Demonstrated Success In Civil Rights Litigation

When you hire a lawyer to defend and protect your rights and interests, you expect results. We are proud to deliver results for our clients in a wide variety of complex legal matters.

At Christopher Smith Trial Group, we fight for our clients across the city of Chicago, Cook County and northern Illinois.

What We Have Done For Clients

We mean it when we say we get results for our clients in cases of civil rights violations, police misconduct and violations of prisoners’ rights.

For instance, our client, Rachelle Jackson, rendered aid to a police officer who had been in a car wreck outside of her home. Instead of thanks, she was falsely arrested, wrongfully interrogated and then jailed for 10 months before being exonerated. A jury awarded her $7.9 million.

Some other outcomes include:

• A $5 million settlement with City Council in Elam v. City of Chicago for our client whose teenage son was chased, shot and killed by police officers in 2019. This settlement came after a federal investigation led by attorney Christopher Smith.
• In Adams v. City of Chicago, our clients were awarded $3.7 million by a federal jury after being beaten, having racial epithets hurled at them and being falsely charged by Chicago police officers.
• A jury awarded $4.6 million in Thomas v. Cook County, a prisoners’ rights case to a family whose loved one died after he was not given proper medical care.
• A city jury awarded $333,000 to our clients after their family pet — a black Lab named “Lady” — was shot and killed by police officers during a search of their South Side home.
• In Frank Craig v. City of Chicago, our firm obtained a favorable, pretrial settlement for our client. Mr. Craig was dragged from his home by city police officers as his children watched helplessly. Though Mr. Craig was not guilty of a crime — he merely shared a last name with a suspect, he was charged with robbery and jailed for two months.
• We obtained a settlement of $3.5 million in a police choking and wrongful death case.
• A jury verdict of $250,000 in a case of false arrest.
• $807,000 jury award for false arrest and illegal search.
• A settlement of $560,000 after our client suffered false arrest and malicious prosecution. He had to endure two months in jail for a crime in which he had no part.
• A pretrial settlement of $300,000 for a client who suffered sexual harassment by a police officer.
• $1.2 million settlement for false arrest.
• More than 100 settlements and jury awards for clients in a variety of civil rights and police misconduct cases, including false arrests, excessive force, malicious prosecution and wrongful detention.

Connect With An Attorney Known For Their Trial Outcomes

The process of getting justice begins with a conversation with the Christopher Smith Trial Group team. Call 312-432-0400 to schedule an appointment with attorney Christopher Smith or contact the firm online.