In the News
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 02/09/2000In Circuit Court
Plaintiffs lawyers challenging a law involving the privacy rights of hospital patients have selected Keith A. Hebeisen and Bruce Pfaff to serve as co-lead counsel in their fight.
The law, which took effect Jan. 1, allows hospital defense lawyers to talk to patients’ doctors about the doctor’s case without the patient’s knowledge and without the benefit of a patient’s lawyer being involved in the discussions.
Hebeisen’s firm - Clifford Law Offices - recently filed motions in 80 pending cases against hospitals challenging the law. Motions have also been filed in many other cases in Cook County.
In a hearing Monday, Judge Judith Cohen, presiding judge of the Cook County Circuit Court Law Division, said she would be consolidating all of the cases that have motions pending.
Defense counsel in pending medical malpractice cases also are expected to name two co-lead counsel on the matter who, along with Hebeisen and Pfaff, will report to Judge Cohen until another judge is assigned to rule on the bill’s constitutionality.
