Supreme Court of Illinois Decisions 2023

Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Justin Devine, was convicted in the circuit court of Kane County of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images. He appealed to the appellate court arguing that the State failed to prove him…

Justia Opinion Summary: During a bench trial, the defendant Santana Grayer was found guilty of attempted vehicular hijacking. On appeal, Grayer argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt because he…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case of Clark Alave v. The City of Chicago, the plaintiff, Clark Alave, filed a complaint against the City of Chicago after he was injured when his bicycle struck a pothole. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2001, Wells and her husband were charged with three counts of first-degree murder (720 ILCS 5/9- 1(a)(1), (2), (3)) and concealment of a homicidal death (9-3.1(a)) for allegedly murdering Weyrick and burying his body…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hilliard was tried for attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm following the 2013 shooting of Killingsworth, who sustained two gunshot wounds in an unprovoked attack. The court removed…

Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiffs alleged that the Illinois State Police (ISP), violated the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140/1) by failing to provide them with documents relating to their Firearm Owners’ Identification (FOID)…

Justia Opinion Summary: Roland, filed a pro se postconviction petition alleging he received ineffective assistance of counsel during his bench trial for a 2002 attempted murder when his attorney failed to present evidence of his mental health…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2010, Agee strangled his girlfriend, Davis, during a physical altercation. He went directly to the police station and voluntarily made a statement, which was recorded on video. Agee did not realize that Davis had died…

Justia Opinion Summary: Webster, 17 years old, fatally shot 15-year-old Gutierrez with a sawed-off shotgun while in the garage behind Webster’s home. Gutierrez sustained a wound to his hand, consistent with his arm having been in a defensive…

Justia Opinion Summary: Brusaw was charged with aggravated DUI and aggravated driving while his license was revoked. The case was assigned to Judge Jones. A pretrial hearing was set for October 25, 2017. On October 5, Brusaw filed a pro se…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Municipal Code of Chicago included provisions concerning public parking, including parking meters. The fine for exceeding the time purchased at a parking meter differs depending on whether the violation occurs in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Montanez was convicted based on the 2002 murder of Villalobos and Ramirez. The court sentenced him to mandatory natural life for two first-degree murder convictions, a 20-year consecutive sentence for an aggravated…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2016, Bush was involved in a neighborhood dispute involving two families that culminated in Bush firing the shots that killed Jones and injured Gulley. Bush was convicted of felony murder, second-degree murder,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Fukama-Kabika was charged with criminal sexual assault, and criminal sexual abuse, unlawful restraint. The court advised him of the potential penalties if the jury were to find him guilty, including required terms of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Mark executed powers of attorney appointing his spouse, Dorothy, as his agent for health care and property. He also executed a will. Mark revoked the will and executed a new one as he was dying from cancer 17 years…

Justia Opinion Summary: Sergeant Albee saw a truck pulling a partially loaded car hauler semitrailer with no driver’s side markings indicating the company name or the DOT number required by federal regulations. The hauler was only partially…

Justia Opinion Summary: Guiracocha and his son, Cristopher, filed an uninsured motorist (UM) claim against Direct Auto, stemming from a hit-and-run incident where 14-year-old Cristopher was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle. They…

Justia Opinion Summary: Mosby, an RN, filed a class-action suit, alleging that she used a medication dispensing system and its finger-scan device, distributed and marketed by BD, to provide patient care, i.e., to authenticate her identity and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Homeowners Association alleged that M/I’s subcontractors caused construction defects in a Hanover Park development by using defective materials, conducting faulty workmanship, and failing to comply with building…

Justia Opinion Summary: The attorneys represented Doe in a medical malpractice action against a hospital and other medical staff. During that litigation, the evidence established that, after Doe was admitted to the emergency room of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In January 2018, Lichter filed a personal injury action against Christopher for injuries she suffered in a car accident in February 2016, not knowing that Christopher had died in June 2017. An estate was never opened for…

Justia Opinion Summary: Pacheco was convicted of aggravated assault and other offenses after he tried to hit a Joliet police officer with his car. During the incident, the officer shot and injured Pacheco. The appellate court reversed, finding…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2012, Givens, Dudley, and Strong burglarized a store and attempted to escape by backing a van out of a closed garage door, striking a police officer. Chicago police officers fired their weapons at the van, resulting…

