How Long Will La Grange Legal Battle Last?

LA GRANGE, IL — Southside La Grange residents want to know why it is taking so long to fix flooding issues. The solution, officials say, depends on a favorable outcome in court.

Two months ago, the village hired a new law firm, Chicago-based Tabet, DiVito & Rothstein. Dan Stanner is the main attorney working on the village's litigation with Hanson Aggregates quarry.

Related story: La Grange Makes Progress In Quarry Fight: Lawyer

The village is trying to install a drainage pipe across the quarry's property, alleging the quarry cut the former pipe in the early 1990s in violation of an easement. The south side has been suffering major flooding issues since 2014.

"One of the reasons we brought in Tabet, DiVito & Rothstein is that we really wanted to push litigation," Village President Mark Kuchler said at Monday's Village Board meeting. "We needed to move very, very aggressively forward. Their firm has the capability to do that. They're trial lawyers. That's what they do day in, day out. There has been no real, true settlement movement."

Attorney Dan Stanner, with Tabet, DiVito & Rothstein, told the board that he advocated for a trial date toward the end of the year during a recent status hearing with the judge and the quarry's attorneys. But he said it's a challenge to schedule cases now because so many were backed up during the pandemic.

Ultimately, he said, his goal was to get a trial by the first quarter of 2022. He said the next status hearing in the case is in late September.

Recently, the quarry's title insurance company brought in new lawyers.

"I know the attorneys who are involved on the other side," Stanner said. "I'm cautiously optimistic that they're coming into the process with the best of intentions."

He promised to fight any delaying tactics.