‘Sovereign’ Woodstock man fought the law. Guess who won?
A 57-year-old Woodstock man might be singing that old song, “I Fought The Law.”
Despite his arguments that court orders didn’t apply to him, Hugh M. McGinley faces jail time after a jury convicted him of living inside a home from which he was previously evicted.
McGinley was found guilty of misdemeanor criminal trespass to a residence after a trial last week before Judge Gordon E. Graham.
During the trial, evidence showed that on June 15, 2011, McHenry County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a home in the 10000 block of Arabian Trail in unincorporated Woodstock.
There, they found McGinley had moved back into the home, changed the locks and posted “No Trespassing” signs on the home even though he’d been evicted in September 2010.
Authorities said McGinley told the deputies all McHenry County judges were not doing their jobs and should be arrested.
He also claimed that he was a “sovereign citizen,” that the members of the trial jury were not his peers, and that he didn’t have to abide by his court ordered eviction, authorities said.
McGinley will be sentenced Jan. 26. He faces up to 364 days in jail, up to two years probation, and a maximum $2,500 fine.
Identity safeguard takes effect: A new Illinois Supreme Court rule designed to protect Social Security numbers took effect Jan. 1.Rule 138 mandates that #147;unless otherwise required by law or ordered by the court#148; parties in litigation shall not include Social Security numbers in documents filed with the court.If listing a person#146;s Social Security number is required for a particular filing, only the last four digits of that number shall be used. Attorneys must fill out a form stating there is #147;confidential information#148; in the court file and that information is not available to the public.Campton Police net two: The Campton Hills Police Department made two drunken driving arrests, wrote 33 traffic citations and issued nine seat belt tickets as part of a holiday season crackdown funded by a federal grant.Police said extra emphasis was given to late-night hours because statistics show the highest number of motorists drink and drive then and the fewest motorists buckle up.hhitzeman@dailyherald.com