Is NWH failing its readers?

Yesterday two lawyers met in court about a case that has been ongoing since January 2010. Just about 2 1/2 years now. Case No. 10MR000011 is Zane Seipler's request for a special prosecutor to investigate Sheriff Keith Nygren for theft, official conduct and misappropriation of funds. THAT is what the case is about.

Judge Meyer ruled in April that he would not appoint a Special Prosecutor.

Then McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, on his own and without consulting the Board, decided to sic Woodstock attorney William Caldwell on Zane for fees.

Stop! Can you imagine the chilling effect if this were allowed, except in cases involving frivolous lawsuits (which this was not)?

Yesterday's hearing was Attorney Blake Horwitz's Motion to Dismiss the County's request for sanctions against him.

And what Judge Meyer apparently "suggested" was that Attorney Caldwell go back to his client and find out if his client (the County of McHenry) wanted to allow or fight the Motion to Dismiss.

I say "apparently" because it was almost impossible to hear anything Judge Meyer said. And I wasn't the only one who couldn't hear. I don't know why Judge Meyer (and other judges) doesn't speak up and why he doesn't require attorneys to speak up. These are public courtrooms, not chambers in Iran or Iraq or Russia or North Korea or China.

Did you understand what happened in court yesterday from the Northwest Herald article?

Next court date? Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 9:00AM, Courtroom 201.

And did you like the NWH summary of Zane's fight to get his job back? "After arbitration and a series of rulings in Seipler's favor, Nygren was forced to give Seipler his job back. He returned to work in mid-March."

"...a series of rulings..." Well, the decisions were in McHenry County Circuit Court and then at the Appellate Court. And then the Illinois Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Nygren cost the County about four years of Seipler's pay. How much is that? $300,000? And that's in only one case. You'd think the County Board would be more than a little upset about that!