Attorney General Lisa Madigan wants St. Clair County circuit judge Robert LeChien to admit he shouldn’t have let lawyers for state comptroller Leslie Munger argue against her lawyers in his court.

On July 13, Madigan moved to strike the appearances and arguments of Munger’s staff lawyers at a July 8 hearing on payment of state workers.

Deputy solicitor general Brett Legner wrote, “The attorneys who appeared and argued on behalf of the comptroller committed multiple errors that are harmful to the state’s interest.”

“The comptroller’s attorneys knew that they had not been appointed or authorized to appear for the comptroller in this litigation, yet they acted as if they had such authority,” Legner wrote.

He wrote that they improperly consented to the entry of relief against her.

At the hearing LeChien ordered Munger to process normal payrolls in the absence of legislative appropriation.

Munger favored the order but Madigan, as her lawyer, opposed it.

Prior to the hearing, Munger moved to disqualify Madigan as her counsel.

Legner told LeChien that Madigan must represent Munger because the real party at interest was the state.

LeChien said he wasn’t sure he saw a conflict of interest.

He said he would take it under advisement.

He said he wouldn’t decide what might not have to be decided.

It sounded mysterious until Legner argued a point and LeChien asked Munger’s chief counsel, Alissa Camp, to respond.

Legner objected, to no avail, and Camp took the same position as union workers.

LeChien continued inviting responses from Camp and deputy counsel Sean Coombe throughout the hearing, and Legner continued objecting.

Stephen Yokich of Chicago, who petitioned for the order on behalf of unions, stood silent for long stretches of a hearing he had caused.

When he did speak, Camp and Coombe agreed.

Legner said sovereign immunity barred the claim.

He said jurisdiction belonged at the Illinois Court of Claims.

LeChien found his own jurisdiction sufficient.

He signed an order the next day finding that, “Plaintiffs’ motion seeks to have the comptroller perform her job – that she stands willing and ready to do.”

“Families should not suffer while the legislature and the executive vie for a result favorable to their political agenda,” LeChien wrote.

“The comptroller is not a nominal party sued as a cutout for a claim that correctly belongs to the Court of Claims.

“The court properly takes subject matter jurisdiction to hear plaintiffs’ request for an order of court to direct the comptroller to exercise her clearly defined official authority.”

LeChien wrote that failure of the executive and legislative branches to reach a budget agreement threatens the financial survival of state employees.

He wrote that the Illinois Supreme Court recognizes judicial authority to assure that inaction of the legislature and the executive doesn’t deprive workers of wages.

He wrote that the Supreme Court has held that a court could provide a comptroller with authority other than appropriation to draw warrants from the treasury.

“The court finds that plaintiffs have stated a proper cause of action for impairment of contract,” he wrote.

“The process to collect economic damages from the State of Illinois Court of Claims dooms to financial ruin the ever expanding number of employees living paycheck to paycheck.

“Furthermore, the burden and hardship of missed paychecks imposed on the workers and their families are separate noneconomic losses, for which there is no recovery.

“The court concludes that the failure to provide the appropriation to pay workers who are required to go to work constitutes an impairment of contract.”

He wrote that denial of relief could expose the state to great liability under the Fair Labor Standards Act including economic loss, interest, damages and attorney fees.

He authorized payment of all workers, union or not.

Legislators passed a general fund budget in the last session, but Rauner vetoed all of it except education on June 25.

The fiscal year ended on June 30, with no budget in place.

Conflict broke out between Madigan and Munger the next day, when Madigan sued Munger in Cook County chancery court.

Madigan sought an order requiring Munger to pay every employee the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour.

Madigan claimed federal law applied in the absence of appropriations.

Ten unions sued Munger in St. Clair County chancery court a day later, alleging impairment of contract in violation of the Illinois Constitution.

Munger asked Madigan to appoint outside counsel for her in the Cook County case, and Madigan authorized it.

Munger asked for outside counsel in St. Clair County, and Madigan denied it.

Judges in both cases granted relief, creating a conflict that Madigan has asked the Supreme Court to resolve.

Workers drew normal pay on July 15, but litigation will continue until legislators adopt a budget and Gov. Bruce Rauner signs it.

Meanwhile the gap between Madigan and Munger grows wider.

In a July 13 brief opposing Madigan’s disqualification in St. Clair County, Legner branded Munger’s actions as “blatantly improper.”

“She unilaterally and without authority from or notice to the Attorney General sent lawyers to appear in a case where she is sued in her official capacity and the liability thus impacts the state and the people of Illinois, not the current comptroller in her personal capacity,” Legner wrote.

“She then had those unauthorized lawyers take positions aligned with the plaintiffs on every issue, including waiving the state’s sovereign immunity and conceding that the state was violating the Constitution.”

Legner wrote that the attorney general serves broader interests of the state rather than particular interests of individual agencies or officers.

He wrote that the attorney general might even represent opposing officials or agencies in the same case.

“Although the attorney general and the comptroller took different positions in the Cook County case, that case and this one present different issues and the existence of the Cook County case does not create a conflict here,” he wrote.

A Madison County man is suing an assisted living facility and one of its employees for allegedly firing him following a fake accusation of sexual harassment.

David Biggs of Belleville filed a lawsuit on July 7 in Madison County Circuit Court against Nicholas Scheibel, individually and as agent for Bravo Care of Wood River Inc., doing business as Foxes Grove Supportive Living Community, alleging libel and defamation in 2014.

According to the complaint, on Dec. 21, 2014, Scheibel fired Biggs because of a sexually harassing statement made about a female employee, “when, in fact, he knew that the plaintiff did not make the statement” and was purportedly told by several witnesses that Biggs did not make the statement.

The suit says the company acted with malice when it terminated Biggs, that it intentionally and maliciously made a defamatory statement about Biggs which “deters third persons from associating with him,” and also breached its duty of ordinary care to the plaintiff and his reputation.

The plaintiff alleges great emotional distress, embarrassment and a damaged reputation in the community, along with being placed “in a false light before the public.” The suit says he suffered loss of income, mental anguish, humiliation and distress.

Biggs seeks damages of more than $50,000, punitive damages of $150,000, attorney fees and costs. He is represented by attorney Bob Perica of The Perica Law Firm in Wood River.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-860.

SPRINGFIELD — A pair of court decisions issued Friday means state Comptroller Leslie Munger can keep meeting the state’s payroll — for now.

Munger and Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration have argued the state should be allowed to make its regular payroll despite the lack of a state budget.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan, however, has argued the law allows only the payment of federal minimum wage, $7.25 hourly, to designated “essential employees.”

The first ruling to break in Munger’s favor on Friday came from the First District Appellate Court in Chicago.

That appeals court voided a Cook County judge’s temporary restraining order that would have kept Munger, R-Lincolnshire, from issuing regular payroll checks.

The appeals court said the circuit judge erred in two areas: not setting a specific time frame on the temporary restraining order and not balancing the hardships of all parties before issuing it.

The appellate court’s decision returns the case to Cook County Circuit Court for additional hearings.

Friday afternoon, the Illinois Supreme Court denied a motion to essentially join the Cook County case and a separate case on the same issue out of St. Clair County and take the matter up on direct appeal.

In the St. Clair County case, the circuit judge OK’d paying employees, saying the state’s failure to do so could violate constitutionally protected contractual agreements.

The Supreme Court’s decision not to immediately intervene likely means the two court cases will have to travel their individual legal paths if the Supreme Court might ultimately consider one or more appeals.

