Sexual assault by prison staff is a tragic and all-too-common reality. When those in power fail to act, this abuse becomes a form of state-sanctioned violence, especially when survivors face retaliation for speaking out. More than twenty years ago, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was signed into law to establish a zero-tolerance policy and require prisons to document every report of sexual assault. Yet despite PREA, sexual violence remains alarmingly widespread behind bars.
Coordinating with several major law firms in the City of Chicago and the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), we have sued IDOC on behalf of seven women who were sexually assaulted by correctional officers. These seven separate lawsuits (not a class action) were filed September 17th, 2025 in the Central District of Illinois.
Date Filed: September 17, 2025
Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
Status: Active
Documents:
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Attorneys: Nicole Schult and Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Michelle A. Ramirez, Morgan Branch, Leslie Kuhn-Thayer, Liamarie M. Quinde, Timothy E. Cunningham, Jr., Jordana Beh (Sidley Austin LLP)
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03276 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Deyanira Cuellar Sandoval, Ken Schmetterer (DLA Piper LLP (US)),
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03275 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Melanie MacKay, Reid McEllrath, Amie Bauer, Kim Hill, Ariana Zlioba (Kirkland & Ellis LLP)
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03279 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Elizabeth Austin, Leslie Kuhn-Thayer, Lauren Stapleton (Sidley Austin LLP)
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03270 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People’s Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Charles E. Harris II, Michael J. Gill, Sofia B. Orelo, Riley P. Harkin (pending admission) (Mayer Brown)
Case Number: 25-cv-3277 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Michael D. Lehrman, Peter P. Tomczak, Christina Norman, Alisa Simons, Crofton Kelly (Baker & McKenzie LLP)
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03274 -
Attorneys: Nicole Schult, Shireen Jalali-Yazdi (Uptown People's Law Center), Elizabeth Payne (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), Scott Schutte, Megan Braden, Geneva Ramirez, Teasha Dogra, Allison R. Heil (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP)
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03278
