Judge's Failure to Properly Dispose of Issues Deprives Appellate Court of Jurisdiction

The Illinois Appellate Court ruled that a trial court judge failed to properly dispose of the issues between an injured worker and his employer, so it lacked jurisdiction over the worker’s appeals. Case: Bowen v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, Nos. 4-20-0268WC and 4-20-0269WC, 04/26/2021, published. Facts and procedural history: Joseph Bowen secured an award of workers’ compensation benefits from William A. Niekamp Truck Service Inc. Niekamp then brought two actions for judicial review. The first challenged the assessment of a penalty against Niekamp and the de...