In Decatur, Illinois, a judge from Macon County has made a decision regarding a legal case that involved St. Teresa High School and the Heritage Behavioral Health Center. Four months prior, the high school sought a court order to prevent the health center from moving to a location next to the school. However, the recent ruling was in favor of the health center, allowing them to proceed with their relocation.
This decision means the court rejected St. Teresa’s attempt to block the move. The school, situated at 2700 N Water Street, had opposed Heritage Behavioral Health Center’s plans to occupy the former North Gate mall space at 2800 N Water Street, which is adjacent to the school.
Heritage filed a motion to dismiss the injunction in late February.
For the injunction to be granted permanently, St. Teresa needed to prove that they required protection, would face significant and unavoidable damage without the court’s intervention, and had no alternative options. The dismissal indicates they were unable to meet these criteria.
The court found the allegations that St. Teresa was in need of protection from Heritage to be “vague, conclusory, speculative, and without factual support.” And the court found the idea that Heritage moving in would reduce donations and tuition revenues to be “conclusory and speculative statements.”
Now, St. Teresa has 28 days to file an amended complaint. Heritage will also have 28 days to file a response pleading.
WCIA reached out to both Heritage and St. Teresa for comment, but did not immediately receive a response back.