Munger welcomed the news, saying she would continue to pay state employees.

“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," she said in a news release.

Citing the initial St. Clair County ruling, Munger had recently chosen to continue the payroll process to issue mid-month paychecks to about 6,700 employees who otherwise would not have been paid.

A spokeswoman for Madigan, D-Chicago, said the attorney general’s office expects additional proceedings.

The attorney general also continued to say the Legislature — including her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, also a Chicago Democrat — and the Republican governor should fulfill their duties and enact a budget.

Failure to do so, the attorney general’s office said, would only cause more uncertainty.

Rauner-led Republicans and legislative Democrats have been unable to reach a deal on a budget for fiscal year 2016, which began July 1.

As a result, the state is into its third week without the authority to meet many of its obligations. The governor did, however, sign the budget for primary and secondary education that the Legislature had sent him.

But Rauner has refused to sign the bulk of the Democrats’ spending plan. He says it’s $4 billion in the red and fails to meet the state constitution’s demand that spending and revenue be balanced.

Democrats complain Rauner and the GOP have been unwilling to work with them on the annual budget until the governor gets movement on his own agenda items, which they don’t consider directly related to the budget.

Mark Fitton is a reporter for Illinois News Network, a division of the Illinois Policy Institute.

A private construction company accused of allegedly abandoning a flood prevention project has removed the case to federal court.

Kiewit infrastructure Co. filed a notice of removal to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois on June 22. The defendant argues that removal is proper because of the amount in controversy and because diversity of citizenship exists.

Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District Council (SIFPDC) filed a lawsuit on May 22 against Kiewit.

According to the complaint, both parties entered into an agreement on Sept. 23, 2014, designating Kiewit as contractor on a seepage improvement project. The plaintiff alleges the tasks to be performed included slurry wall construction, work platform erection, instrumentation installation and monitoring and clay cap construction.

The project price of $10,613,400 was to include modifications and changes during the course of the work, the suit states.

SIFPDC accuses Kiewit of failing to perform its obligations by willfully stopping the work and purporting to terminate the contract on Feb. 18. The plaintiff also claims it had to solicit replacement contract at a cost of nearly $14 million.

SIFPDC claims it was damaged by the defendant’s alleged failure to honor the contract in the differential amount of $3,377,600.

The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

Robert Sprague of Sprague & Urban in Belleville and Kenneth Slavens and Harry Wilson of Husch Blackwell in St. Louis represent the plaintiff.

Russell Scott of Greensfelder, Hemker, & Gale in Belleville represents the defendant.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-667

July 2, 2015




Alhambra



•$132,900- 301 College St. - David W. Aper and Mary J. Aper to George M. and Rhonda D. Tibbs




Alton



•$76,500- 2300 Morning Star Dr. - Charles and Mary Roemer to Alecia Roemer and Ryan Bennett
•$52,000- 2910 Mayfield Ave. - Alan Howard Huelsmann to Sean Seelander
•$315,000- 8104 Wolf Rd. - Alan D. Mendel to Jason and Jamie Winship
•$27,500- 3952 Torch Club Rd. - US Bank to Daniel B. and Stephanie D. Gill
•$3,000- 3213 Clifton Ave. - Bradley Kincade to Lacian Dennis Frazier




Bethlato



•$109,900- 706 S Prairie St. - Paul and Jacqueline Edwards to Bejamin S. Downer




Collinsville



•$113,500- 902 Prospect St. - Cochran Homes to Bradley Williams
•$99,000- 399 Wilson Ave. - GCS Credit Union to Filemon E. and Alicia V. Romero
•$26,000- 122 March Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Luis Magana
•$112,900- 614 N. Morrison Ave. - Dack L. Ledbetter to David Seaton
•$54,900- 230 St. Louis Rd. - US Bank to Lauren N. Santagato




E. Alton



•$93,900- 715 E. Rosedale Dr. - Justin and Hillary Sandbach to Gary and Dorothy Sheppard




Edwardsville



•$572,200- 3300 Hershiser Ct.- Supieror Home Builders to Christopher S. Rasmussen
•$129,500- 12 Brookside Ct. - Katie L. and Jonathan O'Neal to Christine T. Linn
•$289,500- 989 Prestonwood Dr. - Justin and Christine Linn to Jonathan D. and Katie L. O'Neal
•$284,658- 6 Martin Ct. - Michael J. and Virginia A. Frey to Susan E. Cranford
•$147,900- 8 Colleen Dr. - Thomas and Stacy Niesciur to Michael David HIpp
•$204,750- 622 Hancock St. - Wade and Amanda Gentemann to Martin R. Jr. and Devin L. Gordon
•$67,500- 1545 Grand Ave. - Donald M. Samson to Andrew G. and Andrea R. Wallace
•$6,000- 671Y Monaco Dr. - Holiday Shores Sanitary District to Robin and Brennan A. Murphy
•$228,000- Schipkowski Rd. - Marilou Dale Gieseking to Robin L. Keilbach




Glen Carbon



•$158,000- 612- 613 Pepper Ridge Ct. - Richard E. and Carole Ann Carter to Novella LLC
•$175,500- 121 Mark Trail Dr. - Bruce H. and Donna J. Rezabek to Steven and Jamie Cox




Godfrey



•$116,000- 1502 Colonial Dr. - Donna J. Massey to Janet Sue Hardin
•$156,000- 3214 Greenwood Ln. - David William Strebel to Gregory P. Erthal
•$118,000- 311 Bachman Ln. - Paul S. Stoecklin to Paul and Jacqueline Edwards




Granite City



•$62,000- 2824 Edgewood Ave. - Christopher E. Mouldon to Andria L. Leicht
•$189,000- 2505 Julie Crossing- Timothy O. and Clara L. Moran to Traveon and Stephanie Ward
•$89,000- 2719 Angela Dr. - James C. and Marcia A. Blankenship to Zachary and Angela Boyer
•$45,000- 1019 McCambridge Ave. - Brian W. Werner to Brandon A. Williams
•$51,000- 108 Chouteau Trace Pkwy.- Secretary of VA to RMP Properties
•$190,000- 348 Ratz Dr. - Charles W. and Laura A. Luehmann to Rachel and Keith Davis
•$112,000- 4007 Park Ln. - Tina Paschedag and Denise L. Wilson to Bruce Kinworthy
•$121,500- 3219 Willow Ave. - Brett C. and Kathleen R. Smith to Samuel L. Prazma
•$93,500- 206 Wilson Park Ln. - Michael B. Welser to Nathan E. Zeisset
•$100,000- 2108 Amos Ave. - Aaron P. and Leslie L. Graham to Brian Werner
•$105,500- 2545 Ivy Ln. - Theresa Fleming to Jeanne Sawyer
•$65,000- 2345 Emert Ave. - V Mortgage Reo I to Nathan Verning




Highland



•$165,000- 4810 Cedar Spring Dr. - Justin and Carrie Burk to Glenda Michael
•$275,000- 13051 Cherokee Rd. - Stephen D. ad Sherry L. Chappell to N.P. Dodge Jr.
•$275,000- 13051 Cherokee Rd.- N.P. Dodge Jr. to Russell and Kathy S. Klein




Madison



•$56,000- 1029 Washington Ave. - David M. Brooks to Sheila A. and Theodore Hammond




Maryville



•$39,000- E. Hayden Ave. - Precox Properties to Clint M. Jones and Heather L. Mueller-Jones




Moro



•$54,000- 440 Deer Run- Rural Development to Mary I. Goode
•$40,000- 129 Willowrun Dr. - Bayview Loan Servicing LLC to Michael Jones




Troy



•$171,000- 256 Fairington Dr. - Fannie Mae to Timothy and Michelle McGhee
•$144,000- 531 Whippoorwill St. - Patricia A. Craft to Cathy A. Van Arsdale
•$80,000- 1945 Gliddon Blvd. - Villas of Windsor to Resource Construction Co.




