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$5,000,000.00 Settlement: Accountability and Justice in 81-Year-Old Wrongful Death Case
CHICAGO, IL (MAY, 2026) Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge secured a $5,000,000.00 wrongful death settlement following a tragic 2023 high-rise apartment fire that claimed the life of an 81-year-old woman. The HME legal team uncovered that property management neglected basic safety by failing to provide a working smoke detector. While nothing can replace this profound loss, this resolution delivers crucial financial recovery and demands strict accountability for tenant safety.
Featured Attorneys: Robert J. McLaughlin, James Ormond, Jay Kasperbauer, Imonica Jennings
HME Attorney Sean O’Malley Challenges City of Milwaukee’s High-Speed Police Pursuit Policy
MILWAUKEE, WI (February 26, 2026) – Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge Attorney Sean O’Malley, counsel for the family of Amari Smith, speaks with Jenna Rae of WTMJ-TV about the constitutional implications of a Milwaukee police pursuit that led to the death of an innocent bystander.
Featured Attorneys: Sean O’Malley, James Ormond, Steven A. Hart
Making History in Kansas: $8.3M Civil Rights Verdict Secures Justice for Cedric Lofton
In a historic federal civil rights verdict, a Kansas jury awarded $8.3 million to the estate of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton, who died while in the custody of Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center in 2021 after he was held in prone restraint for nearly 40 minutes. Believed to be the largest federal civil rights verdict ever in the state’s history, the jury found five juvenile corrections officers liable for violating CJ’s constitutional rights and causing CJ’s death.
Featured Attorneys: John Marrese, Brian Eldridge, Morgan Forbes, Steven A. Hart
$13 Million Civil Settlement for Wrongfully Convicted Client Herman Williams
HME has secured a $13 million civil settlement for Herman Williams, who was wrongfully imprisoned for nearly 29 years for a crime he did not commit. This settlement caps decades of perseverance, exoneration, and a relentless fight on behalf of the client to achieve justice.
Featured Attorneys: Paige Smith, Steven A. Hart, John Marrese, Brian Eldridge
Appellate Win Secures Path to Justice for Iowa Clients
Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge marks a key appellate victory as the Iowa Supreme Court allows our clients’ claims against the City to move forward, holding the City accountable and ensuring justice after the Davenport building collapse.
Featured Attorneys: Steven A. Hart, Brian Eldridge, James Ormond
HME Advocates for Huffington in Wrongful Conviction Civil Rights Case
Brian Eldridge, John Marrese, and Jay Kasperbauer are leading the firm’s representation of John Huffington in a high-stakes wrongful conviction civil rights case. The suit seeks to hold accountable the officials and entities responsible for Huffington’s wrongful incarceration.
Featured Attorneys: Brian Eldridge, John Marrese, Jay Kasperbauer