Justia Opinion Summary: June agreed to watch her sister Jwonda’s children so that Jwonda could visit her friend, Natasha Johnson. Jwonda’s boyfriend, Lane, drove her and her children to June’s apartment, but they argued. Jwonda did not meet…

Justia Opinion Summary: Lighthart had dated both Buchanan and the victim, who was known to have access to large amounts of money. Lighthart drove the victim to a residence, knowing that Buchanan was there intending to rob the victim. Buchanan…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011 Reyes was convicted of aggravated DUI and sentenced to 36 months in prison. He was assessed fines and fees, totaling $1670: court automation fee $15; state police fee $15; document storage fee $15; clerks fees…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2005, Joliet filed a complaint seeking to acquire, by eminent domain, a low-income apartment complex that was owned and managed by the plaintiffs. Following almost 12 years of litigation, Joliet acquired fee simple…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chicago police arrested Lozano, who was subsequently charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools. Lozano moved to suppress evidence (a car radio, a wallet, and two screwdrivers) arguing that when the officers…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jansen was a resident at a skilled nursing facility. Kotalik, with Jansen’s power of attorney for healthcare, signed a “Contract Between Resident and Facility” that provides all civil claims shall be resolved…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Protect Illinois Communities Act restricts firearms and related items that the Act defines as “an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge” (assault weapons), 720 ILCS…

Justia Opinion Summary: Washington and Hood were arrested in 1993; they were charged with armed robbery and murder. Washington, 19 years old, had no criminal record. He claims Chicago police detectives, subordinates of infamous Chicago…

Justia Opinion Summary: An employee alleged that her employer, White Castle, introduced a system that required its employees to scan their fingerprints to access their pay stubs and computers. A third-party vendor then verified each scan and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices made multiple recommendations to “ensure defendants are not denied liberty solely due to their inability to financially secure their release from custody.” In…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the judgment of the appellate court reversing the judgment of the circuit court granting the State's motion to dismiss Petitioner's appeal of the second-stage…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the appellate court reversing the decision of the circuit court finding that the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination prevented the State from compelling…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the appellate court dismissing Petitioner's appeal from the denial of his motion for leave to file a successive postconviction petition under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed in part the decision of the appellate court reversing the judgment of the circuit court in favor of PML Development LLC on its action against the Village of Hawthorn Woods for breach of a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Pinkett was charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer after he failed to stop his motorcycle in response to police sirens and lights and traveled more than 21 miles per hour over the speed…

Justia Opinion Summary: Moore and Williams, both sentenced to life in prison without parole for separate murders committed when they were 19 years old, appealed from judgments denying them leave to file successive postconviction petitions…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1983, Prante was convicted of a strangulation murder. The appellate court rejected Prante’s claim that the state’s expert testimony concerning bite marks should not have been admitted. In 1993, Prante filed a…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, Graefnitz went with Wilson and Moore to buy drugs. Graefnitz was shot in the back and died from his wounds. Wilson was then 14 years old. The court granted a transfer motion, concluding that charging Wilson in…

Justia Opinion Summary: Conway was convicted as being an armed habitual criminal following a 2015 Chicago shooting, 720 ILCS 5/24-1.7. Conway challenged the sufficiency of the evidence and the identification testimony of a police officer. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: Romeoville police responded to a call that a residential security alarm had been activated. Prince came to the door and stated “Jessica” lived there but was out of town. He refused to give his name or identification.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Police executed a search warrant at a Chicago home, forcibly entering the residence after nobody answered. Inside, officers saw Ramirez descending from the second floor. Ramirez was detained but allowed to return…

