Representative List of Appellate Cases Handled

South Shore Imports, Ltd. v. Pappas, et al. , No. 1-07-3448 (1st Dist. 2009) (summary judgment for indemnity to contract purchaser affirmed). Galloway v. Village of Sauk Village Municipal Electoral Board , No. 1-09-0621 (1st Dist. 2009) (validity of candidates' petitions for local elected office sustained against challenges based . . .

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Timing Is Everything With Delinquent Taxes

Below is a quick outline of the options for a property owner (or other interested party) in dealing with delinquent real estate taxes. PAY THE DELINQUENT TAXESPay the delinquent taxes upon receipt of the delinquency notice. REDEEM THE DELINQUENT TAXESRedeem the delinquent taxes as soon as possible after the . . .

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Judgment Debtor Sets Aside Sheriff’s Levy Sale

Our firm was retained to investigate what was believed to be a simple real estate tax issue. In actuality, a judgment against the client for approximately $6,000 had been recorded against a property owned by the client and a property that the client had lost to a tax deed. Both properties were sold at a Sheriff’s levy sale for $200,000, or . . .

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Purchaser Defeats City’s Attempt to Vacate Tax Deed to City-Owned Property

The subject property was sold for delinquent taxes. The city was served with notice of the tax deed proceeding, filed an objection and demanded its demolition lien be reimbursed before issuance of the tax deed. The city’s demolition lien was satisfied and a tax deed was issued to the tax buyer. About a year and a half later the tax buyer sold the . . .

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Plaintiff Pierces Defendant’s “Corporate Veil” and Levies Against Real Estate

Our firm was retained to handle a breach of contract and fraud claim between two corporations regarding the sale of newspaper publications. We pierced the defendant’s “corporate veil” and obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $580,000.00. We also won a motion to award pre-judgment interest of almost $85,000.00. The judgment was affirmed on . . .

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Voter Suppression Efforts Defeated

Our firm was retained by the Lake County Democratic Party to defend a lawsuit filed by the opposing party one week before the November 2008 General Election.  The suit sought a temporary restraining order requiring all newly registered voters to show identification or to vote by provisional ballot.  The case was removed to federal court, where we . . .

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Appellate Court Holds that Tax Deed Order Should Be Set Aside

We represented the co-trustees of a trust which lost title through a tax deed to a 26-acre parcel of real estate valued at more than $4 million.  We contended that necessary parties had not been served with notice and that the tax purchaser had failed to disclose important facts to the court.  The trial judge dismissed our case, but we appealed and . . .

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Right to Free Speech Protected

Days before the March 2008 Primary Election, a candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney filed suit against an organization of voters contending that a radio advertisement being run by the organization was false and defamatory. On less than 12 hours’ notice, we successfully defended against the candidate’s efforts to prevent our client from . . .

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McCarthy Completes Term as Chair of Chicago Bar Association Committee

Emmett McCarthy recently completed his term of service as Chair of the Real Estate Taxation Committee of the Chicago Bar Association. In doing so, Emmett joins Bruce Buyer, Matt Flamm, and John Stanko as past Chairs of the Real Estate Taxation Committee. -

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Flamm Addresses Election Law Issues

Matt Flamm recently spoke to the Election Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association, discussing several recent election law decisions in which the firm had been involved. Matt also discussed his experiences as a Voter Protection attorney in South Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, and the differences in voter registration and voting procedures from state to state. -

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