Worden



•$182,501- 1848 Starboard Ln. - Fannie Mae to Edwardsville Homes LLC







July 6, 2015




Alhambra



•$37,500- XXX Sugarfork- Dawn M. Crain to David C and Lindsey K. Duffin




Alton



•$54,900- 2915 Buena Vista Ave. - Laura C. Lenington to Andrew B. Curlovic
•$67,000- 2231 Marquette Dr.-David and Janet Jacoby to Ronald S. and Charlene R. Holmes
•$45,000- Leona B. Piggott to RonaldL. and Sandra K. Conrad




Bethalto



•$82,000- 411 N. Kingdom St. - Suzanne K. Lagomarcino to Cash Real Estate Investors
•$122,000- 123 Hampton St. - Mary Etta Spalding to Rachael M. Rhodes
•$38,000- 7643 Cody Ln. - William D. and Gail E. West to Todd and Jennifer Sawyer




Collinsville



•$218,00- 407 Crestwood Estates Dr. - Joshua H. and Carole A. Presson to Anthony Martin and Kerri McCann
•$178,000- 23 Somerset Pl.- Geoffrey and Carissa Tepovich to Carole A. Presson
•$168,500- 2015 Greenbrier Dr. - James E. and Lori L. Jacobs to Brian K. and Nelyn R. Heal




Cottage Hills



•$69,900- 366 Ridgeway Ave. - Declaration of Trus of Leland J. Pollard to Kathy J. Sheppard




E. Alton



•$71,900- 205 Grand Ave. - Lucinda L. Hannis to Harry and Betty Harvey
•$116,850- 512 Florida Dr. - Stephen A. Meszaros to Michael R. and Lindsey N. Anderson
•$25,000- 140 Whitelaw- Stephen E. Stefl to Ivan Tite




Edwardsville



•$213,500- 1317 Gerber Woods Dr. - Kristen E. Hill to James M. and Jamie L. Unger
•$250,000- 345 W. Lake Dr. - Theodore G. and Sharon F. Hancock to Robyn Frantz and Wayne Skigen
•$46,000- 917 Grand Ave. - Erin N. Hinnen to GRK LLC




Glen Carbon



•$239,900- 309 Aberdeen Dr. - Robert M. and Erin E. Szegedy to Chad and Carrie Kraner




Godfrey



•$35,000- 6203 Nelder Dr. - Joey Gibbs and Michelle Cline to Joey L. and Mark A. Gibbs
•$255,000- 2280 Winter Ln.- Joni K. Honke to Richard W. and Patricia E. Beeler
•$250,000- 5403 Woodland Meadows Dr. - Eliot Gray Development to James T. Eck




Granite City



•$5,000- 1824 State St. - Larry C. White to fort Gondo
•$185,000- 2529 Commercial Pkwy.- Glindon Mathis to Bill and Geneva Darlene Forte'




Hamel



•$192,000- 122 Colonial Dr. - Travis and Jennifer Pfaff to John and Kate Thoelke
•$97,000- 218 Miller- Michael and Debra Wiemers to Tyler and Jillian O'Brien




Hartford



•$63,000- 211 W. 5th St. - Nicholas Pansic to Kenneth and Jeanette Liner




Highland



•$385,000- 4110 Prairie Rd. - John I. and Delores M. Alber to Ted K. and Sandra J. Shekell




Maryville



•$90,000- 220 Bauer Ln. - John E. Baker IV, Justin Alertina, and Heather Stotler to Julie Baker and Amy Wiser
•$224,000- 64 Annebriar Dr. - Anne L. and Shawn L. Kosel to Gary E. and Carol A. Manderschied
•$231,000- 2519 Liberty Dr. - Wendell Creek Estates to Mark R. and Kelly H. Baker




Pontoon Beach



•$7,755- 7 Georgetown Dr.- Fannie Mae to Kaja Holdings




St. Jacob



•$227,000- 501 Dakotah Dr. - Lindow Contracting Inc. to Randall and Ellen Gall




Troy



•$119,312- 8724 Semith Rd. - Terry Hime and Terry Robertson to John and Tonya Schalk




Wood River



•$67,000- 610 N. 3rd St. - Thomas C. Meisenheimer to Sarah Stover, Barry Elliott and Carol A. Elliott
•$80,000- 701 Purvis Dr. - Mariners Atlantic Portfolio to Courtney Jae Brueggeman







July 7, 2015




Alton



•$8,000- 508 Winkler St. - CitiMortgage to Lena D. Bowen




Bethalto



•$74,650- 330 Lee St. - Edward and Marcia Bacus to Bridget K. Meszaros




Cottage Hills



•$13,280- 401 W. Drive- Emily Love to First National Acceptance Co.




E. Alton



•$15,246- 220 Grand Ave. - JPMorgan Chase Bank to Secretary of HUD
•$70,000- 172 Bender Ave. - Su Chin Weeks to Jessie Tatum




Edwardsville



•$176,500- 1015 Michigan Ave. - Definitive Home and Design Inc. to Jonathan L. Warren
•$149,000- 1319 Mary Dr. - Amy J. Rendleman to Kristen Aplin
•$317,000- 73 Birdie Ct. - Country Club Trust to Anthony and Sarah Forneris
•$363,760- 7317 Kindlewood Dr. - Remington Properties to Patrick K. and Lindsey K. Kalas
•$268,750- 3465 Manassas Dr. - Ramamoorthy and Deepa Vinodkumar to Lavontas and Raquel Hariston
•$180,000- 506 Hillsboro Ave. - Mathew W. and Deanna Christie-Wheat to Justin Linn
•$112,000- 511 Jaime Lynn Ct. - J.A. zimmerman, J.V. Noll, J.A. Denzel, K.M. Noll. to Thomas and Catherine Thompson




Glen Carbon



•$226,500- 114 Michelle Dr. - George M. and Rhonda D. Tibbs to Seth M. and Carmen J.M. Knight
•$134,000- 600 Pepper Ridge Ct. - William F. Jr. and Annette Mulvany Graebe to Gregory W. Wojcik and Ann C. Fedor
•$133,000- 46 Grainey- Deborah D. Gregory to Marshall C. and Suzanne Mullins
•$185,000- 48 Julie- Joy and John Korzenewski to Jordan Wollbrink and Tristin Cooper
•$294,000- 431 Chadwyck Dr. - Clifford and Alexandra McHugh to Mario and Shana Sanchez




Godfrey



•$177,000- 5219 Brian Dr. - Carole Louise Ealey to Stephanie E. Church
•$204,000- 7115 McGuire Rd. - Federal National Mortgage to Hampton G. and Dawn R. Colley




Granite City



•$65,000- 2729 Ralph St. - Brooks and Susan Newby to Stacey Smith
•$115,000- 3400 Franklin Ave. - Karla L. Smith and Rebecca A. Havener to Ryan S. Mowery and Jamie E. Tucker
•$161,000- 4927 Driftwood Dr. - David E. Ramey and Cynthia S. Ramey to Jonathan R. and Angelita S. Wycoff




