Appellate Law News and Insights

Securing Court Approval of an Appeal Bond in an Amount Less than Full Judgment under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 305(a) In Illinois, when a jury awards damages to the plaintiff, the trial court enters a judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant in the amount of the...

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On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court held unanimously, in Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, that the gun-manufacturer and gun-distributor defendants sued by Mexico for negligence and related torts were immune from suit under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) because the defendants'...

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On May 22, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed prosecutors' ability to pursue mail and wire fraud charges under the "fraudulent inducement" theory. Under that theory, a defendant need not intend to cause economic harm. As this blog previewed before and after oral argument in Kousisis v. United States, the U.S. Department...

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