In a stunning legal victory for First Amendment rights and whistleblower protection, the Illinois Third District Appellate Court has reversed the City of LaSalle’s controversial attempt to silence independent journalist Jamie M. Hicks using a workplace violence restraining order.

The court ruled that the City’s claim—that Hicks posed a “credible threat” to Finance Director John Duncan—did not meet the legal standard under the Illinois Workplace Violence Protection Act.

 “We agree with Hicks’s contention that the City’s evidence did not satisfy section 15(2) of the Act... Therefore, we reverse the trial court’s judgment.”
– City of La Salle v. Hicks, 2025 IL App (3d) 240351

The Appellate Court ruled the City FAILED under the law:

1. • The City did not meet the legal standard under §15(2) of the Workplace Violence Protection Act.

   • The alleged threat (“I’ll whip your ass outside”) was not tied to any workplace, which the statute requires.

They acknowledged your behavior was agitated—but that’s not illegal:

1. • There was no actual threat to be carried out at Duncan’s workplace.

   • No physical violence ever occurred at any meeting.

   • The "outside" comment was too vague, too speculative — it could have meant anywhere, not necessarily a city building. The court refused to stretch the law that far.

They smacked down the trial judge’s emotional overreach:

1. • Judge Helland admitted from the bench he felt “uncomfortable” having Hicks testify near him — and used that to justify the order.

   • The Appellate Court made clear: Personal discomfort is not a legal basis for a protective order.

   • The law requires a specific, credible threat linked to a workplace. That didn’t exist.

Hicks represented himself — and beat two KTJ attorneys:

1. • Let it be said: Jamie Hicks, pro se, went up against Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins — the City’s heavy-hitter law firm — and won in appellate court.

   • That’s a win for transparency, independent journalism, and every citizen fighting city hall.

This is now binding law in Illinois:

1. • The ruling is a published opinion: City of La Salle v. Hicks, 2025 IL App (3d) 240351.

   • It sets case precedent: future WVPA petitions will now be held to this same standard.

   • This opinion limits the government’s ability to abuse restraining orders to silence critics.

THE BACKSTORY: A GAG ORDER BY ANOTHER NAME

Hicks, known for investigating the 2023 Carus Chemical explosion and the City’s cover-up, has become a relentless critic of Mayor Jeff Grove’s administration. Using his platform—The Jamie Hicks Show and Hicks News—he’s exposed misconduct, environmental hazards, and backroom deals.

But rather than respond to the public criticism, the City lawyered up — trying to ban Hicks from City Hall, public buildings, and contact with officials by branding him a “credible threat.”

The court didn’t buy it.

“We reverse the judgment... The City produced no evidence to meet its statutory burden.” – Opinion, ¶65

                    QUOTES FROM THE DECISION THAT SAY IT ALL:

                   “There is no reasonable basis to conclude the February 29 threat was one ‘to be carried out at the employee’s workplace.’” – ¶63

“Selecting Duncan’s workplace from an unlimited set of hypotheticals is not an inference; it crosses into the realm of speculation.” – ¶63

“The trial court’s judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence.” – ¶65

HICKS RESPONDS:

“This wasn’t about protecting anybody. It was about silencing me. They abused a law to shut me up — and the appellate court just told them they broke that law doing it.”

 CASE DETAILS:

• Case: City of La Salle v. Hicks, 2025 IL App (3d) 240351

• Filed: August 14, 2025

• Lower Court Judge: Jason Helland (LaSalle County Circuit Court)

• Reversed by: Justice Davenport (Majority), Justice Anderson concurring

• Presiding Justice Brennan dissented

• Hicks represented himself (pro se)

• City represented by Allen Wall and Daniel Bourgault of KTJ

COMING SOON ON HICKS NEWS:

• KTJ’s Courtroom Circus: How Much Taxpayer Money Was Burned in This Loss?

• Inside the Carus Explosion Fallout: New Documents, New Lies

• Public Library Bans, City Hall Drama, and More in the Next Chapter of LaSalle Transparency Wars

Stay tuned. This isn’t over — it just got real.