Rex Carr, Bruce Carr and firm sued; Plaintiffs say they failed to properly perform 'lawyerly' duties

Two people have filed suit against the attorneys who they claim did not properly perform their lawyerly duties, causing the couple to incur more than $2 million in damages.

Bruce K. Siddle and Sandra K. Siddle of PPCT Management Systems allege they had hired Rex Carr and Bruce Carr of The Rex Carr Law Firm to file a lawsuit against various doctors and companies. The lawsuit arose out of a failed business partnership.

According to court documents, the Siddles had agreed to make their company, PPCT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Homeland Security Corporation, which was owned by Dr. R. Crants Jr. The function of PPCT was to provide security management training, a United States Court of Appeals judgment states.

“The agreement aimed to allow HSC to compete for a large contract from the Transportation Security Agency,” the judgment says. “In exchange, Siddle took a one-quarter ownership share of HSC and became a member of HSC’s board of directors.”

After learning of fraud allegedly committed by Crants and his son, the Siddles allowed the business venture between Homeland Security Corporation and PPCT Management Systems to falter, according to a court judgment. Both the Siddles and the Crants executed two agreements that led to Crants’s departure from Homeland Security Corporation, the judgment states.

Under the agreements, the Siddles released Crants from any claims against him, the judgment says. Therefore, the Siddles were prevented from filing a lawsuit against him.

When the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois saw the Siddles’ complaint, it ruled that the agreements were valid and that the Siddles could not file a lawsuit against Crants. The United State Court of Appeals concurred with the District Court.

The Siddles blame the Carrs and The Rex Carr Law Firm for causing their injuries, saying the attorneys did not provide professional services as they would normally supply. Because of the outcome of the case, the Siddles claim to have lost a significant amount of money.

“As a proximate result of the negligence of the firm, Siddle sustained damages, included but not limited to the entry of a judgment against Siddle in the amount of $2,159,738.04,” the Siddles’ current complaint filed May 7 in St. Clair County Circuit Court states.

In their complaint, the Siddles seek a judgment of more than $150,000, plus costs.

They will be represented by B. Jay Dowling of the Law Offices of Sterling and Dowling in Fairview Heights.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-238.