Art Akiane, LLC v. Art & SoulWorks LLC et al., No. 1:19-CV-02952, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Mar. 31, 2026) (Chang, J.).Judge Chang resolved numerous claims and defenses arising from the breakdown of a nearly two-decade-long licensing relationship between artist Akiane Kramarik’s licensing entity (Art Akiane) and her former retailer (Art & Soulworks). The Court granted Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 partial summary judgment to both sides on various issues while sending most disputed claims to trial, and denied Art Akiane’s motion to hold Defendants in contempt of a prior preliminary injunction (PI).Under a licensing agreement first executed in 2008…
Continue Reading Court Enters Partial Summary Judgment on Copyright, Lanham Act, and DMCA Claims Arising from Breakdown of Art Licensing Relationship

Colorado employers face new compliance obligations under HB 26-1283, a law that sharply limits when they may demand, keep, or control an employee’s or applicant’s government-issued ID. With the new law carrying criminal and civil exposure for violations, employers should review onboarding practices now.
Continue Reading New Colorado Law Restricts Employers From Retaining Employee ID Documents
Under HB 26-1283

A 16-year-old boy was injured in a shooting on Main Street in Plainfield in mid-July. Police have identified a suspect and continue to investigate. While the criminal case belongs to prosecutors, incidents like this one also raise civil questions that victims and their families are often unaware of.
What Police Have Reported
According to WGN-TV, officers responded to the 24100 block of West Main Street shortly before 9 p.m. on a Thursday evening after a report of a person shot. The teen was driven to Plainfield Fire Protection District Station 1, where crews provided medical care before he was…
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Car Crash News | Illinois

One person was killed and three others were injured Saturday morning in a crash involving a car and a school bus carrying student softball players in central Illinois. According to Illinois State Police, the collision happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Illinois Route 9 and Ford County 1000E Road near Gibson City.

Police said a car traveling on 1000E Road failed to yield while entering Route 9 and crossed into the path of the school bus, which then struck the vehicle. One person inside the car died, while three others were…
Continue Reading 1 Killed in Crash Between Car, School Bus Carrying Student Softball Players in Central Illinois

You thought you were driving just fine, even after a few beers, but then you got into a car crash. You were injured and taken to the hospital. Police asked if they could test your blood for alcohol, and you agreed. The test came back over the legal limit, and now you are charged with DUI.
Can you still defend your case?
The answer in certain circumstances is yes. Depending on how your blood was drawn and what happened to the sample, you may be able to get the results kept out of evidence.
When you consent to a blood…
Continue Reading CAN YOU FIGHT A DUI BLOOD TEST?

A divorce judgment or parenting order may resolve the issues that existed when it was entered, but family circumstances rarely remain unchanged forever. Children get older, work schedules change, parents move, incomes rise or fall, and expenses that once seemed manageable may become difficult.
When an existing order no longer works, returning to court is not always the only option. Parents may be able to use the collaborative law process to negotiate changes to a parenting plan, child support order, or other family court order.
Collaborative Law Is Not Limited to Divorce
Collaborative law is commonly associated with couples negotiating …
Continue Reading Can collaborative law be used to modify an existing parenting plan or support order?

Buying a home is a major financial and personal milestone. After closing, most new owners focus on moving in, getting settled, and starting on their mortgage payments. Estate planning may not be near the top of the list.
However, buying real estate changes what you own, and therefore what your family may inherit. Along with that comes the question of what someone would need to manage if you become seriously ill. This makes it important that the home’s deed, mortgage, and insurance all work together with the homeowner’s living trust, will, and beneficiary designations.
If you purchased a…
Continue Reading Buying a Home Is Just the Beginning: Don’t Forget to Protect It

A guardian ad litem can play an important role in a contested child custody case. Depending on the state and…
The post What happens when a parent disregards a guardian ad litem’s recommendations? first appeared on Family Law Headquarters by Stange Law Firm.
The post What happens when a parent disregards a guardian ad litem’s recommendations? appeared first on Family Law Headquarters by Stange Law Firm.
Continue Reading What happens when a parent disregards a guardian ad litem’s recommendations?

Restaurants are common places for food poisoning to originate. It can sometimes be hard to be sure whether a specific eating establishment was where the illness started, though.
Sick patrons may be interested to know that there are several ways to find out whether a restaurant has had food safety violations in the past. Many counties maintain databases of violations. Anyone can also make what is called a FOIA request at any time.
If you’re wondering who’s liable for food poisoning you picked up while eating out in 2026, an Illinois food poisoning lawyer can help.
Are Restaurant Inspection Records…
Continue Reading Is It Possible to Find Out What Food Safety Violations a Restaurant Has Had?

Families who entrusted a loved one to South Chicago Chapel may have grounds to file a Chicago funeral home lawsuit after authorities discovered 57 bodies in various states of decomposition inside the Far South Side funeral home.  The disturbing discovery raises serious questions about negligence, the mishandling of human remains, emotional distress, breach of contract, consumer fraud, and the legal rights Illinois gives families over the disposition of a loved one’s body. The funeral home investigation is still developing, and the facts surrounding each decedent will matter. However, Illinois law does not leave families powerless when a funeral home interferes…
Continue Reading 57 Decomposing Bodies Found at Chicago Funeral Home: Can Families Sue? 

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has published statewide guidance on artificial intelligence use in schools. This guidance provides schools with a toolbox of instructional use rubrics, model policies, and implementation checklists. However, what it does not provide them with is a single, uniform Illinois model policy ready to adopt. This guidance was developed in response to Public Act 104-0399, which in 2025 charged the ISBE with “develop[ing] statewide guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education.” 
School districts are directed to model templates and policies that they can use…
Continue Reading ISBE Has Issued 408 Pages of AI Guidance: What School Districts Need to Know

On Tuesday, Ankin Law once again took part in an event to help people in a northwest suburb get to know their first responders.  The Chicago law firm was a sponsor of Buffalo Grove’s “National Night Out” at Mike Rylko Community Park as hundreds came to meet the village’s fire and police departments.  This was one of many held around the nation on August 4th, with the celebration including a number of local businesses and vendors. Ankin Law has been a frequent sponsor of the event in Buffalo Grove throughout the years. Attorneys Matthew Friedman and Scott Goldstein, both residents of Buffalo…
Continue Reading Ankin Law Returns to National Night Out In Buffalo Grove

Ankin Law is investigating claims from people who developed cyclosporiasis after eating recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, including lettuce served at certain Taco Bell locations. The outbreak has sickened thousands of consumers across the United States. As of August 5, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified 6,358 confirmed illnesses, 278 hospitalizations, and two deaths across 15 states in the outbreak linked to the recalled lettuce. The investigation remains open, and those numbers may continue to rise. On July 16, 2026, two consumers filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Taylor Fresh Foods.  The class-action…
Continue Reading Ankin Law Is Investigating Cyclospora Cases Linked to Taylor Farms and Taco Bell 

49% of lawyers own their own law firms. Those law firms might be worth nothing. For lawyers who work in larger firms, 43% of them have equity in their firm. That equity is definitely worth something. These interests in law firms must be valued and possibly divided in an Illinois divorce. A Law Firm Is A Business, But It Is Not Just A Business A law firm has the potential to earn millions of dollars, employ many people, possess valuable receivables, and operate under an established name. It cannot, however, be valued exactly like a retail store, manufacturing company, or…
Continue Reading Valuing And Dividing A Law Firm In An Illinois Divorce