Highland



•$234,000- 2104 Steinkoeing School Rd. - John and Kathy D. Colon to Daniel W. and Linda P. McPherson
•$80,000- 210 Keeven Dr. - Patsy L. Schwarm Trust to Sharon M. Rinderer Trust




Maryville



•$258,500- 7615 Stonebridge Dr. - Timothy W. and Cheryl A. Schnicker to Angel M. Walker and Kristen Myers
•$260,000- 2116 Tuscany Ridge Ct. - Emily M. Amizich and John D. Seaber to Anthony W. Uzzo and Becky L. Salmons




Troy



•$37,500- 501 Oakwood Dr. - Kelly Dee Morris to Mary Anne Kamadulski
•$172,500- 7210 State Route 162- Brian D. and Sarah A. Vazzi to David . and Mary J. Aper




Wood River



•$52,050- 256 S. 7th St. - Steven J. and Crystal R. Dettmers to Patricia Anne Droste
•$95,000- 529 Sotier Pl. - Jeremy and John Elliott to Zachary Booher
•$42,500- 34 Marquerite Ave. - Harry Paddock to 14 Projects
•$109,000- 114 Kendall Dr. - Melinda Wooten to Ted, Paul and Suzanne Hatcher







July 8, 2015




Alton



•$50,000- 2312 Amelia St. - Mark C. Richter to Shihuo Liu
•$65,000- 3063 Seiler Rd. - Inez E. Phleger to Donald Wayne Davis
•$28,000- 2305 Wyckoff- Carole Richards and Larry Joe Hill II to Bobbie J. and Annnan M Gross
•$74,000- 205 W. Elm St. - Brandon M. and Amelia Marshall to Michael A. Naylor




Bethalto



•$130,000- 102 Sunset Dr. - Shelly Ann and Gregory J. Kruckeberg to Crystal Kruckeberg




Collinsville



•$118,138- 8 Wagon Wheel Ct. - PHH Mortgage Corp. to Secretary HUD
•$103,000- 8 Tiemann Dr- Sandra J. and Lynn Cook to Nicholas C. Dellamano and Amanda J. Skippers
•$123,250- 28 White Lily Dr. - James Radcliffe, James E. Helms and James Fickert to Kristin Hawks Carter
•$50,000- 720 Troy Rd. - Russell L. Knight to Randy W. and Susan D. Stroder




E. Alton



•$94,900- 161 N. Clearview Dr. - Beverly and Chris Barnes to Jeremy Sheppard and Misty McDonough
•$25,200- 421 E. Main St. - Phillip F. and Dorothy Honnen to Mike Scheffel




Glen Carbon



•$55,000- 612 Briarstone Dr. - Glen Carbon Land Development to Remington Properties




Godfrey



•$5,000- 1320 & 1319 Ridgefield- Cornerstone Assembly of God of Bethalto to Robert L. Lowrance III
•$36,000- 3324 Greenbriar Ave. - Thomas P. III and Allison Kane to Kerry and Christina Minton




Hartford



•$57,000- 311 S. Olive St. - Michael G. Brame to Leon S. Hansen




New Douglas



•$24,000- 523 S. 5th St. - Deutsche Bank to Quantum Lending




Troy



•$70,850- 529 B. Dogwood Dr. - E-Loan Inc to ARCPEZ LLC
•$95,000- 529 B. Dogwood Dr. - ARCPEZ LLC to The Dinlerogin Land Trust
•$192,500- 74 Cedarbrooke- Leonard K. and Monica Major Harris to National Residential Nominee Services
•$192,000- 74 Cedarbrooke- National Residential Nominee Services to Danny and Karen Southard
•$208,000- 408 Arrowhead Dr. - Stephen J. and Madeline R. Green to Patricia S. Green-Birchett




St. Jacob



•$45,935- 2013 Richview Dr. - Lerch Homes to Cadagin Homes
•$310,000- 2013 Richview Dr. - Cadagin Homes to Deborah Groh




Worden



•$290,000- 7094 Meyer Ln.- Eugene and Pauline Wieseman to Jeffrey and Pamela Black
•$73,000- 142 S. 13th St. - Carol M Shouse to Lillian J. and Robin L. Schlobhom







July 9, 2015




Alton



•$115,000- 2400 Suddes Ct. - Kathleen B. Snyder to Charles Salmons
•$38,000- 541 Sering Ave. - Arthur W. Arnold Jr. to Sandra Middleton




Collinsville



•$124,500- 144 Boskydells Dr. - Joseph D. and Rene hart to David Randant
•$181,000- 2003 Mapleleaf Dr. - Gregory A. and Valerie R. Bates to Steven and Robin McCarty




Edwardsville



•$148,000- 214 Lincoln St. - David and Tamra Koltveit and Benjamin McQuade to Christopher Campbell and Kayla McDonough




Glen Carbon



•$375,000- 28 Lakewood Dr. - Larry Ryan to Kevin M. Cadagin
•$145,000- 340 West Glen Dr. - The Judicial Sales Corp. to JCS Aquisitions




Godfrey



•$39,900- 1302 Sr. Lancelot Ln.- US ROF IV Legal Title to C&C Restoration
•$74,000- 7721 Redbird Ln. - Tyler J. Clark to Shelby K. Diepenbrock




Granite City



•$12,500- 45XX Old Edwardsville Rd. - Michael T. Mullen to Robert M. Jr. and Aliesha D. Adair
•$13,000- 4123 Division Lot 8, - Conejo Properties to Anuario Miranda
•$10,000- 4123 Division Lot 9 - Conejo Properties to Wilfido Aguilar
•$167,900- 222 Arlington Dr. - Sherman D. and Samantha G. Clagg to Thomas and Holly Ross




Moro



•$6,000- Truman St. - Viola J. Simpson to Ritchie D. and Michelle R. Watkins




St. Jacob



•$346,000- 2130 Hidden Creek - Cadagin Homes to Timothy K. and Sherry R. Keith




Troy



•$43,500- 433 Briar Creek Rd. - Donald P. and Joseph E. Osborn to Lindow Contracting
•$128,500- 521 Meadowlark st. - Neil - Alan and Brandy J. Mutschler to Jason M. and Kelli M. Powell

July 1, 2015




Belleville



•$82,000- 30 S. 21st. St. - A.C. Fisher to Lindenwood University
•$84,000- 2001 W. Main St. - John and Jean K. Demos to Lindenwood University
•$359,000- 4501 N. Illinois St. - ADM Property Management to Premier Car Connection
•$115,500- 15 Las Olas Dr. - David Sliment Jr. to Brenda G. Steiger
•$176,500- 2601 Cedar Grove Dr. - Gregory C. and Julie A. Jennings to Clinton Yancey Jr.
•$96,000- 21 Robin HIll Ln. - Kimberly W. Pietro to Carol Fralick Morrison
•$72,500- 170/105 Indian Hill - Rhonda M. Davis to Shauntey James
•$118,000- 34 Ben Louis Dr. - Joyce T. Range to Ashlie K. and Ramon Mitchell
•$57,000- 32 Oak Knoll Pl.- Secretary of VA to Sky Blue Development
•$82,000- 617 S. Belt E.- South Illinois Trust to Andrea Jackson
•$106,000- 31 Chadwick Dr. - Andrew and Kristi Johnson to Andrew Morton
•$12,500- 401 N. 5th St. - National Loan Investors to Raymond W. Archambo
•$69,00- 220 Brittany Ln. - Cynthia L. Wangelin to Brittany Wells
•$85,000- 501 Country Meadows Ln. - James E. Wyant Jr. and Hyo Son Wyant to Darla R. Rodgers




