* The First Appellate District ruled today that the trial judge in the state employee payroll case failed to do two things.

First, Cook County Judge Diane Larson failed to limit the duration of her TRO forbidding the state from making payroll.

Second, Judge Larson failed to “balance harms” between workers not getting paid and checks being issued without an actual appropriation.

The justices seemed to hint that the balance ought to be in favor of the workers, but didn’t actually say so.

Click here to read the opinion.

The bottom line is, unless and until the Illinois Supreme Court acts (or unless the trial judge follows all the rules and comes up with the same TRO), state workers are gonna get paid.

…Adding… Comptroller Munger…

“Today’s ruling removes any conflict between Court decisions and allows my office to continue paying all state employees for their work. My priority has consistently been to comply with federal mandates and do everything in my power under the law to pay workers for services they are already providing the state. Time will tell what, if any, additional Court action occurs but I remain confident that paying state employees for their work is the legal, fiscally responsible and right thing to do.”

*** UPDATE *** From the attorney general’s office…

The Appellate Court’s order means that there will be additional proceedings before a final decision will be made. Further, and more importantly, it means that the State will continue to operate without a budget and with a high degree of uncertainty, which could be quickly remedied if Governor and the Legislature would fulfill their duty to enact a budget.

Not a whole lot there.