Voights v. McLean County Illinois et al
| Emily Voights |
| McLean County Illinois, Darcy Hoffman, Judge Amy McFarland, McLean County States Attorneys Office, Office of the Clerk of McLean County Circuit Court, City of Bloomington Police Department, McLean County Animal Control, McLean County Sheriffs Department and City of Bloomington Illinois |
| 1:2026cv01203 |
| May 18, 2026 |
| U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois |
| Ronald L Hanna |
| Michael M Mihm |
| Civil Rights: Other |
| 28 U.S.C. § 1331 Fed. Question |
| None |
Docket Report
RSS Track this Docket
This docket was last retrieved on May 27, 2026. A more recent docket listing may be available from PACER.
| Document Text |
|---|
Filing 14
TEXT ORDER: STRIKING #8 , #9 , #10 , and #11 . See (D. #6 ) and Text Order on 05/26/2026. The Court reiterates its prior warning that Plaintiff's case will be dismissed with prejudice if she continues to make baseless filings. See Text Order on 05/27/2026 (citing Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(c); Jimenez v. Madison Area Tech. Coll., 321 F.3d 652, 657 (7th Cir. 2003) (district courts may dismiss a suit as a sanction for "willful," "malicious," and "flagrant" violations of Rule 11); and Cooter v. Gellv. Hartmarx Corp., 496 U.S. 384, 293 (1990) (One purpose of Rule 11 is to "deter baseless filings in the district court.")). This case remains administratively closed. (See D. #6 ). Entered by Judge Michael M. Mihm on 05/27/2026. (RAH)
|
| Filing 13 Exhibit re #8 Amended Complaint, by Emily Voights. (RAH) |
|
Filing 12
TEXT ORDER: DENYING Plaintiff's #7 Emergency Motion to Reconsider the Court's #6 Order staying the case pursuant to Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971). Plaintiff argues that Younger abstention does not apply because her federal case was filed before any state criminal proceedings. This is incorrect. Her state criminal charges were filed on 05/12/2026, (see https://publicaccess.mcleancountyil.gov/PubAC_Court_CasesCriminal.aspx, last visited on 05/27/2026), and her first filing in this case was on 05/18/2026, (D. 1). She also claims that there is "newly discovered evidence the state court documents were fraudulently backdated." (D. 7, p. 1). This claim does not warrant much discussion, as Plaintiff herself stated that the state had filed eleven misdemeanor charges against her when she filed this present action. It was that very corresponding state proceeding which she was asking this Court to intervene and stop. (D. 1, p. 1) (TRO filed on 5/18/2026 stating "The state court hearing is scheduled for May 20, 2026less than 48 hours from now. Without this Court's intervention, Plaintiff will be forced to appear at a hearing on retaliatory criminal charges"). Her attempts to now argue that it was "pure luck" she was later at the proceeding is unpersuasive, if not ludicrous. D. 7 at 5. Because it's clear from Plaintiff's filings that her state criminal proceedings are intertwined with this civil rights lawsuit, nothing in Plaintiff's motion to reconsider convinces the Court that it erred in staying and administratively closing this case. Finally, Plaintiff WARNED that her case may be dismissed if she continues to make false, baseless filings. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(c); see also Jimenez v. Madison Area Tech. Coll., 321 F.3d 652, 657 (7th Cir. 2003) (district courts may dismiss a suit as a sanction for "willful," "malicious," and "flagrant" violations of Rule 11); see also Cooter v. Gellv. Hartmarx Corp., 496 U.S. 384, 293 (1990) (One purpose of Rule 11 is to "deter baseless filings in the district court."). This case remains administratively closed. Entered by Judge Michael M. Mihm on 05/27/2026. (DW)
|
| Filing 11 STRICKEN pursuant to Text Order 14 entered 5/27/2026 - Emergency MOTION to Preserve and Produce May 20-21, 2026 Zoom Hearing Recording by Plaintiff Emily Voights. Responses due by 6/10/2026 (DW) Modified on 5/28/2026 (RAH). |
| Filing 10 STRICKEN pursuant to Text Order 14 entered 5/27/2026 - Emergency MOTION for Preservation and Production of Metadata and Electronically Stored Information by Plaintiff Emily Voights. Responses due by 6/10/2026 (DW) Modified on 5/28/2026 (RAH). |
