7th Circuit Court

7th Circuit reinstates suit claiming senior center failed to protect lesbian tenant from harassment

A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit claiming a senior living center violated the Fair Housing Act when it failed to protect a lesbian from violence and harassment by other tenants. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law creates liability not only for intentional discrimination…

Aug 28, 2018 10:05 AM CDT

7th Circuit tosses $3M verdict in suit blaming antidepressant labeling for BigLaw partner’s suicide

A federal appeals court has overturned a $3 million award to the widow of a Reed Smith partner who blamed antidepressant labeling for her husband’s suicide.

Aug 23, 2018 6:05 AM CDT

7th Circuit limits national ‘sanctuary cities’ injunction to Chicago

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago has narrowed a nationwide injunction against the Trump administration’s policy withholding grants from alleged “sanctuary cities.”

Jun 28, 2018 4:45 PM CDT

7th Circuit blocks disability abortion ban; partial dissent labels the procedure a ‘super-right’

A federal appeals court has upheld a permanent injunction blocking an Indiana law that banned abortions based on race, sex, ancestry, Down syndrome or other genetic disorders. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday, report the Indianapolis Star, the Indiana Lawyer and Reuters. How Appealing links to…

Apr 20, 2018 3:34 PM CDT

7th Circuit upholds nationwide injunction barring grant holdbacks for sanctuary cities

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a nationwide injunction that barred the U.S. Justice Department from withholding public safety grants from sanctuary cities that don’t cooperate in immigration enforcement.

Apr 19, 2018 3:16 PM CDT

Title VII protects workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation, en banc 2nd Circuit says

An en banc federal appeals court has ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Feb 26, 2018 10:56 AM CST

Trump nominates 9 to federal court vacancies

Updated: Nine more nominees for federal judgeships were announced Tuesday by the White House. The newest wave of nominees are: • Mark Bennett, former attorney general of Hawaii, to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. • Andrew Oldham, general counsel for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, to the…

Feb 13, 2018 4:00 PM CST

7th Circuit to decide on deportation of US veteran and green card holder with drug conviction

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday about whether to deport an Army veteran convicted of a drug crime, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reported this week. Miguel Perez Jr. left Mexico at the age of 8 and eventually became a lawful permanent resident. He’s facing…

Jan 5, 2018 3:55 PM CST

7th Circuit rejects another appeal by lawyer ordered to pay up to $4.2M for sending junk faxes

A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal by an Illinois lawyer who was ordered to pay up to $4.2 million for sending junk-fax newsletters without an opt-out provision. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals noted that the class action against Gregory Turza was nearly a decade old.…

Nov 16, 2017 3:19 PM CST

7th Circuit upholds topless ban, says painted-chest protest wasn’t sufficiently expressive

A protester whose breasts were covered only by body paint was unable to persuade a federal appeals court that her First Amendment and equal-protection rights were likely violated when she was fined for violating Chicago’s public nudity law.

Nov 13, 2017 7:00 AM CST

En banc 7th Circuit upholds gun seizure in claimed case of ‘parking while black’

A full federal appeals court has upheld a conviction based on a gun discovered when police shined their lights into a car parked too close to the crosswalk. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago upheld the conviction of Randy Johnson over a dissent that claimed the car…

Oct 31, 2017 2:57 PM CDT

Citing Posner opinion, 7th Circuit grants new trial because of Posner comments

A criminal defendant accused of receiving $600,000 in fraudulent tax refunds is entitled to a new trial because of statements by Judge Richard Posner when he was acting as the trial judge, a federal appeals court has ruled in a decision that cites a 1996 Posner decision.

Oct 26, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Posner says he is organizing a national pro-bono group that includes ex-prisoner

Updated: Former Judge Richard Posner is continuing his quest to help pro se litigants by forming a nationwide pro bono law group made up of lawyers and consultants.

Oct 24, 2017 9:33 AM CDT

Posner says he is open to litigating on behalf of pro se litigants, defends book

Retired Judge Richard Posner isn’t giving up on his crusade to help pro se litigants, even as he defends his book on the subject amid criticism for its use of internal memoranda from his former court, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sep 26, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Is Posner’s ‘baffling’ book an ethics breach? Chief judge objects to release of internal memos

Retired Judge Richard Posner of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals apparently ruffled colleagues’ feathers and raised ethics questions when he released internal materials in a new book on the treatment of pro se litigators.

Sep 21, 2017 11:48 AM CDT