Author Archives: Baku Patel
Illinois Man Files Lawsuit Against Apollo Theater After Roof Collapse
A lawsuit following the 2023 Apollo Theatre roof collapse raises questions about weather warnings, guest safety, and premises liability in Illinois. An Illinois man filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere after he was injured when part of the theater’s roof collapsed during a tornado in March 2023. The… Read More »
Defendant Wins Appeal to Vacate Detention Order Under SAFE-T Act
The appellate court ruled that the State’s petition to detain a defendant charged with felony murder and armed robbery was untimely under Illinois pretrial-release law. An Illinois appellate court vacated a detention order in a case involving a defendant charged with felony murder and armed robbery. In People v. Mosley, 2023 IL App (5th)… Read More »
Defendant Wins Appeal to Strike Pretrial Release Order Under SAFE-T Act
People v. Cline involved a defendant who had been released on a $5,000 recognizance bond before the new Illinois pretrial-release provisions took effect. An Illinois criminal case involving the transition to the state’s new pretrial-release system raised questions about when prosecutors may seek to detain a defendant who was already released on bond. In… Read More »
Defendant Denied Pretrial Release on Sexual Assault Charges
The Fifth District affirmed continued detention after finding the trial court properly determined that release conditions could not mitigate the alleged threat to the victim and community. In People v. Long, 2023 IL App (5th) 230881, the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court considered whether a trial court properly continued the pretrial detention of a… Read More »
Appellate Court Vacates Order of Pretrial Release
The Fifth District held that the State’s petition to detain the defendant was untimely under Illinois’ pretrial-release law. In People v. Gurlly, 2023 IL App (5th) 230830-U, the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court considered whether the State timely filed a petition seeking to detain a defendant charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and… Read More »
Greyhound Bus Will Likely Face Lawsuits After Deadly Crash
The NTSB found that driver fatigue, Greyhound’s oversight failures, and illegally parked tractor-trailers contributed to the deadly 2023 crash near Highland, Illinois. A deadly Greyhound bus crash on Interstate 70 in Madison County, Illinois raised significant questions about the responsibility of the bus operator, the motorcoach driver, and the trucking companies whose tractor-trailers were… Read More »
Family of 87-Year-Old Man Struck by Garbage Truck Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit
An 87-year-old Illinois man was fatally struck by a garbage truck while walking in Spring Grove, leading to a wrongful death lawsuit and a $1.5 million settlement. The family of an 87-year-old Illinois man who was struck and killed by a garbage truck while taking a morning walk filed a wrongful death lawsuit against… Read More »
Lawsuits Filed Against Kratom Manufacturers Allege Wrongful Death
Lawsuits involving kratom-related deaths have focused on product warnings, marketing, product composition, and whether manufacturers and distributors adequately informed consumers about potential risks. Kratom has become the subject of wrongful death and product liability litigation in several states. The plant Mitragyna speciosa contains alkaloids including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH. Kratom products… Read More »
Defendant’s Conviction is Upheld for Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer
People v. Ford examined whether the evidence was sufficient to prove that a defendant knowingly made insulting or provoking physical contact with a court security officer during an arrest. In People v. Ford, 2023 IL App (5th) 220062-U, the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court affirmed Bobby L. Ford’s conviction for aggravated battery of a… Read More »
Defendant Convicted of Murder Wins Appeal for Evidentiary Hearing
The Fifth District found that the trial court treated a post-conviction case as though it had reached an evidentiary hearing without giving the defendant a proper opportunity to present his witnesses and evidence. In People v. Miller, 2023 IL App (5th) 210094-U, the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court reversed the denial of James Miller’s… Read More »