Record Shop Owner Made Whole
61-year-old Ray ran a small music record shop on Chicago’s North Side when he fell behind on rent. Though he worked out a payment plan with his landlord, the landlord still sought to evict him. While Ray was in the hospital battling an illness, the landlord illegally removed all of Ray’s inventory and fixtures from the store.
A team of three lawyers from Barnes & Thornburg LLP agreed to take Ray’s case pro bono with attorney Scott Peloza taking the lead. They sued the landlord to get Ray’s records and other belongings back and for damages from the illegal lockout. The landlord countersued for back due rent. Early on in the case, the attorneys got an order directing the landlord to immediately return the illegally seized items from the store. Ray was able to get most, but not all, of his things back.
Scott pressed the landlord hard during this case and eventually the landlord’s lawyers withdrew. He was able to get an order dismissing the landlord’s claims against Ray with prejudice, meaning those claims can never be brought against Ray again. The team also got a judgment in Ray’s favor for over $19,000.
When Ray came to CVLS for help, he was living with friends, and his sole source of income had been unlawfully taken away. Thanks to the help of Scott and the attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg, Ray is back on his feet again.
