7th Circuit Case Commentaries

The Securing of Business Contracts: A Comprehensive Analysis of Trade Finance Partners, LLC v. AAR Corporation

Date: Jul 17, 2009

The Securing of Business Contracts: A Comprehensive Analysis of Trade Finance Partners, LLC v. AAR Corporation Introduction Trade Finance Partners, LLC, a trade finance firm, engaged in a contractual...

Seventh Circuit Clarifies Standards for Strip Searches and Retaliation Claims in Prisoners' Rights Cases - Mays v. Springborn

Date: Jul 17, 2009

Seventh Circuit Clarifies Standards for Strip Searches and Retaliation Claims in Prisoners' Rights Cases Introduction In the landmark case of Tiberius Mays v. Jerome Springborn et al., the United...

Affirmation of Denied Qualified Immunity in Fourth Amendment Claims: Narducci v. Moore and Lemm

Date: Jul 10, 2009

Affirmation of Denied Qualified Immunity in Fourth Amendment Claims: Narducci v. Moore and Lemm Introduction In the landmark case of Nicholas Narducci v. Gregory Moore and Donald Lemm,...

Certifying Class Actions in Alleged Market Cornering: PIMCO v. Kohen et al.

Date: Jul 8, 2009

Certifying Class Actions in Alleged Market Cornering: PIMCO v. Kohen et al. Introduction In Josef A. Kohen, et al. v. Pacific Investment Management Company LLC and PIMCO Funds, 571 F.3d 672 (7th Cir....

Procedural Default Bars Habeas Relief for Unadjudicated Federal Claims: Cheeks v. Gaetz

Date: Jul 8, 2009

Procedural Default Bars Habeas Relief for Unadjudicated Federal Claims: Cheeks v. Gaetz Introduction In Michael Cheeks v. Donald Gaetz, 571 F.3d 680 (7th Cir. 2009), the United States Court of...

Pole v. Randolph: Establishing Limits on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims in Habeas Corpus Relief

Date: Jul 8, 2009

Pole v. Randolph: Establishing Limits on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims in Habeas Corpus Relief Introduction Parties Involved: Petitioner-Appellant: Willie Pole Respondent-Appellee: Austin...

Seventh Circuit Expands Public Disclosure Bar under the False Claims Act: Overruling Bank of Farmington and Caremark

Date: Jul 3, 2009

Seventh Circuit Expands Public Disclosure Bar under the False Claims Act: Overruling Bank of Farmington and Caremark Introduction In the landmark case Glaser v. Wound Care Consultants, Inc., 570 F.3d...

ERISA Compliance and Audit Evidence in Pension Trust Litigation: Trustees of Chicago Plastering Institute Pension Trust v. Cork Plastering Company

Date: Jul 2, 2009

ERISA Compliance and Audit Evidence in Pension Trust Litigation: Trustees of Chicago Plastering Institute Pension Trust v. Cork Plastering Company Introduction The case of Trustees of the Chicago...

Substantial Burdens on Religious Exercise in Prison: Nelson v. Miller

Date: Jul 2, 2009

Substantial Burdens on Religious Exercise in Prison: Nelson v. Miller Introduction Nelson v. Miller, 570 F.3d 868 (7th Cir. 2009), is a pivotal case addressing the intersection of prisoners'...

Affirmation of Reasonable Use of Force in Stainback v. Dixon

Date: Jul 1, 2009

Affirmation of Reasonable Use of Force in Stainback v. Dixon Introduction The case of Charles Stainback v. Ryan Dixon, et al., heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in...

Affirmed Summary Judgment in Retaliation Claim: Emphasis on Evidentiary Requirements

Date: Jul 1, 2009

Affirmed Summary Judgment in Retaliation Claim: Emphasis on Evidentiary Requirements Introduction In the case of Lesley C. Stephens v. Charles Erickson et al., the United States Court of Appeals for...

Separation of Private Employment Claims and Qui Tam Actions under the False Claims Act: Lusby v. Rolls-Royce

Date: Jul 1, 2009

Separation of Private Employment Claims and Qui Tam Actions under the False Claims Act: Lusby v. Rolls-Royce Introduction The case of United States of America on the relation of Curtis J. Lusby v....

Krolnik v. Prudential Insurance: Defining Independent Judicial Decision-Making under ERISA

Date: Jun 30, 2009

Krolnik v. Prudential Insurance: Defining Independent Judicial Decision-Making under ERISA Introduction The case of Paul M. Krolnik v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America (570 F.3d 841)...

Client Accountability for Attorney Negligence: Insights from BMF v. TBI

Date: Jun 30, 2009

Client Accountability for Attorney Negligence: Insights from BMF v. TBI Introduction Bakery Machinery Fabrication, Incorporated (BMF), an Illinois corporation, engaged in a contractual dispute with...

Reaffirming the Limits of State Protective Duties: Buchanan-Moore v. County of Milwaukee

Date: Jun 30, 2009

Reaffirming the Limits of State Protective Duties: Buchanan-Moore v. County of Milwaukee Introduction The case of Terita Buchanan-Moore, et al. v. County of Milwaukee, decided by the United States...

State Action and Private Union Membership Expulsion: Hallinan & Harej v. Fraternal Order of Police of Chicago Lodge No. 7

Date: Jun 26, 2009

State Action and Private Union Membership Expulsion: Hallinan & Harej v. Fraternal Order of Police of Chicago Lodge No. 7 Introduction In Hallinan and Harej v. Fraternal Order of Police of Chicago...

Seventh Circuit Upholds Termination of Physician for Threats: Implications for ADA and Due Process Protections

Date: Jun 23, 2009

Seventh Circuit Upholds Termination of Physician for Threats: Implications for ADA and Due Process Protections Introduction In the case of Philip C. Bodenstab, M.D., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. County of...

KNOX v. ASTRUE: Establishing Standards for Disability Claims Evaluation

Date: Jun 20, 2009

KNOX v. ASTRUE: Establishing Standards for Disability Claims Evaluation Introduction Jay A. Knox, the plaintiff-appellant, contested the denial of his disability insurance benefits by the...

Establishing Police Conspiracy Liability under 18 U.S.C. §241 and §242: Insights from United States v. Bartlett et al.

Date: Jun 9, 2009

Establishing Police Conspiracy Liability under 18 U.S.C. §241 and §242: Insights from United States v. Bartlett et al. Introduction The case United States of America v. Jon Bartlett, Andrew R....

Reassignment Does Not Constitute Material Adverse Action: Lucero v. Nettle Creek School Corporation

Date: May 30, 2009

Reassignment Does Not Constitute Material Adverse Action: Lucero v. Nettle Creek School Corporation Introduction Sharon A. Lucero, an English teacher at the Nettle Creek Junior-Senior High School in...