Categories

Education

• Illinois State Board of Education’s April 9, 2025 Response to U.S. Department of Education
• Update on Recapture Certificate under PTELL

Education Law News

• Commenting Catastrophe: Manual Moderation and Inflexible Keyword Filters on University’s Social Media Posts Leads to First Amendment Violation
• REMINDER: ISBE Guidance on Prohibited Summer Teacher Resignations
• Illinois General Assembly Clarifies Prohibition on Fines to Punish School Discipline Violations, Including Citations for Local Ordinance Violations
• Federal Judge Strikes Down 2024 Title IX Rule: What Comes Next?
• Federal Appeals Court Affirms Preliminary Order That Transgender Students Have Right to Access Facilities Consistent with Gender Id

Firm News

• Mallory Milluzi to Present Lunchtime FOIA Series: Freedom of Information Act and Law Enforcement Records
• KTJ Partners Michele Nierman and Dennis Walsh to speak on Digital Accessibility at the 2025 Illinois Library Association Conference
• Thomas Melody to Speak at Library Administrators Seminar on FMLA and ADA
• Michael Jurusik Becomes President of Board of Directors
• KTJ Wins Big on Section 1983 Unreasonable Seizure and Monell, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and Malicious Prosecution Complaint at Summary Judgment

General

• Seventh Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Chicago Officers in § 1983 Excessive Force Claim in Mendez v. City of Chicago, No. 24-3110 (7th Cir. Dec. 3, 2025)
• Public Act 104-0288: What Schools Should Know About New Requirements and Limitations Regarding Perceived or Actual Immigration Status of Students and their Parent(s)/Guardian(s) 
• Seventh Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Detectives in § 1983 Brady Claim in Mims v. City of Chicago, No. 24-1564 (7th Cir. Oct. 21, 2025)
• Village of Round Lake Appoints KTJ as General Counsel
• Public Act 104-0158 Heightens Transparency for Hiring Law Enforcement Officers

Labor & Employment Law News

• Illinois Laws Effective January 1, 2025, that Employers Need to Know About
• Job Postings Will Need To Include Pay Scales/Benefits
• U.S. Department of Labor Final Rule: Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (89 FR 1638) and Reporting Newly Hired Employees (Public Act 103-0343)
• Transportation Benefits Program Act Going into Effect on January 1, 2024
• Paid Leave for All Workers Act Takes Effect January 1, 2024: What Local Government Employers Need to Know

Legal Resources

• 2023 FOIA and OMA Transparency Reporter
• Freedom of Information Open Meeting Act

Library Law News

• New Law Requires Public Libraries to Stock and Train Staff on Opioid Antagonists
• New Legislation Allows Libraries to Offer Quarterly or Biannual Payment Options for Non-Resident Fees
• Illinois Library Association 2023 Conference
• ILLINOIS FIREARMS RESTRAINING ORDER ACT: LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION
• Court Supports Public Employer’s Authority to Require Vaccination or Regular Testing for COVID

Municipal Law News

• The Illinois Supreme Court’s Ruling in Bitner v. City of Pekin¸ 2025 IL 131039, is Pro-Municipality in Permitting Public Employers to Withhold Employment Taxes from Section 1(b) PEDA Payments
• In a Win for Municipalities, the Northern District of Illinois Applies the Heck Doctrine to Convictions from Administrative Hearings in Vargas v. Guardiola, 2025 WL 1530948 (N.D. Ill. May 29, 2025)
• Illinois Strengthens Safe Drinking Water Enforcement for Non-Community Systems
• In Petersen v. Pedersen, the Seventh Circuit Gives Police Departments Guidance on Effectively Building Probable Cause and Seeking Judicial Warrants
• In Barnes v. Felix, 145 S. Ct. 1353 (2025), the United States Supreme Court Holds that the “Moment-of-threat” Rule is Unconstitutional in Evaluating Excessive Force Claims

Wealth & Succession Planning News

• IRS Issues Guidance on 2020 Estimated Tax Payments
• CARES Act – Economic Impact Payments and Individual Tax Changes
• Tax Filing and Deadline Extension Updates
• Tax Filing Deadline Extension
• Tax Payment Deadline Extension