The fate of Illinois' pension law will stay on the fast track. Illinois' Supreme Court justices Thursday denied a request for a delay. It can take a long time for a case to wind its way through the courts.
But after a Sangamon County judge in November ruled Illinois' overhaul of public worker pensions unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court agreed to take up the case on an expedited basis.
On Tuesday, lawyers contesting the law tried to slow it down by a month. Those lawyers, who represent retirees, state employees and unions, said they needed more time to respond to the hundreds of pages of arguments in support of the law filed earlier this month not only by the attorney general, but also by ten other organizations.
Justices denied the request. But the court also said that those lawyers don't have to worry about the arguments submitted by those other groups.
The court rejected their briefs, and says it will only consider the Attorney General's. She argues Illinois can use "police powers" to get around the Constitution and cut retirement benefits.
