Marks
Hepler
Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder is set to oversee a case management conference in a mortgage fees class action Wednesday.
The suit, one of a number filed by former partners -- the Lakin Law Firm of Wood River (now LakinChapman LLC) and Freed & Weiss of Chicago -- has had little action since Freed & Weiss withdrew from the case in April 2008.
The lead plaintiff, Todd Morgan, heads a similar suit against the same defendant in another third floor courtroom.
Countrywide Home Loans Inc. is the defendant in both class actions.
The two suits were filed within a year of one another, part of a series of class actions against mortgage brokers.
Crowder oversees the younger of the two suits. The class action before her was filed in 2004.
While the 2004 suit has had little activity in several years, the older suit before Madison County Circuit Judge David Hylla awaits final approval of its settlement.
Hylla is set to hear arguments in favor of that settlement June 28.
Hylla gave the settlement the initial go-ahead in February.
Both suits allege similar claims that Countrywide charged improper fees and overcharged customers.
The case management conference is set for 9 a.m.
Paul Marks represents Morgan and the class in both cases.
Larry Hepler represents Countrywide in the case before Crowder.
Beth Bauer represents Countrywide in the case before Hylla.
The Morgan case Crowder oversees is Madison case number 04-L-1432.
The Morgan case before Hylla is case number 03-L-980.