CJK was asked to assist in the matter of Banks (Patterson) v. City of Rockford (Winnebago County IL 2023). After a denial of Rockford’s motion for summary judgment in this police-involved wrongful death case in Illinois state court, CJK was retained to develop next step legal defense and trial strategy and to respond to a $3 million demand. The incident …
Favorable Defense Verdict on Damages in Lake County, Indiana
In November 2023, Matthew Knight and Elizabeth Wheaton obtained a favorable defense verdict. This case arose out of a rearend collision in which the defendant driver collided with the plaintiff’s stopped vehicle at least 50 miles per hour. The plaintiff was a kindergarten teacher and a mom of three young children. The defendants did not dispute liability. As a result of …
Favorable Settlement Achieved for Law Enforcement Defendants Post-MSJ in Northern District of Indiana
In Trondo Humphrey v. City of Anderson (N.D. Ind. 2023), the plaintiff spent 22 years in prison before his murder conviction was overturned for ineffective assistance of counsel. In the criminal trial, the State’s witnesses testified that the plaintiff was not involved in the shooting, but the plaintiff was convicted based on a hearsay written statement by one of the witnesses …
Favorable Defense Verdict on Damages for Town of Schererville, Indiana
In June 2023, Matthew Knight and Elizabeth Wheaton obtained a favorable defense verdict on behalf of the Town of Schererville, Indiana. This case was tried on damages with the Town of Schererville admitting that its officer caused the automobile accident while responding to a call. The plaintiff, a stay-at-home mother with two young children, claimed that she sustained a concussion …
Summary Judgment Granted in Law Enforcement-Involved Shooting in the Northern District of Indiana
In Estate of Norman Gary v. City of Elkhart (N.D. Ind. 2022), officers shot and killed the driver of a vehicle as it passed them seconds after a shooting incident. Eyewitnesses at the party where the shooting incident occurred all denied that the driver had been involved in the shooting. The passenger of the vehicle testified that the driver was driving …
Favorable Damages Award on Uninsured Motorist Claim in Lake County, IN
In February 2022, Lisa Baron and Matthew Knight obtained a favorable verdict in favor of insurance carrier, GIE. The case was an uninsured motorist claim in Lake County, Indiana where Plaintiff sustained a partially torn rotator cuff tendon, received minimal treatment, and missed no time from work and brought a claim against his insurance company for uninsured motorist benefits. The …