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Fired sheriff's officer wins lawsuit; could undo dozens of firings

After years of litigation over the 2012 firing of a single Cook County sheriff's police officer, dozens of other officers, jail guards and courtroom deputies fired for misconduct could get their jobs back, and hundreds more suspended without pay could be in line for possibly six-figure payouts.

The state Supreme Court last month declined to consider an appeal of a lower-court ruling that found Sheriff Tom Dart and the Cook County Board improperly appointed members to the Sheriff's Merit Board, which hands out firings and suspensions for sheriff's sworn personnel.

The decision raises questions about hundreds of disciplinary cases brought by Dart, who has aggressively filed charges against officers, deputies and guards during his nearly 10 years in office. The ruling has caused an "administrative and bureaucratic mess" that might take years to unravel, said Cara Smith, Dart's chief policy officer.

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