Fighting City Hall may soon pay off for Chicagoans who think they have been overcharged on tickets for parking and city sticker violations.
Last week, Circuit Judge William Sullivan handed down a summary judgement making the city of Chicago liable for nearly $104 million dollars in refunds. The case, which goes back more than 10 years, has been bitterly contested by the city.
The judge ruled that the city violated an Illinois law that caps tickets issued by administrative courts like Chicago’s at $250 – but some violations started at that level and increased over time if not paid.
One-time rideshare driver Kyle Garchar said his app locked him out from driving because tickets he had been issued increased in value to more than $1,600. He called that amount “insane.”
Garchar was one of the first to file suit.
“If someone doesn’t hold the city accountable when they break the law, what’s going to stop them from doing this in the future,” said Garchar’s attorney, Jacie Zolma.
His case is not unique.
In 2023, NBC Chicago reported on the plight of Rodney Shelton.
When Shelton parked a 2000 Chevy Cavalier with a broken head gasket on a private lot in his West Garfield Park neighborhood, he figured he didn’t need to buy a city sticker or register the car. He was wrong.
Because there was no fence around the lot, city collectors came back to the vehicle time after time with more tickets in hand.
”In a three-month time span, I got 77 tickets for either a violation of the city sticker or registration, which ballooned to over $20,000 (in penalties),” he said.
Eventually, Shelton said he had to file bankruptcy.
Chicago has since lowered its fees and penalties to bring them into better compliance with state law. It has not refunded any of the money now owed.
Chicago is now on the hook for almost $70 million in overcharges above that $250 per ticket threshold. It’s also liable for $34 million in interest. Another $94 million in fines and fees not yet collected by the city has also been wiped out.
A spokesperson for the city’s law department said Tuesday that the fight is not over. In a statement she said: “While we respect the judicial process, we are actively evaluating all available legal options, including an appeal. This matter is not final, and the city intends to continue vigorously defending the interests of its residents. “
Attorneys for the plaintiffs are planning to go back to court to demand the city pay up.
“It doesn’t make any sense. The city’s not making any money because people can’t afford these tickets. On the other hand, they are taking away people’s ability to earn a living and destroying people’s lives in the process,” Zolma said.
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