| Filing 9 STRICKEN pursuant to Text Order 14 entered 5/27/2026 - Emergency MOTION for Reconsideration of Stay Order Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e) and 60(b) and Request for Immediate Emergency Relief by Plaintiff Emily Voights. Responses due by 6/10/2026 (Attachments: #1 Exhibit, #2 Exhibit, #3 Exhibit, #4 Exhibit, #5 Exhibit, #6 Exhibit)(DW) Modified on 5/28/2026 (RAH). |
| Filing 8 STRICKEN pursuant to Text Order 14 entered 5/27/2026 - AMENDED COMPLAINT against City of Bloomington Illinois, City of Bloomington Police Department, Darcy Hoffman, Amy McFarland, McLean County Animal Control, McLean County Illinois, McLean County Sheriffs Department, McLean County States Attorneys Office, Office of the Clerk of McLean County Circuit Court, filed by Emily Voights.(DW) Modified on 5/28/2026 (RAH). |
| Filing 7 Emergency MOTION for Reconsideration of #6 Stay Order by Plaintiff Emily Voights. Responses due by 6/9/2026. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit, #2 Exhibit) (RAH) |
|
Filing 6
ORDER entered by Judge Michael M. Mihm on 5/26/2026. The Clerk is directed to STAY the case pursuant to Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971), and administratively close this case pending the resolution of Plaintiff's state criminal proceedings. Thomas v. Wardell, 951 F.3d 854, 858 n. 3 (7th Cir. 2020) ("Administratively closing a case moves it to a court's inactive docket, while the court retains jurisdiction for purposes of future activities on the case."). Plaintiffs #4 Motion is DISMISSED. Plaintiff is ORDERED to provide the Court with a status report as to these criminal proceedings within fourteen-days (14) of their resolution. At that time, the Court will determine whether this case may proceed. See written Order. (RAH)
|
| Filing 5 Exhibits re #4 EMERGENCY MOTION to Vacate all Orders, Dismiss all Charges, and Order Immediate Release of Animals by Emily Voights. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit, #2 Exhibit) (RAH) |
| Filing 4 EMERGENCY MOTION to Vacate all Orders, Dismiss all Charges, and Order Immediate Release of Animals by Plaintiff Emily Voights. Responses due by 6/5/2026. (Attachments: #1 Notice) (RAH) |
| Filing 3 COMPLAINT against All Defendants, filed by Emily Voights. (RAH) |
| Filing fee: $405, receipt number PIA 100009035 (MSH) |
| Set Deadlines: Case Deficiencies Outlined in Text Order 2 Deadline set for 6/2/2026. (RAH) |
|
Filing 2
TEXT ORDER: Plaintiff's #1 Emergency Motion for a TRO raises at least two preliminary concerns. To start, Fed. R. Civ. P. 3 provides that civil actions are "commenced by filing a complaint with the court." Plaintiff has moved for emergency injunctive relief but has not filed a complaint. She has not properly commenced a civil action, so the Court is powerless to grant Plaintiff the relief she seeks. See Pac. Radiation Oncology, LLC v. Queen's Med. Ctr., 810 F.3d 631, 636 (9th Cir. 2015) (must be "a sufficient nexus between the claims raised in a motion for injunctive relief and the claims set forth in the underlying complaint" to grant injunctive relief). For another thing, Civil Local Rule 5.4(C) provides that case-initiating documents "must be accompanied by the filing fee or a petition to proceed in forma pauperis (without prepayment of prescribed fees)." Plaintiff did not pay the filing fee nor move to proceed IFP when she filed her TRO motion. Accordingly, Plaintiff is ORDERED to correct the deficiencies above on or by June 2, 2026. A failure to do so may result in dismissal of Plaintiff's case. The Clerk is DIRECTED to mail a copy of this order to Plaintiff's address. Entered by Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Hanna on May 19, 2026. (NL)
|
| Filing 1 EMERGENCY MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND REQUEST FOR ZOOM/TELEPHONIC HEARING against All Defendants, filed by Emily Voights. (Attachments: #1 Motion for Expedited Discovery, #2 Motion to Dismiss State Criminal Charges) (RAH) |
Access additional case information on PACER
Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the U.S. Court's PACER system. A subscription to PACER is required.
Access this case on the Illinois Central District Court's Electronic Court Filings (ECF) System
- Search for Party Aliases
- Associated Cases
- Attorneys
- Case File Location
- Case Summary
- Docket Report
- History/Documents
- Parties
- Related Transactions
- Check Status
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
