20101217 PR - Village wins Mullins lawsuit
Contact: David Niemeyer
Phone: (630) 368-5000
Fax: (630) 990-3000
1200 Oak Brook Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523 Village of Oak Brook
Press Release
VILLAGE WINS MULLINS LAWSUIT
Oak Brook, Illinois ( December 17, 2010, 4:00 p.m.) –
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Martin Agran today granted the Village of Oak Brook’s motion for summary
judgment in the Mullins vs. Oak Brook case and denied Mullins’ motion for summary judgment. Ms. Mullins
was an employee of the law firm of former Village Attorney Ken Kubeisa. In her lawsuit against the Village of
Oak Brook and the village’s liability insurance carrier, IRMA, she requested a judgment declaring that the
Village and IRMA owed a duty to defend her in a federal suit filed by two Oak Brook residents.
The court determined that since Mullins was not a village officer or an employee of the village she was not
entitled to indemnification from the Village and IRMA. At one point, Mullins was seeking in excess of
$500,000 in damages from the village. The village entered into good faith negotiations with Mullins to settle the
suit out of court but was unable to reach a satisfactory settlement.
"The victory in this case represents another successful outcome to a major legal case involving the Village of
Oak Brook", stated Village President John Craig. In 2007, the village was involved in approximately 11
lawsuits. Almost all of these cases have been resolved either through court victories, settlement by the village
insurer at no cost to the village, or cases that have been voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff. The defense of the
Mullins case was handled by IRMA at no cost to the village.
About the Village of Oak Brook:
Founded in 1958, the Village of Oak Brook is located 20 miles west of downtown Chicago and is in
proximity to the junction of Interstates 88, 294, and 290. The Village consists mostly of residential
subdivisions, with the exception of the Oak Brook Center shopping mall, other retail and office properties
along 22nd Street and Interstate 88. Oak Brook is the home of many corporate offices, most notably, the
world headquarters of McDonald’s Corporation and the service club organization Lions Clubs
International. The village levies no municipal property taxes.
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