McHenry County Blog

The seal of the 22nd District Circuit Court.

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:

New Arbitration Center for the Twenty Second Circuit

WOODSTOCK, IL – The Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County has a new Arbitration Center located at 666 Russel Court, Suite 309 in Woodstock. The telephone number to the new McHenry County Arbitration Center is 815-337-0582.

In early August, 2011, the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County and the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Lake County submitted a joint request to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, requesting an arbitration administrator for the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit.

Prior to this request, the Nineteenth and Twenty Second Judicial Circuit shared an arbitration administrator, which traveled between the two circuits.

On October 24, 2011 Alison E. Lowery was selected as the arbitration administrator for the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit.

Due to space limitations within the McHenry County Government Center and the desire to expand the arbitration program and enhance case management, it was necessary to acquire the necessary facilities outside of the Government Center.

All funding for the McHenry County Arbitration Center comes from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.

The McHenry County General Fund does not financially support the arbitration program.

Arbitration is mandatory for civil cases seeking money damages between $10,000-$50,000.

Cases eligible for arbitration proceed in court along an expedited track, with an arbitration hearing date four to six months from the date the case is filed.

A panel of three arbitrators conducts the arbitration hearing.

Arbitrators are selected on a random, rotating basis from a list of retired judges or attorneys who have attended training.

The arbitration panel conducts a hearing, allowing the parties to present all facts, evidence, and law, before rendering an award.

The arbitration award is not binding for thirty days, during which time any party present at the arbitration hearing may “reject” the award, pay a rejection fee, and then proceed to a trial before a judge or jury.

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The new arbitration center is located at 666 Russel Court in Woodstock, suite 309. This is the 3 story office building adjacent to Government Center.
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“The mission of the 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County is to be the guardian of life, liberty and property to all seeking access to justice, by adhering to practices that ensure equality, fairness and confidence in the judiciary”

McHenry County Blog posted the legal fees paid by county taxpayers recently in the case re-instating Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Schlenkert.

Although Schlenkert won the case almost eleven months ago, Sheriff Keith Nygren hasn’t settled up on issues of back pay and attorney’s fees. Of the $31,000 in fees, $14,000 were incurred after the appellate court upheld Schlenkert’s reinstatement.

A similar case involves Nygren GOP primary opponent Zane Seipler.  Take a look at the legal fees that county taxes have paid for the county’s defense:

$23,573 so far, if one rounds up to the nearest dollar.

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In the comment section below, Zane Seipler corrects my terminology with regard to the suit:

Cal, you use the words “county’s defense”.

I don’t consider that to be accurate. I n both Circuit Court and in the Appellate Court Mchenry County (Keith Nygren) is the Plantiff.

I never sued anyone to get my job back.

Instead of going through the Merit Commission (Nygren’s Buddies) I chose the Arbitration route.

That was an option because of the change in the law that went into effect in 2008.

I was awarded my job back because the arbitrator said Nygren’s termination of me was UNJUST.

McHenry County (Keith Nygren) then sued me (FOP) as is allowed by said law in an attempt to overturn the arbitrators decision that said Nygren’s termination of me was UNJUST.

Fact of the matter is McHenry County (Nygren) made the decision to spend this money.

It was not a defensive response to a case that I brought before a formal court of law but instead an offensive action to keep me from returning to the Sheriff’s Department.

Now the Federal lawsuit is a different story and a much more interesting one.

Check out the latest filing when you get a chance.