Severe thunderstorms moved through Naperville on Tuesday, leaving behind flooded walkways, downed trees, and hundreds of service requests across the city. Conditions like these do more than disrupt daily routines. They create fall hazards on sidewalks, in parking lots, and inside buildings for days after the weather clears.
What the Storms Left Behind
According to NCTV17, the city received more than 300 service requests after the storms, including 60 reports of trees fully blocking roads, with damage concentrated in south Naperville. The lower walkways along the Naperville Riverwalk were closed due to flooding. Several parks reported damage to fencing…
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A jackknife truck accident can cause devastating injuries, extensive property damage, and lasting emotional trauma. Yes, if you were injured in a jackknife truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you can sue for compensation. Victims may recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical care, rehabilitation costs, and other losses. Liability may extend beyond the truck driver to include the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, vehicle manufacturers, or other negligent parties.

In Chicago and throughout Illinois, jackknife truck accidents frequently occur on major highways such as I-90, I-94, I-55, I-290, I-294, and I-80, where…
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You can defend against a prescription drug DUI charge in Illinois in many ways. For example, you might challenge whether the medication actually impaired your ability to drive or question the accuracy of drug testing. If you’re facing this kind of charge in 2026, our DuPage County criminal defense lawyers can help you understand the evidence against you and build a strong defense.
Can You Get a DUI for Taking Prescribed Medication in Illinois?
Under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, Illinois law makes it illegal to drive under the influence of any drug to a degree that renders you incapable of…
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Kogut & Wilson attorney Karen A. VanderMeer has been appointed to the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Family Law Section Council for the 2026 bar year.
The Family Law Section Council serves ISBA members practicing in divorce, parental responsibilities, support and other domestic relations matters across Illinois. The council monitors legislative and case law developments affecting family law practitioners, proposes amendatory language on relevant bills and contributes to the section’s newsletter and CLE programming.
On the council, Karen joins a select group of Illinois attorneys and judges committed to advancing family law and the administration of justice through a deeper…
Continue Reading Illinois State Bar Association Appoints Karen A. VanderMeer to Family Law Section Council

Summer of 2026 is upon us, and election season is kicking
off as spirited candidates, trusted election authorities, and municipalities
across Illinois seek to address a host of complex issues. Local election
officials and electoral boards have many responsibilities to make elections
happen, from processing nomination papers to convening quasi-adjudicative
hearings. Meanwhile, local governments must navigate the enforcement of
political sign regulations, electioneering laws, and the strict rules governing
the use of public funds in referenda.

To help listeners tackle these issues, Ancel Glink’s Erin Monforti and Katie Nagy revisit
classic insights from equity partner Keri-Lyn
Krafthefer and provide vital…
Continue Reading 108: Election Special!

The debate over the role of technology in classrooms is not new, but the pace and scope of legislative action recently has accelerated. These actions appear to be driven by growing concerns over student mental health.The Educational LandscapeAs of June 2, 2026, 38 states and the District of Columbia require school districts to ban or restrict students’ use of cell phones in schools. Many of these states, however, carve out exemptions for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or documented health needs, for emergency situations, and for the exercise of teacher discretion.The laws in eight states, including Delaware,…
Continue Reading Screening Screen Time: More States are Implementing Cell Phone Bans in K-12 Schools

Question: 
I am the founder and sole owner of a business litigation firm in Orlando, Florida. I am 72 and want to retire and exit the practice within the next year. My office lease expires next year and I am not willing to sign another lease. There is one associate attorney that has been out of law school and with me for two years. He has yet to try any cases. There is also one paralegal in the firm that has been with me for 20 years.
While it would nice to receive some value and monetization for the effort,…
Continue Reading Law Firm Sole Owner Succession and Exit – Top Challenges

In Fox v. DuPage Township, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected former employees’ First Amendment claim that they were terminated because they campaigned for an opposing candidate for election to government office. After an election that changed the make-up of township government, the township board voted to reorganize a senior center’s leadership, resulting in the termination of two employees from their employment at the center. They sued, claiming that they were terminated in retaliation for their campaigning for the township supervisor’s opponent in the election. The district court rejected their arguments and ruled in favor of the township, finding…
Continue Reading Employees First Amendment Retaliation Claims Rejected by Court

