NEW 2008 SECURITY DEPOSIT RATES
The security deposit interest rates for the State of Illinois and City of Chicago for 2008 have been released.  Click here for the new rates.

ANNOUNCING SECURITYDEPOSITRECOVERY.COM!
We are pleased to announce that our sister site securitydepositrecovery.com is now up and running.  We created a more targeted site to help both landlords and tenants understand their rights and duties under the CRLTO.  Please feel free to take a look!

COOK COUNTY SHERIFF OVERWHELMED
In order to reduce a backlog of service of process and eviction requests in the forcible entry and detainer division, the Sheriff of Cook County has instituted a number of new policies and procedures to streamline the system and get long wait times back on track.  First, for first district cases, the Sheriff is requiring a return date on forcible entry / eviction cases of at least 16 days (as opposed to a minimum of 14).  Also, when enforcing an Order for Possession, the Sheriff will no longer actually move the tenant's possessions (instead leaving this task to the landlord).  In accord with that decision, the Sheriff has reduced the fee to place a possession order from $250 to $60.

NEW REAL ESTATE CASE: ATTORNEY APPROVAL
In a recent decision (6-29-07), the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court clarified Illinois law relating to attorney approval clauses in residential real estate transactions.  In the case PATEL v. MCGRATH (2-06-0472) the court ruled that unless an attorney specifically proposes a modification (rather than a suggestion for better or different terms), that proposal is not a counter-offer (as was thought to be the case based on prior rulings) but instead, the then "current" contract remains in full force and effect.

NEW LANDLORD TENANT APPELLATE CASE
The Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court recently published an opinion in the case VG Marina Management Corp. v. Wiener (2-05-0610) affirming a landlord's right to obtain a judment for attorneys fees pursuant to the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance.  Justice O'Malley's dissenting opinion that the plain language of the CRLTO prohibits such an aware will no doubt be argued again.  This one is likely not over.