700,000 for repairs and renovations. The $700,000 was placed in escrow, but the parties…

Justia Opinion Summary: Muse, with others, boarded the MV Maersk Alabama in 2009, off the Somalian coast, taking its captain hostage. Muse initially stated that he was 16 at the time. Before a hearing to determine his age, Muse told an agent…

Justia Opinion Summary: Boston worked at U.S. Steel for 18 years before she was laid off in 2008, along with other employees. While on layoff status, Boston remained eligible to bid on posted positions for which she was qualified. Between…

Justia Opinion Summary: Study of the I-69 extension between Evansville and Indianapolis began in 1944. The 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Act designated a new route from Indianapolis to Memphis,, via Evansville as a “high priority…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011, McCoy pled guilty, before a magistrate, to: enticement of a minor, 18 U.S.C. 2422(b); distribution of child pornography, 18 U.S.C. 2252(a); transfer of obscene material to a minor, 18 U.S.C.1470; receipt of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Harrington sold cocaine to a confidential informant. He was convicted of seven counts under 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(c), and 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B). Court-appointed attorney Charnock represented Harrington at…

Justia Opinion Summary: Staffing Network provided 80 full‐time employees for ReaderLink, including an on‐site manager, pickers, and stockers. Pickers work on a production line, selecting books to fill orders, and placing books in boxes.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1988, Department of Professional Regulation investigator visited Gekas, a Springfield, Illinois dentist, and expressed concern that Gekas had administered nitrous oxide to a child. He ordered Gekas to provide…

Justia Opinion Summary: Alicea burglarized a Hammond residence; seeing a police vehicle, he fled, cutting through an alley and hiding in an above-ground pool in the backyard of another house. Sergeant Thomas was on canine duty, drove to the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hugunin first sold fishing tackle in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin, in 1997. Hugunin’s manufacturing enterprise now sells fishing tackle to retailers in several states. In 2000 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered…

Justia Opinion Summary: Under the Urbanized Area Formula Program, 49 U.S.C. 5307, the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) administers grant funding to urban transit programs for “operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in…

Justia Opinion Summary: NBI honored White’s check, resulting in an overdraft of his payroll account of $382,000. Unable to recover the money, NBI closed White’s accounts and obtained a judgment in Indiana state court. White was also convicted…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Mercedes-Benz of Orlando dealership service department had 37 technicians in 2008, who were paid by the job rather than by the hour. The International Association of Machinists began a campaign to organize the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Blake pled guilty to possessing cocaine base with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a felon, 18 U.S.C. 922(g); 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1). Based on his career offender status, he was sentenced to 216 months in…

Justia Opinion Summary: Orozco-Sanchez, pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of a substance containing cocaine, 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1). The district court sentenced him to 75 months of imprisonment, consecutive…

Justia Opinion Summary: A 2012 car accident rendered Hernandez a quadriplegic. He was convicted of aggravated driving under the influence involving an accident causing death. Hernandez was taken into custody while he was hospitalized for…

Justia Opinion Summary: Wheeler pled guilty in 2006 to possessing a firearm as a felon, 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1), and was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Ten months after he began serving the term of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008 plaintiff began having back pain that radiated to his legs due to a herniated disk and mild arthritis in his lumbar spine region; he also suffers from narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Officer Homoky was under investigation by the Hobart Police Department for officer misconduct and was ordered to submit to a voice stress test, a type of lie detector. He was told that if he did not comply, he would be…

Justia Opinion Summary: Pu, a 28-year-old quantitative finance professional, worked for two financial institutions that traded stock and other assets for clients: “A” and Citadel. While working at each company, Pu copied proprietary software…

Justia Opinion Summary: On February 14, three masked men walked into a Fort Wayne bank; pointed their guns at employees; handcuffed the manager; and left with approximately $100,000. Officers arrived and discovered a loaded handgun the robbers…

Justia Opinion Summary: FutureGen sought to use carbon capture and storage to develop the world’s first near‐zero emissions coal power plant in Morgan County, Illinois. Geologic sequestration, part of the process of carbon capture and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Stanbridge was walking to his car carrying a duffel bag when Quincy police officers passed. Stanbridge looked surprised, so they shadowed him, hoping to catch him in a traffic violation. After driving a short distance,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of possessing cocaine and cocaine base with intent to distribute, distributing cocaine base, and possessing cocaine base with intent to distribute, 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1). In 1998 he was sentenced to…