Litigators at Roberts McGivney Zagotta LLC led a team of four law firms in presenting a class action case before the Illinois Supreme Court, representing a class of Illinois motorists who were wrongly assessed fines by the City of Chicago under its Red Light Camera ordinance. The plaintiffs argued that Chicago’s ordinance was void when enacted in 2003 because it was not authorized by state law, which requires uniformity in traffic regulations. A later-enacted state law, Public Act 94-795, did not revive Chicago’s void ordinance, and also violated the state constitution’s ban on the General Assembly passing local laws (the Act applied only to municipalities in eight named counties) when general laws can be made applicable.
Oral argument took place May 21st, 2014 at the historic courthouse in Ottawa, Illinois, near the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate. The case is Elizabeth M. Keating, et. al., v. City of Chicago, No 116054. A ruling is expected later this year.
