People share intimate and private images with significant others. On occasion, people publish these photographs to third-parties without the consent of the person in the photograph. Some call this “Revenge Porn.” Doing so is illegal in Illinois. In 2014, the State made the non-consensual dissemination of such images a felony.

Recently a woman in McHenry County shared nude photographs of another woman. That other woman was sleeping with the McHenry County woman’s fiance. In Court, she challenged the law as an unconstitutional restriction on her freedom of speech. That case is now before the Illinois Supreme Court, with ruling expected soon.

This case will likely affect another prosecution. The Lake County State’s Attorney issued a 12-count indictment against former Illinois House member Nick Sauer.

More recently, prosecutors in Lake County filed a 12-count indictment against former 51st Illinois House District legislator Nick Sauer.

This development in internet law demonstrates the interplay between principals as old as the country (free speech) and the rise of technology in our lives.