Cahokia



•$25,000- 511 Chaudet Ave., 513 Chaudet Ave. - Estate of Juanita M. Haley to AZA Properties
•$51,500- 815 Sparks Ave. - Pacer Cap to Clint McCormick
•$47,500- 302 Marion St. - Pacer Cap to Clint McCormick
•$625,000- 93 Water St. - Abundant Love Fellowship to Gateway Area Bible Fellowship Aspostolic Church




Caseyville



•$218,000- 3 View West Ln. - Mary R Dix to Samuel and Debra Carter




Collinsville



•$142,500- 17 Heatherwood Dr. - Elfriede S. Norvell to Dale W. Forguson




Dupo



•$20,981- 609 Florence Ave. - JRC Holdings to Jonathan M. and Jessica E. Reinhold
•$120,000- 112 N. 8th St. - Robert and Sylvia Mentel Family Trust to Marilyn F. Montgomery




E. St. Louis



•$13,000- 527 N. 18th St. - Federal National Mortgage to Jessie Granger
•$1,00- 713 N. 26th St. - Jay A. Ashford to Roimero Harris




Fairview Heights



•$55,000- 127 Frey Ln. - US Bank to Cary Steffens
•$110,000- 6 Ridgeway Meadows Dr. - Federal Home Loan Mortgage to Arza L. Mumma Jr.




Freeburg



•$120,00- 105 S. Vine St. - Tyler Isaak to Tyler and Allyson Urbanski
•$305,000- 3647 Old Freeburg Rd. - Susan A. Hickey to Leroy and Scott Hamann




Marissa



•$74,000 - 210 Joan Ave. - La June Fulton to William and Rhonda Affeldt




Millstadt



•$205,000- 13 Gladwyn Dr. - Mark E. Oman to Thomas A. and Kathi G. Carrico




OFallon



•$115,000- 358 Stanton Ln. - Cynthia L. Stanton to Joshua A. and Lindsay M. Martie
•$286,000- 107 Knob Creek Ln. - Robert M. and Michelle R. Crain to Matthew and Angela Getty
•$135,000- 287 Fawn Oaks Ln. - Ryan and Ashley Johnson to Abram and Marilyn E. Ellis
•$259,900- 453 Wiegerstown Dr. - Robert J. Poulin to Gregory and Angela Wrather
•$265,000- 1038 Hartman Ln. - Joseph M. Hale to Bruce A. Behrens and Karen S. Whetstone
•$344,900- 1128 Hightower Pl. - Mark M. and Katherine J. Duprey to Scott A. and Devan R. Holman




St. Libory



•$127,500- 701 Rutter Ave. - Steven Jones to Nancy J. Nerone Trust




Shiloh



•$155,000- 1721 St. Andrew Dr. - Kathryn R. Miller to John P. Wicinski
•$240,000- 2201 Birmingham Dr. - Leon Byrd Jr. and Shari Renee Byrd to Paul Carlson




Smithton



•$187,000- 412 Fieldview Dr. - Joshua D. Holder to Regina Marie and Jesse Carlton
•$399,000- 5286 Wild Oak Ln. - Mark G. Sr. and Cheri Ehret to Joshua D. and Karen E. Holder




Swansea



•$169,900- 38 Ednick Dr. - Patrick C. Donahue Jr. and Lesley G. Hermann-Donahue to John L. Krieger
•$134,500- 10 Vandor Ct. - Robert D. and Stephanie A. Guzy to Kimberly A. Dalton and Jamie Burdick
•$144,500- 721 Deerfield Dr. - Jamie L. Wisser to Andrew C. Forney
•$358,500- 1301 Merganser Blvd. - Jesus L. and Amarillys A. Sojo to Donald E. and Sue A. Miller
•$270,000- 305 Barrett Lake Dr. - Dolores F. Stover to David G. and Cathleen J. Hughes
•$144,000- 30 Virburnum Dr. - Scott A. and Devan M. Holman to Daniel and Tiffany Baird
•$280,000- 3413 Rand Ln.- Shirley Crank Trust to Dean and Nancy Howes







July 2, 2015




Belleville



•$240,000- 2 Pinewood Ln. - Michael Timothy Bolam to Corey L. and Kayah M. Billups
•$128,000- 1617 Sherbone Dr. - Carrie L. Hart to Karmen Coleman
•$10,500- 1208 Bel Aire Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Ellen C. Thieleman
•$161,000- 1101 Forest Hills Dr. - Mitchell C. Fish to David Ayers
•$140,450- 3017 Rentchler Rd. - Kenneth E. Conklin to Fred M. and Nancy B. Hannan
•$100,000- 103 N. 21st St. - Johnathan T. and Lisa Loesche to Lindenwood University
•$49,999-2007 W. A St. - Dale and Bobbi J. Sudholt to Lindenwood University
•$72,000- 206 S. 27th St. - Willie J. McAlister Jr. to Lindenwood University
•$207,000- 2408 Persimmon Wood Dr. - Christopher and Laurie L. Thompson to Sean Michael and Tara Marie Peterson
•$50,000- 102 Commodore Dr. - Regions Bank to Danny Foster
•$105,000- 330 Hickory Bend Dr. - Betty L. Whitehead to Elaine Reiniger
•$180,000- 3296 Cedar Spring Ct. - Kale Jeffery and Jacquilyn Warner-Jeffery to Mark A. and Brandy Tully




Cahokia



•$126,300- Church Rd. - Louis I Mund Trust to Ameren Illinois Co.




Collinsville



•$89,000- 1010 St. Clair Ave. - V Mortgage Reo to Nicholas Wilks II




E. St. Louis



•$80,000- 3146 N. 60th St. - Mary T. Oliver to Louis Jaimes
•$800- 4211 Pocket Rd. - Ozaine G. Luckey to Carlos L. Vickers




Fairview Heights



•$385,000- 1137 Stonewolf Tr. - Jerril J. Jones and Paula R. Badjr to Karl F. Woodmansey
•$120,000- 600 Lenora Dr. - Robert W. and Amy L. Lang to Sylana C. Radley
•$188,000- 204 Brittany Dr. - Neil D. and Jeri Lyn Horowitz to Neil and Brandy Mutschler
•$208,000- 5412 Depaul Dr. - Gregory A. Byrne to Stephen Jernigan




Freeburg


•$130,000- 211 N. State St. - Estate of Alice S. Koesterer to Ronald and Jean Speiser
•$150,750- 5 Edgewood Ct. - David Brennan to Kody Joel Heberer
•$100,000- 505 S. State St. - Chad M. and Jennifer L. Quigley to Robert W. Spacher




Lebanon



•$100,00- 9921 Tad St. - Gary Nekula to Sean T. Coser




Mascoutah



•$44,300- 9730 Weatherby St. - AKS Developments to Kappert Construction
•$86,800- Buddy Funk Ln. - Robert Becherer Trust to Okaw North Hunting Club
•$85,794- 1143 Fox Run - The Private Sales Corp. to Champaign Investment
•$47,800- 928 Indian Prairie Dr. - AKS Development to Kappert Construction




