Who is Thomas M. Novak?

Who is Thomas M. Novak, plaintiff in a new case filed against Sheriff Keith Nygren on March 4th?

Deputies are starting to talk about it, even though the word around 2200 N. Seminary Ave. is all hush-hush. Check out Case No. 14LA0060 in the McHenry County Circuit Court.

Novak is represented by Attorney Albert R. Pino.

Whenever the Sheriff is sued in his official capacity, his statutory defense attorney is the McHenry County State's Attorney. That would be the duly-elected Hon. Louis Bianchi. But Nygren and Bianchi aren't best friends, so Nygren blows a lot of taxpayer money hiring out-of-County attorneys.

Nygren could use Bianchi's office and the taxpayers would not have to cough up outrageous fees charged by private counsel. Who is the Sheriff's attorney in this case?

Court records indicate that the law firm of Knight Hoppe Kurnik & Knight represents Nygren. Who? Where'd they come from?

Using the FUI investigative technique (Fountain of Unimportant Information), on Google I found the firm. It has a Schererville, Indiana address, only 96.2 easy miles and a few tolls southeast of the McHenry County Courthouse. Think their lawyer will charge their $400/hour for commuting?

But wait! A little more digging uncovers an Illinois office at 5600 N. River Road, Suite 600, Rosemont, Illinois. And the law firm's listed attorneys include Sarah Hansen Sotos.

Sotos. Sotos. Why is that name familiar?

Oh, I remember... The Sotos name was on a subpoena mailed to me, when the Sheriff thought he could squeeze 27 months' worth of documents out of me in the Seipler v. Nygren et al. Federal case in Rockford. I filed my own Motion to Squash it (I know, I know ... quash...) and won. James Sotos is the sheriff's good friend and beneficiary of large legal fees because Nygren won't use Lou Bianchi's office.

Could there be any relationship between Sarah Hansen Sotos and James Sotos? Why didn't Nygren hire James to Sotos defend him?

The Defendant in 14LA0060 is, according to online court records, Keith Nygren "of McHenry County Sheriff Office". That leaves some wiggle room without looking directly at the papers filed in Woodstock. Is Novak's case against Nygren as Sheriff or against Nygren personally?

And just who is Thomas M. Novak?

Want to know more about the case? Show up Friday morning at 9:00AM in Judge Meyer's Courtroom 201, when a Motion will be heard.