Complaints/Lawsuits/Settlements

Thank you for your FOIA request to the City of Chicago Department of Law. Your FOIA request has been received and is being processed. Your reference number for tracking purposes is: F061172-111523. Track and view responses at Public Records Center. (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HXlc9Qr7-2FBrTp2A6OXN6gdggM9uOgMPUh1dY4lq6zlDGxTBufrAMTAraC6r7hhsQEcOCzjSQ9hzCyuMZxu71Wi4eotf5j1fYaupOkeooFN-2F8cPITMZT7TVyvVdexf85DtQ-3D-3DA5YS_oSNIhl5k-2FGtA3M8I8eJBPyGO-2F36RT4nMgq7KM4reWvbn-2F52GqqMtsCszAvHfLgD-2FihaFzDPasrPuSInsdKY2O4-2FUBIAHBPU1gFsWEyQE5rYWtofUE4Zjwp5B8oQRWEKCcYsTshLW-2FmhZM3Y4-2FPwrDnRaC7Wa-2BighjeVBywP4IpjkXP-2FJWmY2GAdTHs9wPkF3toxSQZg99F6bsvLN-2FLuLYm0cZOdNkkTRVuB9VYtWZz4-3D)

You have requested the following records: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:
copies of reports, lists, databases, or individual documents that details civil and/or criminal lawsuits of police misconduct brought against the city's police officers and/or the department by civilians or protesters who were injured during the 2020 George Floyd Protests from May 2020 to December 2021.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,
Brianna Knibbs

The City of Chicago Department of Law responds to all public records requests in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq. If further time is needed to assemble and copy all documents responsive to your FOIA request, we will contact you with a time estimate and a request to extend.

--- Please respond above this line ---
November 21, 2023 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of November 14, 2023, Reference # F061172-111523. Dear Brianna Knibbs, This correspondence is in response to the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request received by the City of Chicago Department of Law on November 14, 2023. You requested: "To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:
copies of reports, lists, databases, or individual documents that details civil and/or criminal lawsuits of police misconduct brought against the city's police officers and/or the department by civilians or protesters who were injured during the 2020 George Floyd Protests from May 2020 to December 2021.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,
Brianna Knibbs" Your request is unduly burdensome under Section 3(g) of FOIA.  Section 3(g) of FOIA provides that “requests for all records falling within a category shall be complied with unless compliance with the request would be unduly burdensome for the complying public body and there is no way to narrow the request and the burden on the public body outweighs the public interest in the information.” The Department of Law does not categorize its cases as "protests."  In order to produce the records you seek, the Department of Law would have to conduct a thorough review of a minimum of 500 ongoing lawsuits. To complete this search, the Department of Law must carefully investigate each individua l lawsuit to determine whether there are any responsive information or records related to your request. It is necessary that your FOIA request be narrowed and clarified.  If you would like assistance in narrowing your request, please contact me, and I will assist you.  Otherwise, for the reasons provided above, the Department of Law is unable to respond to your FOIA request as currently drafted. If you agree to narrow your request, you must submit a revised written request to my attention. The Department of Law will take no further action or send you any further correspondence unless and until your current request is narrowed in writing.  If we do not receive your narrowed request within fourteen calendar days of the date of this letter, your current request will be denied. In the event that we do not receive a narrowed request and your current FOIA request is therefore denied, you have the right to have a denial reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62706, (877) 299-3642. You also have the right to seek judicial review of your denial by filing a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court. You have the right to have a denial reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701, (877) 299-3642. You may also seek judicial review of a denial under 5 ILCS 140/11 of FOIA. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact my office at 312-744-6976. Sincerely, Lexie Heinemann
Public Relations Representative
Department of Law

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Hello Ms. Knibbs,

We received your inquiry about narrowing your request (F061172-111523).

Regarding your FOIA request, the Department of Law recommends specifying an exact date(s) of a protest(s) to help us identify any potential responsive records. Furthermore, shortening the period of time for your request would be beneficial to allow the Department to conduct an additional search.

Please note our internal search systems are unable to identify cases as protests or injury. As the Department of Law only handles civil lawsuits, we recommend omitting the language about criminal lawsuits in your request.

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Lexie Heinemann (She/Her/Hers)
Public Relations Representative, Administration
City of Chicago Department of Law
121 N. LaSalle Street, Room 600
Chicago, IL 60602
312-744-6976
www.cityofchicago.org/law<http://www.cityofchicago.org/law>

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