OFallon



•$250,000- 163 Hodgens Mill Ln. - Tracey S. and Kimberly A. Skelton to Rosemary LLC
•$318,000- 1322 Rainfield Gardens Ct. - Larry C. Calhoun and Kay M. Calhoun to David A. and Sonia I. Johnson
•$227,000- 332 Logan Dr. - Christopher D. and Lori A. Marrs to Jessica and Nathan Klein
•$42,000- 1472 Winchester Grove Ct. - Southern IL Land Investments to Kappert Construction
•$229,000- 174 Picketts Run- Gay Lynn Manning and Frederik R. Manning to Matthew and Jacquelyn Brown
•$900,000- 120 Behrens Ave. - Steve W. Maher to CBMB LLC
•$268,000- 605 Portsmith Pl. Dr. - Bradley and Jessica Culligan to Terrence and Kristin Holley




Shiloh



•$152,000- 101 Sr. Lawrence Dr. - Janet A.McAllister to Rebecca M. Ross
•$105,000- 9-11 Innsbruck Ln. - Dean C. and Carol R. Tano to Justin Reno
•$120,000- 3281 Bridgewater Dr. - George Genutis to Sara Vincent




Swansea



•$194,000- 4290 Redfield Dr. - Judy A. Nadler to Ronald B. and Rachel M. Ziegler







July 6, 2015




Belleville



•$11,900- 1408 Salem Dr. - Arthur Townsend Webster and Ann Heilmann Webster to Ralph M. and Gail Kleemann
•$123,000- 730 Country Meadow Ln. - Elaine M. Laws to Tawanna L. Patterson and Anita Franklin
•$69,000- 843 Lebanon Ave. - US Bank to Sallie Price
•$154,000- 2833 Brookmeadow Dr. - Lloyd A. and Jerene L. Vaughn to Kristen N. Davis and Patrick G. Hogg
•$45,000- 1537 N. Church St. - Joseph A. Levy Sr. to Phil Tegtmeier
•$105,000- 48 Dale Allen Dr. - Thomas Dustin Acre to Regina R. Howard
•$114,000- 7 Valley View Dr. - Anthony and Kimberly Vrooman to Brent and Hannah Nix
•$770,000- 5920 Gateway Industrial - Waste Management of IL to Properties Holding Management
•$100,000- 142 Falls Park Ct. - Fannie Mae to Alicia Felton




Cahokia



•$100,000- 1 Little Estate Ln. - Michael P. and Sheila Crockett to Timothy L. and Helen F. Montgomery
•$9,650- 1621/1619 Upper Cahokia Rd. - Edker Woody Lane to Warren G. Griffin II




Dupo



•$96,500- 301 Kroeger Ave. - DeWayne and Cheryl Penrose to Mark A. and Donna B. Godat
•$1,500- Unknown- Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis to Prairie Du Point Levee and Sanitary Distrcit




E. Carondelet



•$1,300- 7th St.- Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis to Prairie Du Point Levee and Sanitary Dsitrict




E. St. Louis



•$3,000- 406 Kathryn St., East St. - Corlon Peters to Marvin Moore Jr.
•$10,000- 2228 Tudor Ave. - Mildred Johnson to Daniel and Linda Sumrall Jr.




Freeburg



•$303,503- Scheirmeier Rd. - Kyle Hawkins to Arthur III and Nick Buesch
•$190,000- 201 W. High St. - Ronald L. Waters to Kyle R. Hawkins
•$169,900- 8059 Jefferson Rd. - Anatolian Inn to Anthony and Kimberly Vrooman




OFallon



•$144,900- 909 E. Third St. - Kathleen Ann Mongiovi to Sylvianne G. Doucette and Brian Gaunt
•$261,000- 1250 Elisabeth Dr. - Paul T. and Myrna S. Double to Leandrew L. Coleman




Shiloh



•$115,000- 1 Sir Lawrence Dr. - Andris L. and Mary L. Liepins to Jeremy A. Jones and Petra T. Goedde
•$65,000- 105 Oak St. - Mary Beth Kadavi and Lisa Parr to Mark Kaburek




Swansea



•$575,000- 4402 Smelting Works Rd. - Carl H. and Deborah A. Tempel to Prairie Farms Dairy
•$25,000- Smelting Works Rd. - Carl H. and Deborah A. Tempel to Prairie Farms Dairy







July 7, 2015




Belleville



•$19,000- 3606 Harbor Way- McBride Eagles Landing to George E. Crews II
•$232,383- 3514 Barton Dr. - McBride Eagles Landing to Christopher and Cori J Jurgensmeyer
•$56,100- 711 Southgate Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Alex J. Wellinghoff
•$16,000- 614 W. Lincoln St. - Donald Lehman to Wayne M. and Melissa B. Winkeler
•$110,100- 2212 Monterey Dr. - Dorothy Huard to Seth and Jayme Brown




Cahokia



•$5,000- 410 Mildred - Fannie Mae to Earl W. Jones
•$45,000- XXX Mississippi Ave - Overbrook L.P. to Mark Frierdich




E. St. Louis



•$6,200- 44 St. Ambrose Dr.- Fannie Mae to Anthonio D. Dansberry Jr.




Mascoutah



•$59,125- 9655 Winnebago Way- AKS Developments to Kappert Construction




Millstadt



•$400,000- 4916 Rita Ann Pl.-Daniel A. and Jeannine M. Muskopf to Stacey L and Brian M. Geluck




OFallon



•$250,000- 2059 Bowler Rd. - Federal Home Loan Mortgage to Jeff and Elizabeth Ortega
•$207,500- 1035 Chapel Hill Dr. - Robin Cummings to Bradley W. and Christine M. Jones
•$286,000- 106 Greentree Ct. - John W. Lowery to Steven M. Galinski




Smithton



•$222,000- 212 Sun Valley Dr. - Cory S. and Sunni D. Morris to Blake Lindauer




Swansea



•$135,000- 3751 Winward Way Dr. - Secretary of HUD to JoSunda Lister







July 8, 2015




Belleville



•$76,000- 2038 Celebration Park Cr. - Corliss E. Harlen to Vernice M Graves
•$94,000- 210 S. 27th St. - James A. II and Shanon Messer to Lindenwood University
•$111,900- 48 Aaron Dr. - Ashley and corey Muendlein to Tina Herron




Dupo



•$125,000- 313 Miranda - Emily Richeson to Brandon Smith and Jazyma Chandler




Lebanon



•$1,405,000- 410- 412 Summerfield St. - Gilk Family Partnership to Academic Housing




OFallon



•$4,300,000- 34 +/- Acres E. Hwy 50 (201 Scott Troy Rd.)- Westmore Development to S.I. Strategy
•$287,688- 1323 Arbor Green Trail- Huntington Chase Homes Corp. to Shawn R. and Jessica M. Timpson







July 9, 2015




Belleville



•$164,500- 2030 Woodsong Way - Shaun A. and Alina G. Bramble to Jason Wissehr
•$85,00- 215 Abend St. - Joyce A. Laux to Ingrid C. Patterson
•$13,000- 313 E. Grant St. - Sandra K. Bloos to Elisa Jolls




Dupo



•$82,500- 1395 S. 5th St. - Todd D. and Brooke Thornton to Ryan Williams




E. Carondelet



•$25,000- 38 Water St. - West Community Credit Union to Tiffany Spinner and Patricia Bregen




E. St. Louis



•$8,500- 5902 Old Missouri Ave. - The Betty J. Todd Trust to Terence Charles
•$54,170- 1320 Gaty Ave. - The Private Sales Corp to Secretary of HUD




Lebanon



•$45,700- 322 E. St. Louis St. - Fannie Mae to Amanda Rinne




Mascoutah



•$175,000- 1420 Royal Forest Dr. - Groves Investments to Brandon A. and Brandy Simmons
•$16,000- 182 St. Christopher Ct. - Plaza Developers to JLP Homes




