Ill. Federal Judge Refuses to Shorten Deadline for Insurer’s Response to COVID-19 Action

CHICAGO — An Illinois federal judge has denied a restaurant chain’s request to shorten the deadline for Society Insurance Co.’s response to a COVID-19 insurance coverage class action complaint, ruling that plaintiffs failed to show good cause for shortening the deadline.

In a May 13 order, Judge Harry Leinenweber of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that “plaintiffs’ assertion that time is of the essence is undercut, at least in part, by their filing their suit as a putative class action.”

In a May 6 motion, the owners of the Billy Goat Tavern restaurants sought …