June 02, 2026
A retired Illinois judge whose reinstatement was canceled over a pro-MAGA opinion column will have to sue the state Supreme Court justices in state court, a federal judge ruled Monday, saying the suit doesn't belong in federal court.
May 06, 2026
An Illinois federal judge said Wednesday he may have to abstain from exercising jurisdiction over a retired Illinois state court judge's claims that was wrongfully removed from the bench over protected speech in a political opinion column, saying the prospect of a federal court in the first instance instructing the state's top jurists about who can be a judge "seems to break the respect that federalism demands for state government."
April 20, 2026
Illinois Supreme Court justices have no authority to remove a state judge from the bench for alleged misconduct, so their effort to dismiss a retired state trial judge's claims that his removal for penning a political opinion column violated his constitutional rights should be rejected, the retired jurist has said.
April 06, 2026
Illinois Supreme Court justices have asked a Chicago federal judge to throw out constitutional claims filed by a retired Illinois state trial court judge alleging he was wrongfully terminated over protected speech in a political opinion column, with the justices arguing the federal court should not interfere with a state court matter.
March 10, 2026
A retired Illinois state trial court judge pursuing First Amendment claims against the state Supreme Court after his right-wing opinion column resulted in his removal from a temporary judgeship has moved for immediate reinstatement to the Cook County Circuit Court.
February 19, 2026
A retired Illinois state judge who had published a MAGA-leaning opinion column, then was temporarily reinstated to the bench amid a judge shortage, has sued the justices of the state Supreme Court, alleging they deprived him of due process in ordering his removal.