OFallon



•$185,000- 341 Vermillion Dr. - Fernando and Cynthia A. Munzo to David F. and Phyllis C. Clark
•$39,600- 234 Peoria Ln. - Estates at Prairie Crossing Development to Fulford Homes LLC
•$30,000- 112 North Lincoln Ave. - Ronald J. Sr. and Cheri E. Warhoover to City of OFallon
•$117,500- 601 S. Smiley St. - Ted K. Shekell to Donald E. Shaw




Shiloh



•$165,000- 101 Archview Dr. - Dominic A. and Jodi M. Governatori to Philip A. and Brin Pennington
•$32,000- 1024 Grassland Ct. - Greenmount Greystone to Fulford Homes




Waterloo



•$286,825- 3923 Lower Saxtown Rd. - Darren T. and Leah Marie Kennemer to Jana and Phillip Kirchhoff

July 9, 2015




Commerce Bank v. Mark A. Wallman, $137,533.30, 202 Renee St., OFallon. 15-CH-492

Nationstar Mortgage v. Joshua D. Davis, $71,118.65, 4200 Shirley Dr., Belleville. 15-CH-494




July 13, 2015




First National Bnk of Sparta v. Dave Weber, $115,396.40, 511 S. Euclid Ave., Marissa. 15-CH-496




July 14, 2015




JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Patrick A. Parnell, $143,358.15, 710 S. Main St., Smithton . 15-CH-498

Belleville Democrat C.J. Baricevic started the next Congressional campaign on July 20, declaring himself a candidate in the 12th District.

Baricevic, 29 year old lawyer and son of 20th Circuit chief judge John Baricevic, will seek the party nomination to oppose first term Congressman Mike Bost, a Republican from Carbondale.

He greeted more than 100 supporters in the steel workers union hall in Caseyville as, “people who clock in every morning and work all day long.”

The result of Republicans winning the House and Senate last year was "unbelievable," he said.

“Working people are our backbone," Baricevic said. "Without them we lose.”

“Mike Bost has been a rubber stamp for the Republican Party.”

Baricevic criticized Bost for sending jobs overseas.

He said values start with working families.

“When people ask my family where they come from, they don’t say Ireland or Germany," Baricevic said. "They say East St. Louis.”

While Baricevic put distance between himself and Bost, he also put distance between himself and his party.

“Solutions aren’t going to be Democratic or Republican,” he said after the event. “They’re going to be common sense."

Though his party would restrict electrical generation from coal, his written statement promised to promote Illinois coal.

“Coal is key,” he said.

He agreed with signs on union hall doors favoring construction of the Keystone oil pipeline, which labor supports but the party as a whole has blocked.

A trade deal that he criticized Bost for supporting came from President Obama.

Baricevic accounted for the differences between party positions and his own by saying, “I will be a 100 percent advocate for working people.”

“The Democratic Party does great things," he said.

On the nuclear agreement with Iran, he said, “I am absolutely in favor of any kind of agreement that precludes Iran from obtaining a nuclear arsenal.”

Baricevic practices at Chatham and Baricevic, specializing in labor law and injuries.

He has represented clients in criminal cases as an appointed public defender.

According to a biography, he shoveled asphalt for Fairview Heights, helped build Illinois Routes 3 and 159, and worked below coke ovens at Granite City Steel.

Baricevic attended St. Albert the Great Catholic School, St. Louis University High, Miami University and Southern Illinois Law School.

He released a statement that he would fight to reduce income inequality.

The statement also says that he would fight for continued investment in Southern Illinois University; support tax policies to keep manufacturers in Southern Illinois; push for greater college financial aid; protect Social Security; support farmers and oppose turning Medicare into a voucher program.

A St. Clair County couple filed a lawsuit against a hospital and several healthcare entities, accuses them of medical malpractice when they perforated the patient's small bowel during surgery.

 including individual physicians, for alleged medical negligence following surgical complications in 2013.

Paula Mae Quinn and Frederick Quinn sued Alton Multispecialists Ltd., Alton Memorial Hospital, James A. Kliefoth and BJC Healthcare ACO, LLC on July 7 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, claiming negligence in a July 2013 procedure.

According to the complaint, when Paula Mae Quinn underwent a surgery described as an excision of skin fistula in abdominal wound on or about July 8, 2013, staff accidentally perforated her small bowel and failed to repair the puncture, allegedly resulting in leakage, postoperative shock, severe sepsis, and necrotizing fasciitis. As a result, she had to be airlifted to a St. Louis hospital for emergency surgery to save her life.

The suit states that the defendants’ agents or employees were negligent and unskillful in failing to recognize the wound, signs of developing infection, or sepsis at the surgery site; and failing to intervene.

The plaintiff also claims she suffered “peritonitis, acute repository [sic] failure, acute kidney failure, excruciating incapacitating pain to her abdomen and torso, and the ability to eat solid food for approximately one year.”

Alleging more than $500,000 in medical bills and rehabilitation costs and loss of consortium during recovery, the couple seeks actual costs, additional compensation of more than $50,000, attorneys’ fees and costs. The Quinns are represented by Craig Schlapprizzi of Donald L. Schlapprizzi in in St. Louis, MO.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-862

Monday, July 27




9 a.m.




KELLER KELLI V. 1ST MIDAMERICA CREDIT UNION FK

11-L-000953, MUDGE 302

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan would have created havoc with her plan to pay state employees the minimum wage in the absence of a budget, according to St. Clair County circuit judge Robert LeChien.

He added sharp words to an order he signed on July 17, splitting representation of state comptroller Leslie Munger between Madigan and Munger’s staff lawyers.

LeChien wrote that, “it is apparent that the AG is not outwardly concerned about the havoc created in the governmental offices concerned with payroll and benefits.”

Nor was Madigan concerned about leaving Munger with an unworkable order derived through proceedings Madigan initiated against Munger, he wrote.

Madigan sued Munger in Cook County on July 1, after the state budget expired, for an order to pay minimum wage to all.

Munger, through outside counsel that Madigan authorized, pleaded that converting the payroll to minimum wage would take months.

A judge granted the order that Madigan sought, but by then state employee unions had sued for a normal payroll in St. Clair County.

Madigan did not authorize outside counsel for Munger in the St. Clair County action, so Munger moved to disqualify Madigan.

LeChien took the motion under advisement at a hearing on July 9, saying he would not decide what might not have to be decided.

Then he upset Madigan’s lawyers, first by letting Munger’s lawyers respond to them and next by granting the order Munger favored.

Madigan appealed to the Fifth District, sticking to her minimum wage position.

In LeChien’s court, she moved to strike the appearance and arguments of Munger’s chief counsel, Alissa Camp, at the hearing.

LeChien’s July 17 order denied both Munger’s motion to disqualify Madigan and Madigan’s motion to strike Camp’s arguments.

He wrote that Camp could continue presenting Munger’s position, “as it may diverge from that of the AG throughout the litigation.”

He wrote that Madigan would determine what course Munger takes.

As of July 20, legislators had not sent a budget to Gov. Bruce Rauner.

