False attorney dispute escalates for Carpentersville man

A dispute between a Carpentersville man, who was sued in early 2011 by the Kane County Bar Association for impersonating a lawyer, has escalated once again.

Robert Sperlazzo, 62, of the 600 block of Deer Hill Court, faces contempt of court charges and possible jail time, now that he has missed several court appearances after he filed a counter suit against several Kane County area attorneys and numerous judges, seeking more than $4 million in damages, according to court records.

Sperlazzo was chairman of the Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration, a group that supports cracking down on illegal immigrants living in Carpentersville.

Sperlazzo, who insists in court records he is a “sovereign citizen” who should be called Robert Dale, is due to go on trial on the contempt charges in July 26 before Judge Val Gunnarrson, who has been brought into Kane County from the 15th Judicial Circuit in Ogle County to hear the case.

Sperlazzo did not return a phone message and has not commented on his case since the bar association sued in early 2011.

Herb Hill, who is Sperlazzo's attorney in the contempt case, wrote in court papers that his client did not “consciously intend” to ignore his court date.

“He thought the case was moved to federal court,” Hill said outside of court. “I don't want to say anything else.”

In court records, Kane County prosecutors have indicated they will not seek more than 180 days in jail or a fine in excess of $500 against Sperlazzo.

Sperlazzo first got in hot water when the bar association filed a request for an injunction, arguing that he was impersonating an attorney in December 2010 when he advised two men at the Kane County Recorder's Office on a “land patent process” that would allow them to keep their property even if it was in foreclosure.

The complaint stated that Sperlazzo took payment in cash and told the men to avoid the court system and not to talk to other attorneys because it would ruin the process.

A judge eventually issued an injunction against Sperlazzo to prohibit him from continuing that behavior. He was not charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

Sperlazzo later sued several attorneys and a host of Kane County judges, arguing he was a victim of “sham proceedings” and didn't recognize the ruling of a “kangaroo court.” He also cited the Magna Carta, challenged the legal authority of the court system here and sought damages of $4 million.

This case is due in Kane County court next on June 27 and defendants have moved to have it dismissed.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writer Lenore T. Adkins contributed to this report.