PAC Binding Opinions
After the Restraint-Chair Investigation, Madison County Tried to Withhold the Newer Reports.
Earlier jail records supported investigative reporting. A later blanket denial brought a binding order to release newer incident reports.
Chicago Sent the Emails to a Lawyer. That Did Not Make Them Privileged.
Contractor correspondence did not become attorney-client communication simply because it was later forwarded for legal advice.
Chicago Withheld the Drainage Maps. This Time, the PAC Said It Could.
Opinion 26-009 upheld withholding of detailed drainage-infrastructure locations. The statutory exemption—not a general appeal to secrecy—decided the case.
Sherrard Ignored the Records Requests. Then It Ignored the PAC.
Two requests, repeated state inquiries and no documented response: the record behind Sherrard’s binding FOIA violation.
Thornton Township Approved Five Jobs Under a Supervisor’s Report. Illinois Ordered Another Vote.
A local reporter challenged the agenda. The PAC found inadequate advance notice while upholding the explanation given before the vote.
Oak Lawn Withheld an Arrest File. Privacy Did Not Justify Hiding All of It.
A reporter sought records of an arrest involving a law-enforcement employee. The PAC rejected a blanket privacy denial.
Okawville Fired a Police Officer Under an Agenda That Said Personnel Issues.
The agenda did not tell residents the board intended to terminate a police officer. Illinois ordered a properly noticed re-vote.
Lebanon Closed the Doors on City Hall. It Had Been Warned About Closed Meetings Before.
Two private discussions about an existing city hall crossed the statutory line. A 2016 opinion documents a separate earlier violation.
Caseyville Said Personnel. Behind Closed Doors, It Discussed Overdue Loans.
A trustee challenged a closed meeting about overdue TIF loans. The village’s later litigation explanation did not save it.
Will County Tried to Keep a Termination Letter Behind a Criminal-Case Excuse.
A newspaper asked how a public employee’s job ended. Prosecutors withheld the letter, then failed to justify the secrecy.
Sauk Village Cut the Microphone. Illinois Said the Speaker Had the Right to Be Heard.
A mayor stopped a resident from naming trustees. The first PAC binding opinion of 2026 rejected that restriction.
Illinois PAC binding opinions: the 2026 directory
Eleven binding opinions so far in 2026: find the official FOIA and Open Meetings Act decisions.