Once Removed

A recent complaint filed by the Illinois Administrator alleges that an attorney falsely claimed to have a court order in a matter where the client was seeking the return of property.

The case

On October 14, 2021, a woman with the initials T.J. filed a pro se complaint against her sister, a woman with the initial D.L. (“D.L.”) in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department (“the Municipal matter”). Judge Patricia M. Fallon presided over the Municipal matter for the duration of the case.

The complaint alleged that D.L. was in possession of T.J.’s personal property and that D.L. had allegedly locked out T.J. of a house located on South Wallace Street in Chicago (“Wallace Street Residence”), thus preventing T.J. from retrieving her property. T.J. sought approximately $30,000 in damages against D.L. At all times alleged in this complaint, D.L. was not represented by counsel.

After Respondent was retained it is alleged

On January 8, 2023, Respondent contacted the Chicago Police Department, identified herself as an attorney, and asked that Chicago Police Department officers to accompany her to the Wallace Street Residence. The Chicago Police Department representative agreed to the request and on that date, Respondent arrived at the Wallace Street Residence, along with two Chicago Police Department officers.

On January 8, 2023, when they arrived at the Wallace Street Residence, one of the Chicago Police Department officers asked Respondent if she had a court order allowing the removal of T.J.’s personal property from the Wallace Street Residence; to which Respondent replied that she did.

Respondent’s statement that she had a court order allowing the removal of T.J.’s personal property from the Wallace Street Residence was false because neither Judge Fallon nor any other judge had entered such an order in the Municipal matter allowing the removal of T.J.’s personal property.

Respondent knew her statement to the officer that she had a court order allowing the removal of T.J.’s personal property from the Wallace Street Residence was false because she knew that neither Judge Fallon nor any other judge had entered such an order in the Municipal matter that allowed the removal of T.J.’s personal property from the Wallace Street Residence.

Once Respondent and the Chicago Police Department officers’ arrived at the Wallace Street Residence, R.J. told the Respondent and Chicago Police Department officers that T.J.’s personal property was in the backyard of the Wallace Street Residence. Respondent, with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department officers, then removed T.J.’s property, consisting of several bags and boxes of personal items, from the backyard of the Wallace Street Residence.

The judge learned of the unauthorized action

After D.L. testified regarding the events, Judge Fallon questioned Respondent as to the factual basis for Respondent’s apparent statement to D.L. and R.J. that Respondent had been authorized by a court order to enter the Wallace Street Residence and removal T.J.’s personal property. Respondent told Judge Fallon, “something to the effect of, ‘well, you kinda did [enter an order], Judge.’”

Then

in ruling from the bench at the conclusion of the trial, Judge Fallon found that Respondent “lied to the Court in an effort to conceal her egregious conduct” and “had now made herself a witness in the instant matter.”

Respondent also is alleged to have made false statements in the Administrator’s investigation. (Mike Frisch)