The reason for the Motion to Seal - and the Court's acquiescence - was the potentially negative impact on Jeri Ryan's career - read the pleadings (FWIW, almost every entertainment figure who has a divorce has the file sealed - to keep their private information from the tabloid press).
It is also the reason that Jeri's waiver was effective in unsealing the case file - Jack had made no motion to the Court seeking a seal for reasons of his own.
If Jack and his counsel had so moved and the Court had granted both parties' motions then Jeri's waiver, alone, would have been insufficient to unseal the proceedings.
Jack was acting entirely within the standard pattern of of his mental illness - unable to plan for the future as demonstrated by failing to plead a personal basis for a seal for reasons entirely different than his ex-wife's reasons. He, no doubt, was presented with the option by his counsel (a standard motion for public figures) and he rejected it - thus sewing the seeds of his own political destruction.
Remember that Jack lied about his divorce in public statements made during his campaign and his political plank - the policy issues upon which he predicated his candidacy - was inopposite to the life that he lead. His duplicity and mendacity were exposed with the unsealing of the pleadings.
His opponent is irrelevant - the man's judgment was demonstrated to be grossly flawed and BOZO the CLOWN would have prevailed over the candidacy of this sociopath.
You are incorrect attributing release of the case file to a FOIA request.
FOIA has no efficacy on state court documents - it is a federal act that applies to federal agencies. Illinois substantive law controlled. Absent Jeri Ryan's waiver of her seal - the file would still be sealed.
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