An Illinois Appellate Court held that a pension board erred in awarding a line-of-duty disability pension based on a firefighter’s salary rather than a lieutenant’s salary in Schneider v. Elgin Firefighters’ Pension Fund.A firefighter employed by a city’s fire department injured his back while responding to a call. He was unable to return to duty and applied for a disability pension. During the time between his injury and the pension board hearing, the city had promoted him from the rank of firefighter to lieutenant. The pension board awarded him a pension based on a firefighter’s salary and he appealed
Continue Reading Court Says Pension Should Have Been Calculated Based on Promotion Rank
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Dual Circulation Prohibition Not Apply to Nonpartisan School Board Candidates
An Illinois Appellate Court upheld a decision by a board of election commissioners that school board candidates did not violate the Election Code’s prohibition on dual circulation in collecting signatures for an election involving non-partisan candidates. Sanchez v. Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Objections were filed to the nominating petitions submitted by certain candidates running for elected school board positions in the upcoming November 2026 election. The objections claimed that the candidates had violated the “dual circulation” prohibition of the Election Code because circulators who collected signatures for the candidates had also circulated petitions for partisan candidates in the primary
Continue Reading Dual Circulation Prohibition Not Apply to Nonpartisan School Board Candidates
Court Finds in Favor of School District in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Involving Student-Athlete
An Illinois Appellate Court upheld a ruling in favor of a school district in a lawsuit relating to a student-athlete’s death, holding that government tort immunity barred the family’s claims because the family could not show the district’s inaction caused the student’s death. (Falconer v. East St. Louis School District No. 189 (5th Dist.).
A student and football player collapsed during a preseason conditioning program in the school’s weight room. One of the coaches immediately called 911, and another coach checked his vital signs and found a “radial pulse.” Medical assistants from the school’s on-site health clinic and
Continue Reading Court Finds in Favor of School District in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Involving Student-Athlete
Lawsuit Challenging Village’s Tow of Vehicle Was Properly Dismissed
A village police officer towed a vehicle that had five parking citations. The following day, an individual went to the police department and offered to pay $22 to the village, which he claimed satisfied the debt, and demanded the car be returned. The village refused to release the vehicle. Subsequently, the individual filed a lawsuit against the village alleging unjust enrichment on the village’s part in keeping the vehicle, among other claims. The circuit court dismissed the lawsuit, finding that the individual had no standing to sue the village because he was not the owner of the vehicle and had
Continue Reading Lawsuit Challenging Village’s Tow of Vehicle Was Properly Dismissed
Court Upholds City’s Revocation of Liquor Licenses
An Illinois Appellate Court upheld a local liquor commissioner’s revocation of liquor licenses for two establishments in Raven Place v. City of Blue Island.
A licensee was issued liquor licenses for two establishments in a city. In 2021, 23 gunshots were fired towards one of the licensed establishments and the establishment’s security personnel returned fire. The mayor (who also serves as the local liquor commissioner) issued an emergency seven day closure of that establishment. Later that month, the city entered into an agreement with the licensee that established certain conditions and restrictions to the continued operation of both licensed establishments
Continue Reading Court Upholds City’s Revocation of Liquor Licenses
Regional Board’s Decision Allowing Property to Switch School Districts Struck Down
An Illinois Appellate Court recently issued a ruling regarding a school detachment/annexation petition in a lengthy opinion analyzing the requirements for a property owner to detach their property from one school district and attach it to another school district. Board of Education of Jasper County Community Unit Sch. Dist. No. 1 v. Regional Board of School Trustees, et al. The case has a convoluted history with multiple motions to reconsider and changes of position of both the Regional Board and circuit court, which partially explains the long opinion.
Homeowners of property located in Jasper County (petitioners) filed a petition with
Continue Reading Regional Board’s Decision Allowing Property to Switch School Districts Struck Down
First District Appellate Court Interprets Civil Penalty Provision of FOIA Differently than Second District
The First District Appellate Court overturned a trial court’s denial of civil penalties in a FOIA case challenging a police department’s response to a news media’s FOIA requests. NBC Subsidiary v. Chicago Police Department.
NBC filed FOIA requests with a police department seeking surveillance video, incident reports, witness statements, and other records relating to a hit-and-run crash, as well as emails to and from two police officers relating to the crash. The police department responded by referring the requester to its records inquiry section for the crash reports and by denying the request for body-work camera footage. The response also
Continue Reading First District Appellate Court Interprets Civil Penalty Provision of FOIA Differently than Second District
Quorum Forum Podcast Ep. 109: The 100-Year Legacy of Euclid
Ancel Glink released Episode 109 of its Quorum Forum Podcast: Quorum Forum Ep. 109: The 100-Year Legacy of Euclid.This year marks 100 years since
the United States Supreme Court decided the landmark zoning case, Euclid v.
Ambler Realty. In this episode, we share a recorded presentation from Ancel
Glink’s David
Silverman, FAICP, and ZoneCo’s Sean Suder, as a sneak
preview of their upcoming live plenary session at the APA-IL State Conference
on September 30, 2026!
Episode Highlights
- The
Public Safety Roots of Zoning: Why early 20th-century industrial chaos,
street accidents involving children, noise, and pollution
Continue Reading Quorum Forum Podcast Ep. 109: The 100-Year Legacy of Euclid
Village Immune From Liability For Firefighter’s Injuries During Training Drill
An Illinois Appellate Court ruled in favor of a village and village employees in a lawsuit filed by a firefighter claiming he was injured during a training drill. Hidalgo v. Village of Romeoville.
