Villa Park administrative hearing issues fines, default judgments and continuances in multiple code cases

Erica Thomas, presiding over the Village of Villa Park administrative hearing on Feb. 19, explained at the start that "This is not a criminal courtroom. This is a civil proceeding," and that the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence. She outlined payment and appeal procedures before calling the day's docket.

In the first case, Thomas called Anthony Dimito on a no-parking citation for the village’s overnight restriction. Dimito pleaded not liable and told the hearing he had recently moved to Villa Park, was dealing with personal and work upheaval, and believed the restricted hours were different; he said he missed the 10-day prepayment window. Thomas noted that the village posts no-parking hours at entry points and reduced the assessment to a $35 fine, stating she would "find you liable and fine you the $35." Dimito accepted the finding and was directed to pay at the police department.

A later docket item called Edward Russell on an alleged unpermitted-work matter. A village staff member said Russell had picked up variance paperwork and asked to continue the matter while the variance hearing schedule was finalized. After clarifying possible dates, the hearing continued the case to May 21, 2026, for further review.

A defendant identifying only as Heaven was charged with parking in a handicap space without a visible placard. A caregiver for Mary Cotton testified that a valid placard had been in the vehicle and that the placard’s listed expiration is 2027. After reviewing that testimony and the displayed placard, Thomas found the defendant not liable but reminded the driver to ensure the placard is visibly displayed on the dashboard or rearview mirror going forward.

Several other docket items were handled in summary fashion. A representative requested a continuance for a matter involving Apartments Velasquez at 12 West Terrace; the hearing set that matter for March 19, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The case for 623 North Princeton (named Jairo and Miguel Diaz on the docket) was recorded as a failure to appear; the village representative reported pre-hearing compliance and the hearing assessed a $50 administrative fee. For 25 West Adams (Carolyn and Henry Meyer), the village asked for $500 per citation plus a $35 administrative fee after reporting a pattern of prior failures to appear and no corrective action dating back to 2017; the hearing entered default judgment and assessed $500 plus the $35 administrative fee for each cited violation. The hearing also entered default judgment against the defendant at 1330 South Villa Avenue for unpermitted alterations, assessing a $750 fine.

The hearing concluded after the listed code, administrative and police-ticket matters were recorded or continued. Thomas reminded defendants of appeal rights (35 days to file an administrative review with the Circuit Court of DuPage County) and directed those with assessed fines to the police department to arrange payment.

The hearing record shows a mix of outcomes: one reduction to a $35 fine, one not-liable finding after caregiver testimony, multiple continuances for scheduling of variance hearings, and several default judgments with fines where defendants failed to appear or correct cited violations.