Sharing some blame for an accident does not automatically end a claim in Illinois. State law reduces compensation based on fault rather than wiping it out entirely, though there is one specific point where recovery does disappear completely.
Illinois Uses A Modified Comparative Fault Standard
Under Illinois law, an injured person can recover damages as long as their own share of fault stays below 51 percent. This standard is set out directly in the state’s civil procedure statute governing negligence claims, and it applies broadly across car accidents, premises cases, and most other injury claims. Once fault reaches that…
Continue Reading Understanding The 51 Percent Fault Rule

Figuring out which insurance policy actually applies after a Lyft crash trips up a lot of people, and reasonably so. Illinois law ties coverage to exactly what the driver was doing on the app at the moment of the crash, which means the same accident can be handled very differently depending on small details.
Why Does A Driver’s App Status Change The Insurance That Applies?
Illinois regulates rideshare companies through the Transportation Network Providers Act, which sets tiered insurance requirements based on where a driver was in the trip process. A driver who is logged in but has not…
Continue Reading Rideshare Coverage Questions Answered

Blood alcohol tests are often treated as strong evidence in Illinois DUI cases, but they aren’t as foolproof as you’d think. Errors in testing, handling, and storage can all affect the accuracy of the results. If you’re facing DUI charges based on a blood test in 2026, our Chicago DUI defense lawyer can help you understand whether the results in your case can actually be trusted.
How Does Blood Alcohol Testing Work in Illinois DUI Cases?
When someone is arrested for DUI in Illinois, police may request a blood test to measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Under 625 ILCS …
Continue Reading How Reliable Are Blood Chemical Tests in Illinois DUI Cases?

Sometimes, a person so narrowly avoids an injury that thoughts of it haunt them for some time afterward. It may be a car barely missing a pedestrian as they cross the street or a slip on a wet floor that almost turns into a bad fall. The nearness of the miss may be so real for some that they wonder if it’s possible to receive compensation for it.
Although these events can be distressing, compensation is typically awarded only in cases of actual injury. If you want to know whether or not your 2026 case qualifies, a Schaumburg, IL…
Continue Reading Can You Sue if You Could Have Been Injured by Someone's Negligence But Weren’t?

Kogut & Wilson partner Kirsten L. Meeder attended the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s (NITA) Family Law Trial Skills program, developing core trial advocacy skills structured around child custody matters.
Through NITA’s classroom-based, learn-by-doing approach, Kirsten strengthened her courtroom advocacy by practicing:

  • opening and closing arguments,
  • direct and cross-examinations,
  • witness impeachment, and
  • the effective use of exhibits.

The program concluded with mock bench trials.
Building on her strong foundation in family law litigation, Kirsten continues to deepen her trial experience and refine the skills needed to handle every phase of trial with confidence. She represents individuals in all aspects of…
Continue Reading Kirsten L. Meeder Advances Trial Advocacy Skills with NITA Family Law Program

A 16-year-old Chicago e-scooter rider was tragically killed after a collision with the driver of a commercial truck on Chicago’s North Side, marking the third e-scooter fatality in Chicago in 2026.According to the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Sun-Times, Alex Blacio, 16, was riding an e-scooter northbound on the 4100 block of North Western Avenue in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood on August 3, 2026, at approximately 3:37 p.m. when he and the driver of a Freightliner semi-truck collided.Alex was reportedly riding home from work when the crash occurred. He was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he later…
Continue Reading 16-Year-Old E-Scooter Rider Tragically Killed in Collision with Semi-Truck on Western Avenue in Chicago

Your Child With a Disability Is Turning 18: Is Guardianship the Only Option in Illinois? is a question many parents ask during the final years of high school. After years of coordinating medical care, school services, finances, and daily support, families are often told they need guardianship to continue helping.
Guardianship may be appropriate for some young adults, but it is not automatic simply because a child has a disability. Illinois law emphasizes that guardianship should be used only to the extent necessary and should preserve as much independence as possible.
What Changes When a Child Turns 18?
At…
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