Lessons from the state’s high court for counsel, judges and justices

For the Defense

By Donald P. Eckler

Donald “Pat” Eckler is a partner at Goldberg Segalla focusing on professional liability defense, insurance coverage litigation, and general tort defense. He is the legislative chair of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Eckler also is the co-host of the Podium and Panel podcast with Daniel Cotter. His views are his own and not those of his firm or its clients.

Posted December 22, 2021 10:06 AM

With a whimper, instead of a bang, the Illinois Supreme Court has decided Armstead v. National Freight, Inc. Not unlike when the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals raises standing sua sponte, rather than addressing the merits (which could have been the bang had they affirmed), the court found there was no jurisdiction, vacated the judgment of appellate court, and remanded the case to the trial court for dismissal.To be clear, this is not a criticism of the Supreme Court, as it is apparent that there was no jurisdiction …

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