William Thomas Hart

The case involved plaintiffs, including individuals and a Baptist church, who alleged that Chicago police officers and the City interfered with their distribution of religious literature and proselytizing at the 2008 St. Symphorosa Family Fest on church grounds and public streets, including an arrest of one plaintiff for trespassing that they claimed lacked probable cause. After prior rulings narrowed the claims, the remaining issues were interference with freedom of speech and free exercise of religion (seeking declaratory and equitable relief against the City), false arrest under the Fourth Amendment against the officers, and a related indemnity claim against the City. The court addressed cross-motions for summary judgment by applying the standard of drawing inferences in favor of the nonmovant, requiring the movants to show no genuine issue of material fact, and evaluating evidence of the City's policy on restricting proselytizing at permitted public events as well as whether probable cause existed for the arrest based on the event's public nature.

free speechreligious libertycriminal lawcivil rights

The case concerned parents of a developmentally delayed child, Jessica K., who challenged a Chicago Public Schools IEP placing her at her neighborhood school, Hamilton, and instead sought reimbursement for her private placement at Keshet School under the IDEA, as well as claims under the Rehabilitation Act and ADA regarding accessibility. After an Independent Hearing Officer denied reimbursement and ordered implementation of the IEP with added supports if the child returned to CPS, the parents sued for reversal and funding of the private placement. The court reviewed the administrative record under a deferential standard to the IHO's factual findings and educators' judgments, analyzing whether the IEP was procedurally and substantively adequate to provide a FAPE, whether the location of services needed to be specified in the IEP, and whether any errors denied the child educational benefit. It concluded that the district provided a FAPE, any procedural issues did not result in a denial of benefit, and the accessibility claims lacked merit, granting summary judgment to the school board.

civil rightsprocedure