Brennan
St. Clair County Associate Judge Andrew Gleeson on Thursday ordered Belleville attorney Edward Brennan to establish a $2 million bond in a restricted money market account.
Brennan had filed a notice of appeal Jan. 13 regarding Gleeson's decision that ordered him to pay former law partner Michael Constance $1.6 million in a dispute arising from a $10.5 million settlement reached with tennis star Jimmy Connors.
Proof of the account is expected to be given to the court within 48 hours.
"I'm going to want an acknowledgement that those funds have been restricted," Gleeson said.
Brennan is appealing Gleeson's decision and seeking a judgment for himself.
"This is going to be an expeditious appeal," Brennan told Gleeson Thursday morning.
The Belleville firm Brennan, Cates & Constance, which dissolved in 1998, had represented Connors on various matters including his relationship with the Alton Belle Casino. The firm had reached an agreement with Connors in 1992 in which Connors agreed to pay the partners 20 percent of the money he received in the Alton Belle and Argosy venture, according to court records.
Constance sued Brennan in April 2010, claiming he did not receive a fair share of the settlement.
In a Dec. 16 ruling, Gleeson found Brennan had a duty to disclose to his partners that there had been a tender of stock by Connors, and that Brennan refused to accept the offer.
Gleeson also found Brennan concealed the offer from his partners.
Gleeson presided over a contentious six-week bench trial that ended Oct. 13, 2011.
Brennan and Constance had 30 days to appeal the judge's decision.
Constance is represented by Belleville attorney Bruce Cook.
Edward Kionka of Carbondale was listed on the appeal as Brennan's attorney.
The case is St. Clair County case 10-L-213.