Seyller vs. Kane County suit could cost taxpayers $520,000
Taxpayers could be on the hook for another $63,000 in attorneys fees as both sides of the Deb Seyller vs. the Kane County Board lawsuit have submitted their final batch of bills, according to court records.
Chief Judge F. Keith Brown on Oct. 19 will consider final approval of the fees, which are for services from June through September.
So far, the litigation has cost more than $460,000 in attorney fees and could top $520,000.
Seyller, the circuit court clerk, sued the board last fall after the board denied her request for an additional $560,000 for personnel costs for 11 more workers to run her office.
After failed mediation, an appellate court decision and plenty of legal wrangling, the sides settled the suit in mid-September, with a new county budgeting process put in place and a mandate to replace the aging court records system, which early estimates figure to cost $10 million.
The Chicago-based firm of Ungaretti & Harris, which represented the county, submitted a request for $28,031.25 in attorney fees and $1,347.08 in expenses, according to court records.
The firm also gave the county a discount, with lawyers charging $375 per hour instead of their usual $465 per hour.
“This matter presented unique and complex issues. There was limited Illinois case law analyzing or defining the respective constitutional and statutory powers and responsibilities of county board and circuit court clerks in general and with respect to the appropriate use of special funds,” wrote attorney Claudette Miller in court filings. “The settlement achieved saved the taxpayers the expense of further litigation, and will formalize and streamline the Kane County budget process and the process for obtaining and implementing a Case Management System.”
The Aurora-based firm of Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi & Andersson, which represented Seyller, submitted bills for $33,875.50 in lawyer fees and $60 in expenses, according to court records.#8220;Said fees are reasonable and were incurred in the service of the circuit clerk,#8221; wrote attorney Dean Frieders in a court papers to Brown.
Brown said he could not comment about the fees.