The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to hear a quick appeal of the pension reform law dispute. Justices say they want to see briefs submitted by January 12th, responses by February 27th, and oral arguments set for the March term.
Lawyers for state workers had argued against a quick appeal saying the urgency was an illusion. The Attorney General's office had argued that delays would be costly to the taxpayers because the pension reductions are designed to save more than a billion dollars a year.
A lower court has so far ruled that worker pensions cannot be diminished because of a guarantee in the state constitution.