Bar association says Carpentersville man impersonated lawyer

A Carpentersville man is in hot water after being accused of improperly practicing law in Kane County.

The Kane County Bar Association recently filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Robert Sperlazzo to cease and desist and find him in civil contempt.

According to the complaint, Sperlazzo on Dec. 1, 2010 was at the Kane County Recorder’s Office with two men counseling them about a “land patent process” that Sperlazzo said could help them keep their land even if their property was in foreclosure.

Sperlazzo, the suit alleges, told the men to avoid the court system, accepted payment in cash and told the men if they talk to another lawyer about the matter, the entire process could be ruined.

“By virtue of the foregoing, Sperlazzo was practicing law. He is not authorized to practice law and has no authority to do so,” the suit states.

A man who answered the phone number for Sperlazzo included in the lawsuit said he was not Sperlazzo and promised to deliver a message to him. Sperlazzo did not call back.

The next court date is June 20. The bar association also seeks $5,000 in damages.

Paperless courthouse?

Prosecutors and public defenders juggling a boatload of cases are often seen wheeling carts stuffed with case files in and out of courtrooms.

That practice is bound to continue, but the carts could be lighter — or hold more information — in coming months.

The Kane County state’s attorney’s office recently paid $700 on a test batch of scanners so documents — such as police reports, crime scene photos and lab results — can be exchanged between attorneys on a simple, burned computer disk as part of the discovery process.

Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said information can be exchanged on “one disk as opposed to 500 pieces of paper.”

McMahon doesn’t have an estimate on how much savings in copying costs can be realized, but said the practice can help attorneys manage cases better, especially now that police departments in Elgin, Carpentersville and Aurora have the ability produce reports in an electronic format.

Welcome back

Veteran prosecutor Bill Engerman has rejoined the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.

Engerman served in Kane from 2001 to July 2008, when he left to become the First Assistant State’s Attorney in DeKalb, but he was recently let go by new DeKalb County State’s Attorney Clay Campbell.

McMahon said Engerman will be assigned to priority cases.

“Bill brings a wealth of experience back to the office,” he said.

hhitzeman@dailyherald.com