A set of consolidated cases that will determine the future of 60 Illinois craft grow licenses will be heard in a Sangamon County courtroom Tuesday morning. The cases were pooled together by order of the Illinois Supreme Court last month, and had their first hearing last Thursday.
The “supercase” of four craft grow license cases includes one case transferred from Cook County that has barred state regulators from announcing winners or issuing craft grow licenses. According to Illinois statute, regulators are required to issue 60 licenses no later than Dec. 21, 2021.
[Read state’s motions to dismiss and modify stay.]
The “supercase” is a group of administrative law cases, each calling for judicial review of regulator disqualification of craft grow licence applications.
According to two attorneys present at the hearing and representing different plaintiffs, presiding Judge Gail Noll received a state motion to dismiss the cases as well as a second motion to modify the stay so regulators may announce license winners but not transfer the licenses to winners. That solution was used in another Illinois case holding up 180 dispensary licenses.
With less than two weeks before the statutory deadline, Judge Noll ordered an accelerated briefing schedule for plaintiffs to respond to the state’s two motions, setting a deadline for noon today. Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Judge Noll will hear arguments on the motions and potentially issue decisions immediately.
Another consolidated case holding up Illinois 180 dispensary licenses will be heard in a Cook County Court on Thursday morning.
