RSHC news

RSHC partner Ronald S. Safer was interviewed for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s “How I Did It” feature, discussing the record-setting verdict in a recent civil suit related to his wrongful conviction work. A former federal prosecutor and experienced commercial litigator, Ron has successfully handled numerous wrongful conviction cases and has a long history of trying civil matters, but this case was the first he took on that would combine both areas of law.

Twenty-seven years to the day that he was convicted of and soon thereafter sentenced to life in prison for crimes he did not commit, RSHC won complete and total vindication for Eddie Bolden. On Friday, October 29, 2021, a Chicago jury resoundingly rejected the defendants attempts to, yet again, deprive Eddie of justice. Twenty-eight times, once for every count against every defendant, the jury proclaimed Eddie’s innocence and the complicity of those who framed him. The jury awarded $25 million in compensatory damages, as well as $100,000 in punitive damages against each of the living defendants.

The federal government has been mandated by federal law to protect birds in commerce since 2002. However, it was not until this year that the American Anti-Vivisection Society and Avian Welfare Coalition finally won its fight to force the government to enact regulations that will cover birds sold commercially and used in exhibitions, public shows, and zoos.

On February 8, 2017, the Federal Circuit affirmed a win for Netsmart Technologies, Inc. against the appellants, Uniloc USA, Inc. and Uniloc Luxembourg S.A., both non-practicing entities. The appellate court panel, consisting of Judges Wallach, Moore, and Hughes, affirmed by per curium order the district court’s grant of Netsmart’s motion to dismiss a patent infringement suit last May, because the asserted patents were directed to unpatentable subject matter.

On Friday, July 27, Judge Leinenweber of the Northern District of Illinois entered a permanent injunction against the Trump Administration’s attempts to force the City of Chicago’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts as a condition of receiving federal grant funding. The Court’s injunction invalidates three conditions that the Administration imposed on Byrne JAG funding, and will allow Chicago to receive and use these critical funds for local law enforcement efforts.

The NCAA’s ‘Year in Residence” Rule permits Division I football student athletes to apply to transfer to different schools and to play at their new school after a year in academic residence. The rule operates to prevent trading from year to year like professional athletes. On June 25 the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected antitrust claims stating the NCAA’s eligibility rules define the status of student athletes and preserve the amateur character of college athletics. Congratulations to the NCAA and Greg Curtner on this victory.

The Riley Safer team, in partnership with WilmerHale, helped the City of Chicago achieve another victory against the Trump administration on Thursday. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Judge Leinenweber's grant to Chicago of a nationwide injunction stopping Attorney General Jeff Sessions from applying new conditions to grant money to force cities across the country to cooperate with immigration authorities.

RSHC Partner Brian Watson testified before the Missouri Senate on the public policy behind statutes of limitations and Senate Bill 934, which would reduce the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits from five years to three years in Missouri.

RSHC Partner Ron Safer, one of Alan Beaman’s attorneys from Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, along with eleven other former federal prosecutors back his efforts to sue former Normal police officers.

On Tuesday, November 14, Arthur Brown walked out of prison and into the arms of his family after serving over 29 years for a crime he did not commit. In an all too familiar story, Arthur was convicted based solely on a confession he gave after being beaten and choked by police officers. A team of lawyers from RSHC worked to free Arthur and unraveled the State’s case. After a lengthy hearing, RSHC lawyers convinced the Judge to vacate Arthur’s conviction. Kim Foxx and her staff dug into the facts and quickly dismissed the case.

Congrats to the RSHC team for a significant victory in the 7th Circuit.

On Wednesday, April 12, the Federal Circuit affirmed a victory for our client Allscripts Healthcare Solutions in a patent infringement case brought in the Eastern District of Texas. Allscripts, a leader in the medical records software and solutions industry, was accused of infringing U.S. Patent No. 7,640,271 which claimed a “portal”-type system for patient access to electronic medical records. The case was brought by a non-practicing entity, Preservation Wellness.

State’s Attorney Dismisses All Charges Against Wrongfully Convicted "Marquette Park 4", Ron Safer and Eli Litoff Part of the Team of Lawyers that Provided Pro Bono Legal Counsel.

Matt Fischer and Brian O’Connor Watson successfully defended Deere & Company against claims of negligence and strict product liability after a two week trial in Independence, Missouri. The plaintiff sought millions of dollars in compensatory damages as well as punitive damages. The jury returned a verdict for Deere on all counts. Plaintiff has elected not to appeal the jury’s verdict.

On April 19, 2016, Eddie Bolden walked out of jail, exonerated and a free man for the first time in 22 years, thanks to the efforts of private investigator Susan Carlson and a legal team led by RSHC founding partner Ron Safer.