7th Circuit Case Commentaries

Establishing Standards for Class Certification under the Fair Credit Reporting Act: Murray v. GMAC Mortgage Corporation

Date: Jan 18, 2006

Establishing Standards for Class Certification under the Fair Credit Reporting Act: Murray v. GMAC Mortgage Corporation Introduction Nancy R. Murray filed a lawsuit against GMAC Mortgage Corporation,...

Courts Uphold Discretion in Denying Counsel to Pro Se Plaintiffs in Civil §1983 Claims

Date: Jan 18, 2006

Courts Uphold Discretion in Denying Counsel to Pro Se Plaintiffs in Civil §1983 Claims Introduction The case of Van Dyke Johnson v. Stephen Doughty, et al. (433 F.3d 1001) addresses significant...

HECK v. HUMPHREY Revisited: Seventh Circuit Allows Excessive Force Claims Under § 1983

Date: Jan 14, 2006

HECK v. HUMPHREY Revisited: Seventh Circuit Allows Excessive Force Claims Under § 1983 Introduction In the case of Bill VanGilder v. Brian Baker, City of Lafayette, and Lafayette Police Department,...

Seventh Circuit Affirms Comprehensive Damages in Title VII Sexual Harassment and Ethnic Discrimination Case

Date: Jan 12, 2006

Seventh Circuit Affirms Comprehensive Damages in Title VII Sexual Harassment and Ethnic Discrimination Case Introduction Jennifer Farfaras brought a lawsuit against Citizens Bank and Trust of Chicago...

Seventh Circuit Clarifies Discovery Obligations of Nonparty Counsel in Work-Product Privilege Disputes

Date: Jan 10, 2006

Seventh Circuit Clarifies Discovery Obligations of Nonparty Counsel in Work-Product Privilege Disputes Introduction Madison Hobley v. Jon Burge, Robert Dwyer, City of Chicago, et al. is a landmark...

RICO Standing: Personal Injury and Economic Loss Do Not Satisfy 'Business or Property' Requirement

Date: Jan 7, 2006

RICO Standing: Personal Injury and Economic Loss Do Not Satisfy 'Business or Property' Requirement Introduction In the case of Ronnie Evans, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. City of Chicago, et al.,...

Retaliatory Discharge Claims under Georgia and Illinois Law: Insights from Tanner v. Jupiter Realty Corporation

Date: Jan 6, 2006

Retaliatory Discharge Claims under Georgia and Illinois Law: Insights from Tanner v. Jupiter Realty Corporation Introduction The case of J. Richard Tanner v. Jupiter Realty Corporation, decided by...

Mosely v. Chicago Board of Education: Expanding Parental Rights under IDEA and Retaliation Protections

Date: Jan 5, 2006

Mosely v. Chicago Board of Education: Expanding Parental Rights under IDEA and Retaliation Protections Introduction In Lillian L. Mosely v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago, 434 F.3d 527...

Enforcement of Dismissal for Want of Prosecution: A Comprehensive Analysis of Harrington v. City of Chicago

Date: Jan 4, 2006

Enforcement of Dismissal for Want of Prosecution: A Comprehensive Analysis of Harrington v. City of Chicago Introduction Harrington v. City of Chicago, 433 F.3d 542 (7th Cir. 2006), addresses...

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in Civil Rights Claims: Alexander v. City of South Bend

Date: Jan 4, 2006

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in Civil Rights Claims: Alexander v. City of South Bend Introduction The case Richard L. Alexander v. City of South Bend (433 F.3d 550) was adjudicated by the United...

Title VII and Religious Discrimination in Employer-Sponsored Affinity Groups: Moranski v. General Motors

Date: Dec 30, 2005

Title VII and Religious Discrimination in Employer-Sponsored Affinity Groups: Moranski v. General Motors Introduction John W. Moranski, an employee of General Motors (GM), initiated legal proceedings...

Reversal in Masch v. Barnhart: Strengthening Credibility Assessments and Obesity Considerations in SSA Disability Determinations

Date: Dec 21, 2005

Reversal in Masch v. Barnhart: Strengthening Credibility Assessments and Obesity Considerations in SSA Disability Determinations Introduction Masch v. Barnhart, 406 F. Supp. 2d 1038 (E.D. Wis. 2005),...

Danford v. United States: Upholding Judicial Discretion in Fraud Conviction and Sentencing

Date: Dec 21, 2005

Danford v. United States: Upholding Judicial Discretion in Fraud Conviction and Sentencing Introduction United States of America v. Daniel E. Danford, 435 F.3d 682 (7th Cir. 2005), is a pivotal case...

United States v. Ortiz: Defining the Boundaries of Relevant Conduct in Drug Sentencing

Date: Dec 13, 2005

United States v. Ortiz: Defining the Boundaries of Relevant Conduct in Drug Sentencing Introduction In United States v. Jose Ortiz, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit...

Preemption of Labor Regulations in Illinois Renewable-Fuels Grants: In-Depth Analysis of NORTHERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER OF ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, INC., and Loberg Excavating, Inc. v. Lavin

Date: Dec 10, 2005

Preemption of Labor Regulations in Illinois Renewable-Fuels Grants: In-Depth Analysis of NORTHERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER OF ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, INC., and Loberg Excavating, Inc. v. Lavin...

Defining the Limits of Fair Use in File-Sharing: BMG Music v. Gonzalez

Date: Dec 10, 2005

Defining the Limits of Fair Use in File-Sharing: BMG Music, et al. v. Cecilia Gonzalez Introduction The case of BMG Music, et al. v. Cecilia Gonzalez (430 F.3d 888) addressed the contentious issue of...

Interpretation of "Household" in Homeowner's Insurance Policies: Harper v. Vigilant Insurance Co.

Date: Dec 7, 2005

Interpretation of "Household" in Homeowner's Insurance Policies: Harper v. Vigilant Insurance Co. Introduction The case of Charlene Harper v. Vigilant Insurance Company, decided by the United States...

Preemption of Local Labor-Peace Agreements by the National Labor Relations Act: A Comprehensive Analysis of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce v. Milwaukee County

Date: Dec 6, 2005

Preemption of Local Labor-Peace Agreements by the National Labor Relations Act: A Comprehensive Analysis of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce v. Milwaukee County Introduction In...

Limits of §1983 Liability in Police Escort Services: Pepper v. Village of Oak Park

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Limits of §1983 Liability in Police Escort Services: Pepper v. Village of Oak Park Introduction Charise Pepper v. Village of Oak Park and Leonard Donaire (430 F.3d 805) is a significant case...

Affirmation of Preliminary Injunction Standards in Medical Telemarketing Free Speech Challenge

Date: Nov 30, 2005

Affirmation of Preliminary Injunction Standards in Medical Telemarketing Free Speech Challenge Introduction The case of Jason Goodman, D.C., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Illinois Department of Financial...