The eviction case against Lincoln’s Landing was continued for two weeks amid a dispute over documents and whether two rent checks had cleared the bank.

“I prefer that you work it out,” said Judge Leo Fama II. “If it’s just a clerical issue, I’d rather see you work it out.”

Attorneys for Lincoln’s Landing and landlord Alexandros Tsitos appeared in Lynn District Court for the second time on Thursday after a rent dispute led Tsitos to file for eviction. Lincoln’s Landing is a longtime Swampscott breakfast-and-lunch restaurant on Humphrey Street known for its classic American fare and community-based atmosphere. Tsitos is listed as a property manager for United Properties INC, a Malden-based management company which Andreas Tsitos founded in 1995.

Tsitos and his attorney, Natalie Megaloudis, of AMPS Law PC, filed the eviction case on June 29. Megaloudis was not in court on Thursday, and Ted Papadopoulos was in her place.

“Be advised that in accordance with the terms and conditions of your commercial lease dated; be advised that you are in breach of said lease for nonpayment of rent,” Tsitos wrote in a demand letter reviewed by the Swampscott Tides. “Despite my demands, you have contumaciously refused to tender payment.”

Ashley Mantyla, daughter of Lincoln’s Landing owner Laurie, announced on Facebook Wednesday, July 8 that the restaurant had received an eviction notice. According to the filing, Lincoln’s Landing owes $3,600 in rent for each of March, April and May, for a total of $10,800. 

Mantyla previously told the Swampscott Tides that the “allegations of not paying rent for the past three months are false.”

“We are up to date with rent and have even provided proof of checks being cashed to the attorney,” Mantyla previously said.

Jennifer Capone, of JLC Legal P.L.L.C., is representing Lincoln’s Landing in the case.

“The documentary evidence establishes without question the fact that this is patently false,” Capone argued in a motion filed. “No genuine issue of material fact exists regarding the payment of rent.”

Prior to Tsitos’ filing for eviction, Capone “expressly notified counsel for the plaintiff that all rent checks at issue had been negotiated and paid in full,” according to her motion last week. The motion also states that Megaloudis “indicated that some checks were not honored,” but there was no specification as to which checks were not paid completely.

According to the motion, Lincoln’s Landing obtained copies of all 19 rent checks from its bank.

The motion noted that Tsitos allegedly told Lincoln’s Landing in August 2025 that a rent check was missing and in December 2025 suggested it was “‘torn’ and couldn’t be cashed.’” Lincoln’s Landing wrote replacement checks, according to the motion.

Capone further alleges in the motion that Tsitos later cashed the original checks after replacement checks had been issued, resulting in duplicate payments for those months. When Lincoln’s Landing recognized this, they “applied those extra payments the plaintiff enriched himself with to the March 2026 and May 2026 rent.”

“There is confirmation in the email, a check from December of 2025 was intended, as they see it, to pay for rent in May of 2026,” Papadopoulos said. “There are a lot of factual disputes and we’re trying to resolve this.”

Papadopoulos said during Thursday’s meeting that Tsitos, who is 89 years old, works with a specific person at his bank who is currently away. Papadopoulos said Megaloudis had reached out to Capone to continue the court date, but because of a miscommunication during court hours, everyone appeared before Fama Thursday.

Capone said she does not have any discovery, despite Fama’s orders to provide it by August 13. At Thursday’s motion hearing Fama said the discovery was already due, “so you can take whatever action is necessary in that regard.”

“In the age of 2026, how can’t print a bank statement or a check that would show something that says it bounced when I provided a document that indicates that it cleared from our financial management, along with checks all the way back to 2025, seems unreasonable,” Capone said. 

Papadopoulos added that his client is willing to come to an agreement.

“My client remains fully willing to potentially resolve this case so that it doesn’t need to come before the court at all,” Papadopoulos said. “The parties have agreed to resolve this issue amicably, and that remains our goal.”