2026 IL App (5th) 240494 No. 2026 IL App (5th) 240494
Rule 23 · Criminal —General
- ¶1 New opinion from Rule 23
- ¶2 Case decided on 2026-08-14
- ¶3 See full opinion for details
2026 IL App (4th) 251048 No. 2026 IL App (4th) 251048
Opinion · Civil —Tort Law
- ¶1 Fourth District holds evidence that a physician disclosed known risks to a patient is irrelevant in a pure negligence claim and risks improper waiver-like inferences.
- ¶2 Appellant's failure to provide a complete trial record doomed her prejudice argument; incomplete records are construed against the appellant under Foutch v. O'Bryant.
- ¶3 Useful for medical malpractice litigators handling in limine disputes over informed consent evidence and for appellate practitioners on record-completeness requirements.
2026 IL App (1st) 251020 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 251020
Rule 23 · Civil —Contract Law
- ¶1 Exclusive-remedy/waiver clauses cannot be enforced against fraud claims without analyzing Illinois public-policy authority barring such shields.
- ¶2 Choice-of-law clauses are not dispositive; courts must analyze Illinois's interest and conflict with fundamental public policy before applying foreign law.
- ¶3 Useful for commercial litigators drafting or challenging exculpatory clauses, choice-of-law provisions, or Consumer Fraud Act claims between corporate entities.
2026 IL App (1st) 241068 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 241068
Rule 23 · Criminal —Criminal Procedure
- ¶1 First-stage postconviction dismissal reversed where undisclosed police report arguably had impeachment value, even though not exculpatory
- ¶2 Circuit courts may not weigh witness credibility or resolve merits at the first stage; allegations must be taken as true unless record rebuts them
- ¶3 Useful for criminal defense and postconviction practitioners litigating Brady claims and first-stage Post-Conviction Hearing Act dismissals
2026 IL App (1st) 251219 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 251219
Opinion · Civil —General
- ¶1 New opinion from Opinion
- ¶2 Case decided on 2026-08-14
- ¶3 See full opinion for details
2026 IL App (1st) 242188 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 242188
Rule 23 · Criminal —Violent Crimes
- ¶1 Prolonged strangulation with threatening statements can support intent to kill without any weapon being involved
- ¶2 Abandoning an attack before death occurs does not negate earlier-formed intent to kill for attempted murder
- ¶3 Useful for criminal appellate attorneys challenging sufficiency of evidence in strangulation-based attempted murder and sexual assault cases
2026 IL App (1st) 251019 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 251019
Opinion · Civil —General
- ¶1 New opinion from Opinion
- ¶2 Case decided on 2026-08-14
- ¶3 See full opinion for details
2026 IL App (3d) 250157 No. 2026 IL App (3d) 250157
Rule 23 · Criminal —Violent Crimes
- ¶1 Third District affirms admission of evidence defendant solicited an eyewitness's murder to show consciousness of guilt.
- ¶2 Detailed other-crimes evidence did not become an improper 'mini-trial' where necessary to decode defendant's coded communications.
- ¶3 Useful for criminal defense and prosecution attorneys litigating other-crimes evidence, consciousness-of-guilt theories, and witness tampering/solicitation issues at trial.
2026 IL App (1st) 260521 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 260521
Rule 23 · Criminal —Criminal Procedure
- ¶1 Amended Rule 604(h) lets defendants challenge initial detention orders via a motion for relief filed anytime before conviction, restoring appellate jurisdiction previously lost to untimely notice.
- ¶2 Conclusory assertions in a Rule 604(h) motion or memorandum, without argument or record citations, waive review of the proof-evident and dangerousness detention elements.
- ¶3 Useful for criminal defense and appellate attorneys handling pretrial detention appeals under the Pretrial Fairness Act and navigating the amended Rule 604(h) procedure.
2026 IL App (1st) 241606 No. 2026 IL App (1st) 241606
Rule 23 · Criminal —Criminal Procedure
- ¶1 Circuit court erred by denying leave to file a successive postconviction petition without ruling on a timely-filed motion for leave to amend.
- ¶2 Motions for leave to amend before final judgment must be liberally allowed; failure to rule on a substantive one is reversible error.
- ¶3 Useful for postconviction practitioners handling successive petitions where clerical mischaracterization or court oversight leaves amendment motions unaddressed.