A reported sexual assault at an Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house near the University of Chicago has prompted a police investigation and raised important questions about the responsibilities of people who organize, attend, and supervise private gatherings. The October 11, 2026 incident in Hyde Park also illustrates why allegations of sexual violence at fraternity houses may require a broader legal investigation than simply identifying the person accused of committing the assault.
According to publicly released information, a 21-year-old woman reported being assaulted during a party at the fraternity house. Subsequent accounts attributed to witnesses described troubling circumstances involving other individuals…
Continue Reading Sexual Assault Allegations at Fraternity House Near University of Chicago

Una denuncia de agresión sexual en una casa de la fraternidad Alpha Epsilon Pi, cerca de la Universidad de Chicago, ha provocado una investigación policial y ha planteado importantes preguntas sobre las responsabilidades de quienes organizan, participan y supervisan reuniones privadas. El incidente denunciado el 11 de octubre de 2026 en Hyde Park también demuestra por qué las acusaciones de violencia sexual en fraternidades universitarias pueden requerir una investigación legal que vaya más allá de identificar a la persona acusada de cometer la agresión.
Según la información divulgada públicamente, una mujer de 21 años denunció haber sufrido una agresión sexual…
Continue Reading Denuncia de Agresión Sexual en Fraternidad Cerca de la Universidad de Chicago

Fed. Cir. Docket Nos. 2025-1018, -1019 (nonprecedential)TARANTO, HUGHES, CUNNINGHAMOctober 14, 2026

Decision:  https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions-orders/25-1018.OPINION.10-14-2026_2770744.pdf

Takeaways:  (1) “Consisting of” claims don’t escape prior art just because a reference doesn’t expressly exclude additional components (question is what the skilled artisan would understand the reference to disclose); (2) “combination” and “composition” can be read together and broadly when the specification uses them interchangeably;  (3) anticipation can be based on a long list of options in a reference when it expressly names and/or highlights options as preferred; and,  (4) under § 42.11(d)(2), a patent owner that withdraws a challenged contention can cut off sanctions.

Decision…
Continue Reading Syngenta Crop Prot. AG v. UPL Ltd.

Coors Distributing Company’s Colorado fight with Crown Imports and Constellation shows how a termination-payment clause can help a supplier argue for ending distribution before an arbitrator decides whether the exit violates the law. Our earlier post challenged the suppliers’ reading of Colorado’s 90-day termination provision. The new injunction briefing highlights risks in beer distributor termination provisions. We examine those risks and offer our own sample contract language addressing buyout payments and preserving distributors’ remedies.

What the New Coors Filings Reveal

Crown and Constellation filed their opposition on October 2. At the October 14 hearing, Denver District Judge Adam J. Espinosa…
Continue Reading Coors’ Colorado Fight: What Beer Distributors Should Fix Before a Supplier Leaves

Crash News | Joliet, Il

One person was injured in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 near the Interstate 55 interchange in Joliet, Illinois, on Thursday morning, according to Illinois State Police.

The collision occurred at approximately 5:46 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-80. Emergency responders arrived at the scene, and one person was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

All westbound lanes were initially blocked while police investigated the incident. Traffic began moving again after one lane was reopened, although the closure caused disruptions for motorists traveling through the area.

The cause…
Continue Reading 1 Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash on I-80 at I-55 Near Joliet

A recent ruling out of the Cook County Law Division offers a useful look at how Illinois courts evaluate slip and fall claims involving spills left by someone other than the property owner. The outcome favored the defense, but the reasoning behind it says a lot about what injured people need to prove when pursuing a premises liability claim.
What Happened in the Case
According to Litchfield Cavo LLP, the case involved a woman who slipped and fell on hand sanitizer that had been spilled on a fitness club hallway floor by two children visiting the facility. She sued the…
Continue Reading IL Court Rules on Slip and Fall Notice

A stay in an Illinois nursing home for one year now costs about as much as a new pickup truck. Many elderly people or others who need long-term care may need to stay in nursing homes or assisted living facilities for several years. The expenses involved in nursing home care can quickly drain a lifetime of savings, affecting the inheritances that were meant to be left to children or other family members.  parents hoped to leave behind. However, families can take steps to avoid these losses by planning before a health crisis occurs.
Planning for long-term care can protect a…
Continue Reading Planning Ahead for Long-Term Care Can Help Protect a Family’s Wealth

