Justices allow RICO lawsuit in Illinois case
Lawyer Blogs
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed businessmen to use a powerful law enforcement tool in a lawsuit alleging fraud in tax sales in Cook County, Ill.
The unanimous decision came in a case involving the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
The court ruled in favor of two firms alleging that manipulation by competitors had resulted in a disproportionate share of tens of thousands of tax liens going to the competitors.
Tax sales in Cook County enable the collection of unpaid property taxes, giving buyers of tax liens an opportunity to take over property if the owners don't pay up.
The issue for Phoenix Bond & Indemnity Co. and BCS Services Inc. was whether they could sue even though they had not relied on allegedly fraudulent statements the defendants submitted to Cook County. The statements said that each tax buyer was truly independent from other tax buyers in the competitive bidding.
Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas said that nothing in the RICO law required Phoenix and BCS to show that they relied on alleged misrepresentations by a defendant.
Cook County requires that each buyer submit bids only in its name and not through any related entity.
Phoenix and BCS alleged that a number of related entities "packed the room" in tax sales by having relatives in two families bid for the same properties.
Related listings
-
High court rules against multiple royalties
Lawyer Blogs 06/09/2008The Supreme Court has limited the ability of companies to collect multiple royalties on their patents.The unanimous decision Monday was helpful to customers of Intel Corp. and is the latest step by the justices to scale back the power of patent-holde...
-
Court: Vt. ruling stands in lesbian custody case
Lawyer Blogs 06/07/2008The Virginia Supreme Court says that a Vermont court's ruling should stand in a child visitation dispute between two former lesbian partners.Friday's decision is a victory for Janet Jenkins, who entered a civil union with Lisa Miller in Vermont in 20...
-
Court: Vt. ruling stands in lesbian custody case
Lawyer Blogs 06/06/2008Virginia's highest court ruled Friday that the state must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to a mother's former lesbian partner.The Virginia Supreme Court rejected Lisa Miller's claim that a lower court improperly ignore...
Illinois Work Injury Lawyers – Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD.
Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. While we are one of the largest firms in Illinois dedicated solely to the representation of injured workers, we pride ourselves on the personal, one-on-one approach we deliver to each client.
Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties. Factors that affect one’s quality of life such as place of work, relationships with friends and family, and social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD. provides informed advocacy in all kinds of workers’ compensation claims, including:
• Injuries to the back and neck, including severe spinal cord injuries
• Serious head injuries
• Heart problems resulting from workplace activities
• Injuries to the knees, elbows, shoulders and other joints
• Injuries caused by repetitive movements
For Illinois Workers’ Compensation claims, you will ALWAYS cheat yourself if you do not hire an experienced attorney. When you hire Krol, Bongiorno & Given, Ltd, you will have someone to guide you through the process, and when it is time to settle, we will add value to your case IN EXCESS of our fee. In the last few years, employers and insurance carriers have sought to advance the argument that when you settle a case without an attorney, your already low settlement should be further reduced by 20% so that you do not get a “windfall.” Representing yourself in Illinois is a lose-lose proposition.