Stanko McCarthy Law Group, Ltd.

01/20/2026

Cook County Allows Tax Foreclosures by Municipalities. Poor Oversight has Led to Misuse by Local Officials.

Officials were able to use the county’s revitalization program for personal and political gain, neglected seized properties, and stripped homeowners of equity they had built up in their properties. This article provides some insight into these issues (courtesy of Injustice Watch).If you or someone...

01/16/2026

Court Finds That Illinois' Tax Sale Procedures Are Unconstitutional

Summary of Kidd v. Pappas, No. 1:22-cv-07061 (N.D. Ill.).Case Background • Plaintiffs (including Michelle Kidd and others) sued Maria Pappas (Cook County Treasurer) and Cook County, Illinois, alleging that the county’s property tax sale procedures violated constitutional rights by taking homeown...

08/18/2025

Cook County's Technological Issues Cause Massive Delays with Refunds and Tax Bills.

$56 million in property tax refunds have been held up since May 2025. It's all the result of a technological issue with Cook County and its outside vendor. To read more about the situation, click here.Similarly, the 2024 second installment tax bills are also delayed. The second installment was techn...

02/12/2025

Home Equity Theft and Indemnity Fund Claims after Tyler v. Hennepin.

The Illinois Constitution provides that “[n]o person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law nor be denied the equal protection of the laws.’ However, what happens when people are deprived of their property and equity is not returned to them? This is a question ...

10/18/2024

Cook County announces 2022 annual tax sale.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas' office announced that the 2022 Annual tax sale will take place beginning December 10, 2024. For more information click here.Keep in mind that In Illinois, everything is triggered by the date of sale. This is the date you are the winning bidder (as shown on your re...

12/13/2023

Beware of Illinois tax sale deadlines.

In Illinois, everything is triggered by the date of sale. This is the date you are the winning bidder (as shown on your certificates), not the date you actually receive the certificates (which can be a few months in Cook County). Within 4.5 months from the date of sale, the notice required by Sectio...

12/07/2023

Cook County 2021 Annual Sale Announced

Cook County 2021 Annual Tax Sale

07/06/2023

If you or anyone you know has lost their property to a tax deed, please contact us. https://www.smlg.law/post/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-decides-case-of-home-equity-theft

07/06/2023

https://www.smlg.law/post/cook-county-clerk-announces-over-the-counter-forfeiture-tax-sale

forfeiture tax sale timeline

02/15/2023

SMLG is happy to support a great cause!

02/06/2023

Pappas publishes report on alleged abuses of the Property Tax Code sale in error procedures.

In October 2022, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas published a report about purported abuses of the sale in error provisions of the Illinois Property Tax Code. You can read the report by clicking here. SMLG takes no position regarding the report but does note that it is representing an owner of pro...

10/07/2022

Cook County Treasurer: 55,000+ properties in 2020 Annual Tax Sale starting November 15.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will conduct the annual sale of delinquent 2020 property taxes (due in 2021) starting November 15, 2022. Over $226 million is due on 55,857 homes, businesses and land. Less than $1,000 is owed on 14,189 properties in Chicago and 7,162 properties in suburban Cook Co...