Recent Blog Posts
Criminal Defendant Denied Motion to Withdraw His Guilty Plea
In the case of People v. Balfour, defendant Balfour pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a firearm. The defendant wanted to withdraw his guilty plea on the basis that his criminal defense attorney misrepresented a key agreement that was made by the prosecution; specifically, that the prosecution had agreed to a 7-day furlough as… Read More »
Defendant is Denied Post-Conviction Relief After Being Charged as Class-X Offender
This case stems from an incident that occurred in August of 2019. According to the case text, the defendant was charged with shooting his wife and then firing a gun into the home of her relatives. The defendant was charged with three counts of attempted first degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with… Read More »
Defendant Loses Appeal for Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery
A criminal defendant, Franklin L. Small Jr. was convicted of attempted murder and aggravated battery stemming from a domestic altercation with his wife. The court sentenced him to seven years on the attempted murder charge and another six years on the aggravated battery charge. The sentences were to run consecutively for a total of… Read More »
Conviction is Overturned After State Fails to Establish Weapons Possession Charge
An Illinois defendant was convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon and sentenced to 11 years in state prison during a bench trial. On appeal, the defendant claimed that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The appellate court reversed the trial court’s ruling and granted the defendant’s motion… Read More »
Can a Farmer Be Sued for Dust Blowing Off Their Property?
On Monday, May 1, more than 70 vehicles crashed along a 6-mile stretch of Interstate 55. The incident was so spectacular that it made national headlines. Dust from nearby farms blew onto the roadway causing severe visibility issues for drivers. This resulted in crashes that caused injury to drivers. Can the drivers sue the… Read More »
Patient Dies After Catheter Pump is Found to Have Holes in It
In Cleeton v. SIU Healthcare, Inc., the plaintiff sustained an injury when he was 17 years old that rendered him a quadriplegic. As a result of his injury, the plaintiff suffered involuntary muscle spasms for which he received routine treatment. Namely, the plaintiff had a pump installed that delivered the muscle relaxer Baclofen into… Read More »
Parents of 3-Year-Old Killed in Bicycle Accident Sue City, Truck Companies
The parents of a 3-year-old girl who was killed in a bicycle accident have filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago and two trucking companies. The parents contend that one of the trucks was illegally parked in a bike lane. Her daughter was riding with her when the accident occurred. They were squeezed… Read More »
Tristar Innovative Products, Inc. Sued After 4-Year-Old Burned by Pressure Cooker
The parents of a 4-year-old girl have filed a lawsuit against Tristar Innovative Products, Inc. after their daughter was burned by a defective pressure cooker, according to a recent lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the lid of the pressure cooker was removable while the contents of the pressure cooker were under pressure. This resulted… Read More »
Trial Court Erred in Granting Summary Judgment to Defense in MedMal Lawsuit
A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decided to remand a lawsuit back to the circuit courts after determining that a genuine issue of material fact existed in the plaintiff’s argument. The lawsuit was filed on a theory of medical malpractice. The plaintiff was a high school student participating in basketball practice when she began… Read More »
Defendant Appeals Sentence Issued by Judge Who Had Heroin Addiction
In 2011, an Illinois jury found a defendant guilty of armed violence, aggravated battery with a firearm, and attempted robbery. The trial took place before the Honorable Judge Michael Cook. Cook sentenced the defendant to 29 years in prison for his crimes. However, Judge Cook was brought up on charges himself of possession of… Read More »