July 10, 2015




Gateway Mortgage Group v. Amy Bach, $56,176.96, 2629 Benton St., Granite City. 15-CH-409




July 14, 2015




Wells Fargo Bank v. Robert E. and Carol A. Calvert, $104,258.61, 102 E. Jennings Ave., Wood River. 15-CH-410




July 15, 2015




US Bank v. Nerissa Calvin, $144,510.55, 411 Brentwood Blvd., Alton. 15-CH-411

First Guaranty Mortgage v. Gregory H., Jeffrey E. and Bryan T. Craine, $66,698.21, 322 George St., E. Alton. 15-CH-412

Deutsche Bank v. Jennifer L. and William Fite, $122,285.09, 3901 Hwy 111, Granite City. 15-CH-413




July 17, 2015




Green Tree Servicing v. William and Dennis Kent, $116,513.83, 340 S. Benton, Edwardsville. 15-CH-416

Green Tree Servicing v. Unknown Heirs of Emma l. Kipp, $118,408.32, 1231 Lindenwood Ave., Edwardsville. 15-CH-417

JP Morgan Chase Bank v. Cory D. Hamilton, $61,866.34, 5302 Cottonwood Dr., Godfrey. 15-CH-418

A St. Clair County couple filed a lawsuit against a financial company regarding a 2014 contractual matter, claiming fraud and misrepresentation.

Gene Hyatt and Ho Ann Hyatt of Fairview Heights filed a complaint on July 2 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Genworth Financial, alleging breach of contract in a December 2014 insurance dispute.

According to the filing, the plaintiffs entered into a contract with the defendant for an insurance policy prior to Nov. 19, 2001. Court documents indicate that the agreement included a cancellation clause, but that when the plaintiffs send a certified letter to Genworth on Dec. 31, 2014 cancelling the policy and requesting a pro-rated refund of premiums paid, the defendant allegedly refused to remit the funds.

The Hyatts accuse the financial firm of several counts including breach of contract, consumer fraud and bad faith.

According to the policy, the couple claims they are owed $31,500.00. They seek an additional $60,000.00 for the defendant’s purportedly intentional misrepresentation.

The plaintiffs seek judgment in their favor plus attorneys’ fees and costs. They are represented by Charles J. Baricevic of Chatham & Baricevic in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-388

A Madison County woman claims a man in a pick-up truck rear-ended her while attempting to switch lanes on the highway.

Tricia Gall of Troy filed a lawsuit on July 6 in Madison County Circuit Court against Mark Dycus, also of Troy, claiming vehicular negligence in an August 2013 highway collision.

According to the filing, the plaintiff was operating a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu in the far left lane of eastbound Highway I-270 in Florissant, Mo.

The suit states that when the defendant, also traveling eastbound, merged into the left lane, he rear-ended Gall’s automobile with his 1999 Chevrolet Silverado Pickup Truck.

The plaintiff claims the defendant failed to yield to traffic before passing, reduce his speed, keep a proper lookout, slow and stop to avoid impact, use caution and control his vehicle.

Gall alleges physical injury, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, past and future lost wages and medical expenses.

Alleging negligence, the plaintiff seeks judgment in her favor and compensatory damages in an amount of more than $50,000 plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

She is represented by Michael Wesley of the Law Office of Michael R. Wesley in Wood River.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-845

A Madison County woman filed a lawsuit against a motorist following a 2013 automobile accident in Godfrey.

Rhonda Strowmatt filed a lawsuit on July 1 in Madison County Circuit Court against Paige E. Goheen of Dow, claiming injuries due to the defendant’s alleged vehicular negligence in an August 2013 roadway collision in Madison County.

Strowmatt claims she was a passenger in a vehicle traveling in a southerly direction on Godfrey Road on Aug. 4, 2013, at approximately 7 p.m. when Goheen, driving northbound, allegedly collided violently with the vehicle Strowmatt was riding in.

According to the filing, Goheen was guilty of negligent acts including failing to yield the right of way, neglecting to keep a proper lookout for the plaintiff and others traveling on the public thoroughfare and making an improper left-hand turn.

The suit states that the plaintiff suffered injuries to her bones, ligaments, nerves, muscles and spinal discs, including bruising and fractures. Strowmatt alleges she has been prevented from attending to her normal activities and has incurred medical bills.

The plaintiff seeks judgment in her favor for more than $50,000 plus attorney’s fees and costs. She is represented by attorney Joseph Hoefert in Alton.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-842.

A Dorsey woman is suing a driver over injuries that were allegedly the result a car accident.

Diane Turpen filed a lawsuit on May 7 in St. Clair County 20th Judicial Circuit Court against Nicholas Lampe for negligence.

According to the filing, the defendant’s vehicle struck the plaintiff’s vehicle while she was stopped at a traffic light waiting to merge onto Interstate 55/27 Northbound in Collinsville.

As a result of the collision the plaintiff suffered severe injuries to her upper extremities. The suit states that the defendant failed to decrease the speed of his vehicle to avoid a collision and failed to exercise reasonable care for the safety on others on the roadway.

The plaintiff seeks a judgement in her favor for more than $75,000 in medical expenses plus court costs. She is represented by Jerome Schlichter of the Schlichter, Bogard and Denton Law Firm.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-275

A St. Clair County woman filed a lawsuit on behalf of her deceased husband against Washington University and a rehabilitation facility following her husband's death.

Chanta Martin filed a lawsuit for the estate of Rodney Goree in St. Clair County Circuit Court on July 1 against The Washington University of St. Louis and ProRehab PC, claiming wrongful death in October 2014.

According to the filing, the plaintiff’s husband Rodney died on or about Oct. 17, 2014, in Cahokia, Ill. The suit states that the defendants were guilty of failing to perform a specialized medical test called a Homan’s test on multiple occasions during her husband’s medical examinations and that they negligently failed to recognize, diagnose, and preventatively address, and otherwise treat his alleged deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism when he was present for treatment on and after Aug. 29, 2014.

Martin faults the defendants individually and/or through its agents and employees.

Alleging loss of companionship and support for his next of kin and medical expenses, the plaintiff seeks judgment in her favor for more than $75,000 plus attorney’s fees and costs.

She is represented by Thomas Q. Keefe Jr. of Keefe & Keefe in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-383.

A motorcycle driver filed a complaint against a woman regarding a 2014 automobile-motorcycle accident in Madison County.

Michael R. Meyer of Collinsville filed a lawsuit July 2 in Madison County Circuit Court against Annette Tennant of Maryville, Ill., claiming vehicular negligence in an August 2014 crash that left him with physical injuries.

According to the filing, the plaintiff was stopped on his motorcycle on Beltline at the entrance to a car wash on or about Aug. 29, 2014, at approximately 4:50 p.m. The exact township or city was not named. The suit states that traffic was stopped at the intersection for a red light.

Court documents indicate that when an unknown party driving a vehicle in the right-hand lane of westbound Beltline “waved the plaintiff into the roadway” and Meyer attempted to cross two traffic lanes on westbound Beltline on his bike, the plaintiff was struck by Tennant minivan as it was traveling westbound on Beltline toward the intersection of Bluff.

The complaint states that the defendant failed to keep a lookout, drove too fast, failed to slow down and take evasive action to avoid a collision and obey traffic signals. Meyer claims abrasions, injuries to his extremities, pain and suffering, permanent disability, lost wages and medical bills totaling more than $90,000.

The plaintiff seeks judgment in his favor for more than $50,000 plus attorneys’ fees and costs. He is represented by Zane Cagle of the Cagle Law Firm in St. Louis, Mo.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-841.

Defense attorney Tabitha M. Schneider joins HeplerBroom’s Edwardsville office as an associate.

Schneider focuses her practice on complex multi-party and business litigation matters, including toxic torts, personal injury, product liability and premises liability.

She earned her J.D. from New England School of Law in 2005 and graduated with her B.A. from St. Louis University in 2002.

Schneider is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Massachusetts.