SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Clients who are ordered to pay punitive damages can sue to recover the money from their lawyers, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled, rejecting arguments state law and public policy protect lawyers from being subject to punitive damages awards.
Stearns Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and two of its staff members argue that a wrongful death suit involving a resident who contracted Covid-19 should be dismissed because the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP) offers exclusive remedy for pandemic-related claims.
Several tax buyer defendants accused of participating in a Madison County bid-rigging conspiracy from 2005 to 2008 are opposing a proposed $300,000 partial settlement agreement, arguing that the proposal asks the court to approve the notice rather than the substance of the settlement.
Attorneys for deceased tax buyer Barrett Rochman argue that he should be dismissed from a bid rigging suit because class counsel failed to ask the court to appoint a special representative for the defendant.