Justia Opinion Summary: Hutt was convicted of obstructing justice and driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The Fourth District affirmed. Hutt argued that the trial court improperly denied him a jury trial in the DUI case and that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chapman filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140/1) request, seeking information pertaining to the Citation Administration and Adjudication System (CANVAS) for the enforcement of parking, red-light, and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Illinois State Trooper Scott stopped Taylor on I-80 due to an obstructed windshield. Scott approached Taylor’s vehicle, identified himself, and informed Taylor that he would give him a warning. While Scott was preparing…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Village alleged that the defendants breached a 2003 recorded annexation agreement executed by the Trustee that was then the legal owner of the property, which now consists of an annexed 114-acre subdivision. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: When he was 17 years old, Donald incurred a cervical cord injury, which left him quadriplegic. To reduce Donald’s involuntary muscle spasms, Dr. Espinosa implanted a Medtronic SynchroMed II Infusion System, a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Addison was convicted, in absentia, of unlawful possession of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle, forgery, and two counts of theft, arising out of his alleged use of counterfeit money to…

Justia Opinion Summary: After police found her severely-abused seven-year-old son alone on the streets of Chicago, Woods was convicted of four counts of aggravated battery of a child. The jury also concluded that the prosecution proved beyond a…

Justia Opinion Summary: After an altercation that occurred on the stoop of a residential apartment, Whitehead was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery in a place of public accommodation and sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. …

Justia Opinion Summary: In March 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court began entering a series of emergency administrative orders to address disruptions to the court system caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Certain orders authorized…

Justia Opinion Summary: Williams obtained a $4 million judgment against Kelly in March 2020 for his physical and sexual abuse of her when she was a minor. Midwest obtained a $3,484,420.70 judgment against Kelly in July 2020 for breach of a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Walton filed a class-action complaint against his former employer, alleging that Roosevelt’s collection, use, storage, and disclosure of Walton’s and similarly situated employees’ biometric data violated the Biometric…

Justia Opinion Summary: During a pat-down search of Brown, Chicago officers recovered a loaded handgun from his pocket and packets of a suspected narcotic from the driver’s seat of his car. Brown was charged with being an armed habitual…

Justia Opinion Summary: Tompkins, convicted of unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, argued that the circuit court erred in declining to give a jury instruction under the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act, 50 ILCS…

Justia Opinion Summary: Cothron. employed by a White Castle restaurant in Illinois since 2004, filed a class action on behalf of all Illinois White Castle employees. White Castle required its employees to scan their fingerprints to access…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 1993, Clark entered Catlin's Galesburg apartment to commit robbery. Clark was 24 years old; Catlin was 89. Clark killed Catlin by cutting her throat, then robbed the apartment. Clark pled guilty but mentally ill to…

Justia Opinion Summary: After a 2016 single-car collision, Galarza was found guilty of DUI (625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(1)), failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident (11-601(a)), and operating an uninsured motor vehicle (3-707). The appellate…

Justia Opinion Summary: Tims filed a class-action lawsuit against Black Horse, his former employer, alleging violations of the Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14/15(a)), concerning the retention and deletion of biometric…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2011, police officers stopped Villareal while he was driving a car the officers believed had been involved in a neighborhood shooting. During the traffic stop, officers searched the car and recovered a fully loaded…

Justia Opinion Summary: Davidson was charged with aggravated battery (720 ILCS 5/12-3.05(d)(4)(i)), for pushing Correctional Officer Stitt in the chest. Stitt was on duty at the Montgomery County Jail when he heard loud banging, investigated,…

Justia Opinion Summary: A 1998 Chicago ordinance includes procedures, penalties, and fees that apply to vehicle owners when a vehicle has been impounded because of its use in certain municipal code offenses. Within 15 days of the impoundment,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chaudhary arrived in the U.S. from Pakistan in 2007-2008. She married Ramzan while in Pakistan. They have three children together. Ramzan also has a daughter from a different marriage. In 2012, Chaudhary divorced Ramzan.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jones was arrested following a traffic stop and was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, 720 ILCS 5/24-1.1(a). Officer Wakeland testified that he searched the car and found two rounds of .40-caliber…

Justia Opinion Summary: Heineman was the driver in a single-vehicle accident that resulted in the death of his passenger. Fisher— an officer who investigated the case—testified that he was familiar with the law and had received training on a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Duniver, lost his leg during a 2017 workplace accident. In 2019, Duniver filed a personal injury lawsuit seeking recovery from multiple defendants. Weeks later, Duniver filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection and…