Instant Checkmate to Face Two Classes Over Searchable Directory

Instant Checkmate must face two classes of Illinois residents who claim that the company improperly used their personal information in a searchable background check directory, a federal judge said.

Judge Gary Feinerman of the U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois granted class certification for two plaintiffs and denied it for a third.

Robert Fischer and Stephanie Lukis alleged that Instant Checkmate, which operates a website that allows users to access background reports about people, violated the Illinois Right of Publicity Act, which prohibits use of an individual’s identity for commercial purposes without consent.

On Thursday, Feinerman ruled ...