The “price” of tenant evictions: costs in an Illinois eviction

THE COSTS ARE THE COSTS To many clients and prospective clients, one of the most important questions for a landlord is “How much will an eviction lawsuit this cost me?”  Attorneys fees aside, costs are the single most determining factor in whether or not to go ahead with a forcible entry and detainer case. The costs of an eviction that […]

The art of finding the right tenant

First things first! Choosing a tenant is not an easy process. First, landlords face the notion of non-discrimination in picking a prospective tenant. State and Federal law prohibit landlords from discriminating against tenants based upon race, sex, age, gender, family status or size, nationality or disbility. As long as a landlord has a legitimate business based reason for denying a […]

Intestacy is Bad! Illinois intestacy

How the State of Illinois Intestate Succession Law Determines the Distribution of Your Assets if You Die Without a Will If you die without a will, your estate will pass to your relatives based upon a set of laws determined by the legislature of the State of Illinois and embodied in the state’s probate code.

Executors, Administrators and Representatives in Illinois Probate

The Probate Representative The Illinois Probate Act at 755 ILCS 5/1-2.15 defines a “Representative” as follows: “Representative includes executor, administrator, administrator to collect, standby guardian, guardian and temporary guardian.” In a deceased person’s estate, the most common representatives are an executor, administrator and administrator to collect.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE WILL IN ILLINOIS

Often, in the confusion and grief surrounding the death of a loved one, the will, if one exists, can be a source of concern and confusion. Where is it? What should we do with it? These are important but often overlooked questions. Illinois law provides some of the answers.

Does Illinois Law Require Probate?

TO PROBATE OR NOT TO PROBATE Although probate applies to both guardianship and deceased persons estates, the word more commonly refers to a decedent’s estate. In probate, a court process provides a means to assist heirs, legatees and family members collect and liquidate the assets of a deceased person, wrap up the debts and outstanding issues affecting the deceased person, and finally distribute the assets […]

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!

Real Estate Case: Attorney Approval

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 […]

Landlord Tenant Case: Attorney’s Fees in Chicago Evictions

The Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court in the case VG Marina Management Corp. v. Wiener (2-05-0610) affirmed a landlord’s right to obtain a judgment for attorneys fees pursuant to the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance. The case came up a second time on remand from the Illinois Supreme Court and the court decided that the landlord was not […]