A village firefighter attended an advanced technician
firefighter training course. As part of that training course curriculum, participants were required to perform a “bailout
drill.” During a bailout drill, participants exit out a third-story
window of a hose tower, one leg at a time, and then use rappel line to descend
down the side of the tower. Participants could use a Class 1 harness, Class 3
pre-sewn
Continue Reading Village Immune From Liability For Firefighter’s Injuries During Training Drill
PAC Says Third Party Communications Subsequently Forwarded to Attorney Not Exempt from FOIA
A
reporter submitted a FOIA request to a city seeking copies of correspondence exchanged between a city official and a representative from a private company,
which the city official subsequently forwarded to a city attorney for the
purpose of seeking legal guidance. The city denied the request citing to FOIA exemption under Section
7(1)(m), stating that because these documents came into possession of a city
attorney from a client, they were protected by the attorney-client privilege and
are exempt from disclosure. The reporter then filed an appeal with the Illinois Attorney General’s
Public Access Counselor (“PAC”) contesting the denial.
New Law Establishes Rules for Electric Bikes and Scooters
A
new Illinois law governing who can use electric bikes and scooters, how fast
they go, and where they can be used will go into effect next year. Last week, Illinois Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3484 (now P.A. 104-0854) creating new
statewide standards for “micromobility” devices that include age restrictions,
speed limits, and locations where they can operate. The bill takes effect on
January 1, 2027.
According
to the bill, “electric micromobility devices” are a light-weight, low-speed,
electric-powered device primarily used for personal transportation that operate
at speeds up to 28 miles per hour. This includes electric skateboards, electric
Continue Reading New Law Establishes Rules for Electric Bikes and Scooters
PAC Finds City Did Not Violate FOIA in Denying Request for Storm Sewer Maps and Records
In its 9th binding opinion for 2026, the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor (PAC) found in favor of a public body in a FOIA appeal involving a request for storm sewer infrastructure maps and records. PAC Op. 26-009. A requester submitted a request to a city water department asking for sewer and flood control maps, GIS mapping data, engineering schematics, and other maps detailing the exact locations of all surface water drainage infrastructure for a specified area in the city. The city denied the request, citing to section 7(1)(x) of FOIA which exempts the following from disclosure:Maps and other
Continue Reading PAC Finds City Did Not Violate FOIA in Denying Request for Storm Sewer Maps and Records
Court Finds Appeal of Dismissal of FOIA Lawsuit Frivolous
An Illinois Appellate Court ruled in favor of a public body in a FOIA lawsuit, finding the appeal frivolous in Tidwell v. Illinois Department of Corrections.A requester submitted a request to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) seeking the names of all medical personnel. IDOC denied the request, citing to a FOIA exemption that expressly exempts from release records requested by persons committed to the DOC or a county jail that include staff members’ personnel files, staff rosters, or other staffing assignment information. The requester filed a lawsuit against IDOC. The circuit court dismissed his lawsuit, ruling in favor
Continue Reading Court Finds Appeal of Dismissal of FOIA Lawsuit Frivolous
City Did Not Violate FOIA in Denying Request for Records Maintained by Another Public Body
In
response to a FOIA request seeking a court docket for a specific case, a city
responded that it did not have any responsive records in its possession or
custody, and directed the requester to contact the agency most likely to have
responsive records (the county court system). After the requester sued the city alleging FOIA violations,
the circuit court ruled in favor of the city, finding that the city did not
violate FOIA when it did not produce records that were not in its possession.After
the requester appealed, an Illinois Appellate Court upheld the circuit
court’s ruling in favor
Continue Reading City Did Not Violate FOIA in Denying Request for Records Maintained by Another Public Body
No Violation of FOIA Where Records Not in Possession of Responding Public Body
An Illinois Appellate Court rejected an inmate’s claims in a FOIA lawsuit against a sheriff’s department in King v. Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.An inmate filed a FOIA request with a sheriff’s office seeking records pertaining to racial profiling by a specific police officer. The sheriff’s office responded that it had no responsive records because the officer was not employed by the sheriff’s office but a city police department. The inmate sued, and the circuit court ruled in favor of the sheriff’s office. On appeal, the Appellate Court also found no violation of FOIA in the sheriff’s office’s response, holding
Continue Reading No Violation of FOIA Where Records Not in Possession of Responding Public Body
Governor Signs Bill Requiring Libraries and Other Facilities to Post Suicide Hotline (9-8-8) Information
On August 7, 2026, Governor Pritzker
signed Public
Act 104-0808 into law, also referred to as Tammurra’s Act (Act). The Act applies to various facilities and
institutions, including libraries established under the Local Library Act and
Public Library District Act of 1991, county shelter care homes, public
institutions of higher education, and licensed day care centers. The Act takes effect on January 1, 2027.
The Act requires that contact
information for the 9-8-8 National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline be posted in these facilities “in a prominent location
that is visible to and accessible by” patrons and users. The 9-8-8 Lifeline is
Continue Reading Governor Signs Bill Requiring Libraries and Other Facilities to Post Suicide Hotline (9-8-8) Information