Get an attorney before run for office
After covering spring election-related hearings and court challenges this month, I've come to one conclusion.
If you're running for local office for the first time, you probably should hire an attorney before you submit your nominating petitions.
Now, this is not a favor to the Kane County Bar Association to drum up billable hours.
I write this because after attending a lengthy ballot challenge in Campton Hills and observing a short court hearing for an Elgin City Council candidate, it was evident that an attorney could have helped.
Kristin LeBlanc, who is running as a write-in for Campton Hills Village President against incumbent Patsy Smith, didn't have all of her paperwork done by the Dec. 20 filing deadline.
Neither did David Koldos, who wanted to run for Elgin City Council.
Smith challenged LeBlanc's nominating petitions and LeBlanc had to hire an attorney for a 3½-hour hearing on whether she should stay on the ballot.
LeBlanc was eventually booted when the Village Clerk Carolyn Higgins declined to certify LeBlanc's petitions and Smith's challenge became moot.
Koldos didn't have all his paperwork done either when he went to city hall to run for council. He acted as his own attorney and unsuccessfully sued the city to get on the ballot.
Both candidates — along with others kicked off the April ballot — could have benefited from some sound legal advice before they filed.
Better safe than sorry, in my view.
Heroin death solved
An Oswego man recently was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the heroin overdose death of a Crystal Lake teen.
Ryan A. Maxwell, 19, of the 1500 block of Birmingham Lane, died from an overdose on Jan. 26, 2007, at a friend's apartment.
Mark S. Seranella, 22, was arrested in May 2010 at his Oswego home and charged with drug-induced homicide, a felony that carried a sentence of six to 30 years in prison.
Authorities said Seranella traded Maxwell some heroin for a guitar.
McHenry County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Combs said prosecutors reduced the charge to felony involuntary manslaughter because Seranella was arrested after the three-year statute of limitations expired on the drug-induced homicide charge.