7th Circuit E-Discovery Pilot updateBy Kathryn A. KellyDecember 2011Now in its second phase, the Seventh Circuit Electronic Discovery Pilot Project has launched <discoverypilot.com>. The Web site provides information about the Project's Principles, as well as committee information.
Appeals court examines amounts in controversyBy Michael R. LiedDecember 2011In two recent cases the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals considered how to determine what amount of money is at issue in a lawsuit.
Could summary jury trials provide a lower-cost litigation alternative?By Patrick J. Arnold, Jr.March 2011A summary jury trial is nonbinding and is intended to be a flexible process. An abbreviated procedure is used, whereby the advisory jury may hear only lawyers' arguments, or may also hear some testimony from witnesses for both sides.
Double whammy—Employers engaged in systematic wage theft best bewareBy Glenn R. GaffneyJune 2011A January, 2011 Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision now allows plaintiff class action lawyers to combine FLSA collective “opt-in” actions with state law “opt-out” class actions.
Judicial profile: Judge Gary S. FeinermanBy Marron MahoneyMarch 2011Get to know Gary S. Feinerman, one of the newest district court judges for the Northern District of Illinois.
Letter from the ChairBy William J. BrinkmannSeptember 2011A message from Section Chair William J. Brinkmann.
New federal procedural rulesBy Jay H. SchollMarch 2011A brief review of the December 2010 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Pleading affirmative defenses post-Iqbal and TwomblyBy Ferne P. WolfDecember 2011Just how much additional language will be sufficient to satisfy Twombly and Iqbal’s enhanced pleading requirement remains to be seen.
A proposed jury instruction for “willfulness” in FACTA casesBy Isaac J. ColungaDecember 2011Courts have not yet spelled out what it means exactly to be “willful” as opposed to “negligent.” In many cases it’s a close call, and it depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. The purpose of this article is to find some common ground.
A reader on service of process under FRCP 4By Ambrose V. McCallSeptember 2011Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m) provides that a complaint to serve a defendant must be filed within 120 days.
Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Courthouse dedicatedBy John J. HolevasDecember 2011The beautiful Stanley J. Roszkowski Courthouse is a six-story building which features a glass atrium entrance and a glass enclosed jury assembly room. The facility will house the United States Clerk’s Office, two bankruptcy courtrooms, three district courtrooms, as well as offices for the U.S. Marshals, U.S. Attorney, probation and pre-trial services, the United States Public Defender, Department of Homeland Security, and GSA.
To disclose or not to disclose under FRCP(a)(2) —That now is the question!By Ambrose V. McCallJune 2011The Seventh Circuit has issued a trio of opinions during the past six months or more that stress the need for counsel to evaluate what opinion testimony at trial might require counsel to make disclosures beforehand under FRCP 26(a)(2).