Earlier this week, Lake County Judge Luis A. Berrones ruled that the name of Lake County Board candidate Juan Beto Ruiz (Reynoso) should not be on the ballot. The Lake County Clerk has already printed ballots with the name of candidate Ruiz on them. Ruiz is challenging incumbent Esiah Campos; and his name has been printed as Juan Beto Ruiz. But his full legal name is Juan Beto Ruiz Reynoso. Unless Ruiz appeals, any ballots cast for him will not be counted.

Under the Illinois Election Code, candidates may use given names, initials, or commonly known nicknames when filing nomination

Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified an important question in sovereign immunity law: when does a state-created entity qualify as an “arm of the State” entitled to share the State’s immunity from suit? In a unanimous 9–0 decision authored by Justice Sotomayor, the Court held that the New Jersey Transit Corporation is not an arm of the State of New Jersey and therefore cannot invoke the State’s sovereign immunity in out-of-state lawsuits. Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corp.

The case arose from two accidents involving New Jersey Transit buses: one happened in New York City, and the

Yesterday the Supreme Court decided GEO Group, Inc. v. Menocal, 607 U.S. ___ (2026), holding that the federal contractor doctrine recognized in Yearsley v. W.A. Ross Construction Co., 309 U.S. 18 (1940), is a merits defense rather than an immunity from suit. Because it is a defense to liability and not a right to avoid litigation altogether, a district court’s rejection of the defense cannot be immediately appealed under the collateral-order doctrine.

The decision is nominally about government contractors. Its real significance is about appellate timing and litigation leverage. The Court sharpened the line between arguments that defeat

In Learning Resources v. Trump, the Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. The Court treated tariffs as what the Constitution calls them: “Duties” or “Imposts,” falling within Congress’s Article I power to “lay and collect Taxes.” Because taxation is a core legislative function, the Court required clear congressional authorization before concluding that Congress transferred that authority to the Executive. General language allowing the President to “regulate … importation” was not enough to sustain sweeping, revenue-generating duties imposed under a declared national emergency.

The decision has broader

When a candidate is removed from the ballot in Illinois, the path forward runs through the courts.

Tedora Brown, a Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois’s 11th Congressional District, was removed from the March 17, 2026 primary ballot after the State Officers Electoral Board determined she had filed 798 valid signatures: one short of the 799 required under Section 7-10(b) of the Illinois Election Code.

She sought judicial review under Section 10-10.1(a) (10 ILCS 5/10-10.1(a)) in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Circuit Court affirmed the Board. The Illinois Appellate Court later reversed in a one-page order that did

Facing a year-end deadline, the City of Chicago was able to get a budget passed that included some “alternative” revenue methods. In an effort to raise revenue, the City budget included new dollars from sports gambling.

Chicago adopted a new municipal licensing requirement and a 10.25% tax on certain sports wagering revenue as part of its year-end 2025 budget. The measure took effect January 1, 2026. Within days, a trade association representing major online sportsbook operators filed suit in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The case is Sports Betting Alliance v. City of Chicago,

Calcutt v. FDIC (Administrative)

Listen to the Calcutt v. FDIC Decision Syllabus here.

A banker was suspended and fined by the FDIC for actions he took on one financially troubled account. The Supreme Court reversed the Sixth Circuit, reasoning that the Court of Appeals must reverse the administrative agency if it reaches the same outcome for a different reason. Once an administrative agency has made an error of law, the decision must be remanded back to the administrative agency.

Tyler v. Hennepin County (Takings Clause)

Listen to the Tyler v. Hennepin County Decision Syllabus here.

In Tyler v. Hennepin County

The Supreme Court released several new decisions at the end of last week. While the most covered decision was probably where the Court ruled in favor of the photographer and against Andy Warhol, each decision offers a potentially helpful insight into the interworking of the Court.

Gonzalez v. Google LLC (Anti-Terrorism Act / Section 230)

Listen to the Supreme Court’s opinion syllabus here. After the Twitter ruling below, the plaintiffs failed to state a claim under the Anti-Terrorism Act. 18 U.S.C. §2333(d). The Court reversed and remanded and decided it did not need to reach the question regarding 47 U.S.C.

The Supreme Court has been unusually slow this term, with fewer rulings compared to past years. However, the pace seems to be accelerating, with 19 opinions released recently, including five last Friday. Major rulings are anticipated in the coming months as numerous cases remain pending. Let’s briefly examine the cases from last Friday.

Ciminelli v. United States

In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the right-to-control theory for wire fraud, which has long been recognized in the Second Circuit, cannot be used to convict persons under federal fraud statutes. In this case, Ciminelli was convicted for wire fraud