'American Pickers' Personality Facing Court Battle

An American Pickers personality who appeared on two seasons of the hit Mike Wolfe-led History Channel show is currently locked in a years-long court battle with the City of Litchfield, Illinois. A bench trial for Jack Sophir, best known by the nickname "Hobo Jack," is set to begin next month after the collector received a citation and multiple code violations over his collectibles.

Sophir's legal battle began after he moved from his rural Montgomery County farm to Litchfield in 2019 due to safety concerns, Sophir telling local outlet KSDK, "there was a gang of thieving hillbillies who had discovered that I had cars." Issues began to arise, however, when the 91-year-old began moving his large collection of antiques, which drew the attention of American Pickers, into town. Although Sophir stated that "antiques are not trash," his nbeighbors didn't see things the same way, and multiple people filed complaints with Litchfield Building Inspector Gary Baker.

In March 2022, Baker cited Sophir for failing to maintain his property, accumulating trash, and harboring rodents, noting in November 2022, "what we would consider junk he considers treasures. It's accumulating way too much. It's a nuisance." Although Sophir said he cleaned up his home after receiving multiple code violations, Baker told KSDK, "he really did nothing to comply. If anything he brought more stuff in." Sophir responded to that by telling the outlet, "he's certainly welcome to his opinion. However, I disagree with it," adding that he just wants "to be left alone to try and deal with the problems that I have, which are enough in themselves."

Multiple court dates were set in the case, though Sophir ultimately refused to show up until he could find a pro bono lawyer to represent him. In November, KSDK reported that while Sophir found himself at the Montgomery County Courthouse facing a bench trial, a judge was forced to continue the case until Dec. 6 due to a combination of audio issues, Sophir's hard hearing, and a last-minute request by him for a jury trial.

During his Dec. 6 court appearance, a Montgomery County judge denied Sophir's request for a jury trial, with attorneys for the City of Hillsboro opposing the motion, citing concerns that Sophir hadn't paid the fees required for a jury trial and didn't properly notify the court of his last-minute request. A bench trial has now been scheduled for February 2, 2024. Sophir previously told KSDK, "it they continue with their procedure to have a bench trial, [then] what I am going to do is refuse to participate in it."

A lifelong collector, Sophir first appeared on American Pickers in Season 2, Episode 9. He went on to return to the series in Season 6, Episode 2. Speaking to a crowd in the pickers' Antique Archaeology store in Nashville, per Looper, Wolfe credited people like Sophir as a source of inspiration when he first pitched American Pickers.