Preface
I have spent more than two decades of my practice focused, with some intensity, on the problem of parental alienation. In that time I have represented targeted parents and, in a smaller number of cases, parents accused of alienating conduct. I have been retained as a consulting and testifying expert on the subject of parental alienation, and I was one of the attorneys connected to In re Marriage of Bates, the Illinois Supreme Court case that remains a landmark in this field. I say all of this not to establish authority for its own sake, but to be candid…
Continue Reading Kane County Divorce Lawyer: Preface to Michael Roe’s New Book on Parental Alienation

This week’s blog entry once again goes to the dogs, but this time we discuss dogs in the employment context. One of the things I am seeing quite a bit of is persons with disabilities really get confused about the rights they have with respect to the animals they use to compensate for their disability. Those rights actually depend upon the context. For example: 1) in employment there are no rules (as we will see in this blog entry, a court could mistakenly think there are); 2) with respect to accessing nonfederal governmental entities and accessing what the ADA calls…
Continue Reading This Week’s Blog Entry Goes to the Dogs: The Employment Version

A dispensary daily operations checklist works best when it ends in decisions, not in a list of numbers someone glanced at. This article lays out a recommended opening review for a dispensary manager: five areas to check, the decision each check should produce, and how to hand every decision to a named owner with a time attached.
The title uses 11 a.m. as a marker for a store that opens mid-morning. If your store opens earlier or later, the same idea applies: finish the review early enough in your own day that there is still time to act on what…
Continue Reading What a Dispensary Manager Should Check and Decide Before 11 a.m.

When we wrote about the Sixth Circuit’s cannabis contract decision last month, the concern was what the decision allowed a buyer to accomplish: enter a licensed commercial transaction, abandon its purchase commitment when the market turned, and then invoke federal marijuana law to avoid liability for the breach. Hello Farms has now asked the court to reconsider, and its petition develops several of the same objections we raised about contract avoidance, federal policy, and the incentive to move these disputes into federal court.

The October 8 petition seeks both panel rehearing and rehearing en banc in Hello Farms Licensing …
Continue Reading Hello Farms Seeks Rehearing Over the Sixth Circuit’s Cannabis Contract Escape Route

Under Illinois law, when a resident dies, their assets and liabilities transfer to their estate. The  process can become particularly complicated when no valid will exists, a will can’t be located, or conflicting wills are discovered.

In the absence of a valid will, the estate is disbursed in accordance with the State’s intestacy statute,[1] which may not follow the deceased’s final wishes. It also frequently leads to greater costs because potential heirs must be located and notified and probate courts must supervise and resolve disputes. This can happen when the decedent never created a will, attempted to create one…
Continue Reading [Good] Will Hunting More Likely Under New Illinois Law

Motorcycle Rider Dies After I-90 Crash Downtown Chicago, Illinois State Police Say

Crash News | Chicago, Il

A motorcycle rider died following a serious crash on Interstate 90 in downtown Chicago on Wednesday afternoon, according to Illinois State Police. The crash occurred at approximately 2:57 p.m. on the Ontario Street Feeder Ramp leading to northbound I-90.

According to state police, the motorcycle struck a concrete wall along the ramp, ejecting the rider over the wall and onto the southbound lanes of I-90. The rider was transported to a nearby hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Authorities have not released…
Continue Reading Motorcycle Rider Dies After I-90 Crash Downtown Chicago

A contested divorce happens when spouses can’t agree on one or more issues, such as property division, financial support, or parenting time. When one spouse refuses to compromise on anything, the case can take longer and cost more.
While this can be emotionally taxing, it doesn’t mean you’ll be left with an unfair final divorce agreement. Illinois courts have ways to move a case forward and decide on issues when one person won’t negotiate. Our McHenry County, IL divorce attorney can help you understand what options will help you during your 2026 divorce case.
Can Your Spouse Stop an Illinois…
Continue Reading What Do I Do if My Spouse Won’t Compromise on Anything in Our Divorce?

A visitation schedule that worked when it was first created might no longer fit your family’s routine. Even when both parents agree that something needs to change, there are questions about how to handle those changes.
Virginia parents can agree to adjust visitation without going to court. However, an informal agreement does not replace an existing court order. If you need to change your visitation schedule in 2026, our Stafford, VA, visitation attorneys will explain your options and help you protect your parenting time.
What Informal Changes Can Parents Make to a Virginia Visitation Schedule?
Parents can agree to temporary,…
Continue Reading Can You Change a Virginia Visitation Schedule Without Going Back to Court?

The administration says its target is illegal immigration. Its own numbers show it cut legal immigration far more. David J. Bier of the Cato Institute ran the count through February 2026, comparing a recent month with a month before the … Continue reading →
Continue Reading Trump Cut Legal Immigration 2.7 Times More Than Illegal Immigration. Now the Bill Comes Due