Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse

Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse IL-CALA is a grassroots watchdog group dedicated to educating the public about the widespread costs of lawsuit abuse.

Small businesses don't have armies of lawyers.When an abusive lawsuit lands, they have 3 options: pay to settle, pay to ...
06/18/2026

Small businesses don't have armies of lawyers.

When an abusive lawsuit lands, they have 3 options: pay to settle, pay to fight, or close. Even meritless cases cost real money — legal fees, lost time, lost business. And if the trial lawyer wins — or just creates enough pressure to force a settlement — they collect a cut.

Illinois lawsuit abuse costs 214,039 jobs and $25.5 billion in economic output every year. That's not an abstract number. That's your neighborhood businesses, your coworkers, your community.

Illinois needs a civil justice system that works for small businesses, not against them.

Who benefits when Chicago sues a car company instead of prosecuting car thieves?Not crime victims. Not Chicago families....
06/16/2026

Who benefits when Chicago sues a car company instead of prosecuting car thieves?

Not crime victims. Not Chicago families. Not the neighborhoods hit hardest by the Kia Boys theft surge.

Trial lawyers do.

Public nuisance lawsuits like Chicago's case against Kia and Hyundai aren't about justice — they're about finding the deepest pocket available. The actual wrongdoers walk free while attorneys collect fees, and Illinois families are left with higher costs and the same crime problem.

Illinois needs a legal system that follows the wrongdoing — not the money.

Did you know outside investors — hedge funds, even foreign entities — can secretly bankroll Illinois lawsuits and profit...
06/15/2026

Did you know outside investors — hedge funds, even foreign entities — can secretly bankroll Illinois lawsuits and profit from the outcome?

It's called third-party litigation funding. And Illinois has no requirement to disclose it.

That means courts, defendants, and juries have no idea who is really pulling the strings behind a lawsuit. The Perryman Group estimates this hidden practice costs American households $607 per year in higher prices and lost earnings.

Illinois needs transparency reform. The public deserves to know who is funding the cases clogging our courts.

When Illinois trial lawyers flood courts with abusive lawsuits, they win either way.They win big verdicts. And when case...
06/13/2026

When Illinois trial lawyers flood courts with abusive lawsuits, they win either way.

They win big verdicts. And when cases settle, they collect fees even if the plaintiff gets pennies.

Meanwhile Illinois families pay through higher prices, higher insurance, and a business climate that drives jobs out of state.

The system isn't broken for trial lawyers. It's working exactly as they designed it.

A small business owner installs a timeclock to track employee hours. Standard stuff.Then a predatory law firm files a BI...
06/11/2026

A small business owner installs a timeclock to track employee hours. Standard stuff.

Then a predatory law firm files a BIPA lawsuit — not because any employee was harmed, but because of a technical paperwork violation. The damages? Potentially millions.

This is how Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act became a jackpot for abusive trial lawyers — and a nightmare for small businesses that never hurt anyone.

Privacy matters. Lawsuit abuse doesn't protect it. It exploits it.

Chicago didn't go after the car thieves. They sued Kia.In 2023, Chicago filed a public nuisance lawsuit against Kia and ...
06/09/2026

Chicago didn't go after the car thieves. They sued Kia.

In 2023, Chicago filed a public nuisance lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai — not because the companies committed a crime, but because their cars were too easy to steal. The actual thieves? They walked.

This is the Illinois lawsuit abuse playbook: find a deep pocket, shift the blame, and let the real wrongdoers off the hook. Meanwhile, Illinois families pay through higher costs, overcrowded courts, and a legal climate that drives businesses and jobs out of our state.

When courts blame the wrong people, everyone loses — except the trial lawyers collecting the fees.

Illinois CALA Executive Director Phil Melin presented to the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Illinois Chapte...
06/05/2026

Illinois CALA Executive Director Phil Melin presented to the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Illinois Chapter on a critical issue for employers, contractors, and job creators across our state: lawsuit abuse reform.

Phil spoke about why business leaders can't sit on the sidelines while Illinois' legal climate grows more hostile. Excessive litigation raises costs, creates uncertainty, drives up insurance pressure, and makes it harder for employers to invest, hire, and compete.

He also discussed how businesses can better protect themselves in the hostile legal climate created by the Illinois legislature, where too many policies expose employers to unnecessary risk and reward abusive litigation strategies.

A fair civil justice system should hold wrongdoers accountable. It shouldn't punish job creators, raise costs for taxpayers, or turn litigation into a routine cost of doing business in Illinois.

Illinois business leaders have a voice. Now is the time to use it.

Stay engaged, educate your networks, and advocate for common-sense civil justice reform that restores fairness, accountability, and economic confidence in Illinois.

Tomorrow IL CALA Executive Director Phil Melin presents to the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Illinois Chap...
06/03/2026

Tomorrow IL CALA Executive Director Phil Melin presents to the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Illinois Chapter on how lawsuit abuse is raising costs for Illinois families, employers, and the contractors who build our communities.

Abusive litigation doesn't just hit courtrooms. It hits job sites, insurance bills, and the bottom lines of the businesses that keep Illinois working.

We'll have a full recap tomorrow. Stay tuned.

During Small Business Week, we celebrate the entrepreneurs who power Illinois’ economy. They are the restaurant owners, ...
05/06/2026

During Small Business Week, we celebrate the entrepreneurs who power Illinois’ economy. They are the restaurant owners, contractors, retailers, and service providers who take risks, create jobs, and invest in their communities.

But recognition alone isn’t enough.

Small businesses across Illinois and in Algonquin are operating in an increasingly difficult legal environment, where lawsuit abuse drives up costs and creates uncertainty.

https://patch.com/illinois/algonquin/small-business-week-should-also-mean-protecting-small-businesses-nodx

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