Chicago Title & Trust Co. v. Weiss

605 N.E.2d 1092, 238 Ill. App. 3d 921, 179 Ill. Dec. 78
Appellate Court of Illinois·Decided December 21, 1992·No. 2-92-0185·Published·Cited by 52 cases

Opinion

605 N.E.2d 1092 (1992)
238 Ill. App.3d 921
179 Ill.Dec. 78

CHICAGO TITLE and TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
John WEISS et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 2-92-0185.

Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District.

December 21, 1992.

*1093 Richard E. Steck, Steck & Spataro, Chicago, for Chicago Title & Trust Co.

Ronald L. Berns, Solano & Berns, Ltd., Wheaton, for Robin Hill Development Co.

Anthony F. Mannina, Wheaton, for John Weiss.

Justice UNVERZAGT delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff, Chicago Title & Trust Company as trustee of a land trust for the benefit of Donald Derrico, appeals the judgment of the circuit court of Kane County which dismissed its two-count complaint against *1094 defendants, Robin Hill Development Company I (Robin Hill) and John Weiss. Plaintiff raises on appeal the issues whether the trial court erred in dismissing the complaint because plaintiff lacked standing to bring suit and because it sought an injunction for continuing trespasses, and whether count II failed to state a cause of action.

Plaintiff alleged that it purchased a lot in Royal Fox, a planned unit development (PUD). Robin Hill and the trustee of the land trust which owned the PUD real estate entered into a "Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions" (Declaration) for the Royal Fox Community Association I or II (Association). Weiss purchased the lot adjoining plaintiff's lot. In count I, plaintiff alleged that defendants violated the Declaration when Weiss put in a driveway less than eight feet from the lot line. Plaintiff further alleged that Robin Hill failed to enforce the covenants for the benefit of plaintiff. Plaintiff requested an injunction requiring Weiss to maintain the driveway at least eight feet from the lot line and damages and attorney fees. In count II, plaintiff alleged that Weiss had erected a basketball hoop on the driveway and that Weiss repeatedly trespassed on plaintiff's property to retrieve the basketball. Plaintiff alleged that these trespasses constituted a nuisance in violation of the Declaration. Plaintiff sought to enjoin Weiss from maintaining the basketball hoop on the driveway and from trespassing onto plaintiff's property.

Robin Hill filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to section 2-619 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Ill.Rev.Stat.1991, ch. 110, par. 2-619). Robin Hill asserted that under the Declaration it had the sole right to enforce the covenants until it turned control of the PUD over to the Association. As a result, Robin Hill concluded that plaintiff lacked standing to bring this action. In addition, Robin Hill argued that it waived the eight-foot setback restriction for Weiss' driveway. Robin Hill attached to its motion the affidavit of its secretary/treasurer, Vincent Solano. In his affidavit, Solano stated that Robin Hill continued to exercise its control over the Association and no event occurred requiring Robin Hill to relinquish its control. Solano further averred that Robin Hill approved Weiss' plan which depicted the edge of his driveway four feet from the lot line, and Robin Hill has refused plaintiff's requests that Robin Hill require Weiss to relocate the driveway or to remove or relocate the basketball hoop. In addition, Solano stated that Weiss began construction on his home in February 1989 and completed it in October 1989. The basketball hoop had been in place since April or May 1991.

Weiss also filed a motion to dismiss count I pursuant to section 2-619 and count II pursuant to both section 2-619 and section 2-615 (Ill.Rev.Stat.1991, ch. 110, par. 2-615). In addition to the bases asserted in Robin Hill's motion, Weiss alleged that plaintiff's action for trespass in count II was an action in law and, therefore, was not properly before a court of equity. Weiss further asserted that plaintiff failed to allege any facts to support the allegation of an irreparable injury.

Plaintiff submitted the affidavit of Donald Derrico, in which he stated that basketballs frequently fly onto plaintiff's property and people playing basketball on Weiss' driveway often retrieve those basketballs. As a result, Derrico's flowers, garden, lawn and shrubs have been damaged. In addition, Derrico feared that his young child, other family members, or guests might be injured by the errant basketballs.

On January 8, 1992, the trial court ruled, as a matter of law, that plaintiff did not have standing to bring an action under count I of the complaint. The court dismissed count II without prejudice. Defendants each filed a motion for sanctions against plaintiff.

On February 5, the court, in a written order, noted that plaintiff elected to stand on count II, rather than amend it. The court denied the motions for sanctions and dismissed the cause "in its entirety." Plaintiff timely appealed.

Before we consider the merits of this appeal, we first address defendant Weiss' argument that this court lacks jurisdiction over this appeal because the order *1095 appealed from is not final and appealable. According to Weiss, the order did not dispose of the cause on the merits regarding all defendants. We disagree. The plain language of the order states, "this Cause is dismissed in its entirety." Nothing is pending in the trial court. Thus, the order is final and appealable. Knox v. Keene Corp. (1991), 210 Ill.App.3d 141, 144-45, 155 Ill. Dec. 201, 569 N.E.2d 201.

Plaintiff contends that the trial court erred in dismissing its complaint on the grounds that plaintiff lacked standing to bring this action and that provisions of the Declaration were waived. Plaintiff's complaint was dismissed pursuant to section 2-619(a)(9) (Ill.Rev.Stat.1991, ch. 110, par. 2-619(a)(9)).

A section 2-619 motion is designed to provide a summary disposition of issues of law or easily proved issues of fact. (Melko v. Dionisio (1991), 219 Ill.App.3d 1048, 1057, 162 Ill.Dec. 623, 580 N.E.2d 586.) Such a motion admits all well-pleaded facts alleged in the complaint and reasonable inferences to be drawn from those facts. (Cioni v. Gearhart (1990), 201 Ill.App.3d 853, 856, 147 Ill.Dec. 321, 559 N.E.2d 494.) The trial court should not dismiss a complaint pursuant to section 2-619 if material facts are controverted, and the court cannot weigh the evidence. (Melko, 219 Ill. App.3d at 1057, 162 Ill.Dec. 623, 580 N.E.2d 586.) We must determine whether the affirmative matter alleged by defendants defeats plaintiff's cause of action.

Defendants' motions to dismiss alleged that plaintiff did not have standing to bring the suit, an affirmative matter which could defeat or negate plaintiff's cause of action. (See Ill.Rev.Stat.1991, ch. 110, par. 2-619(a)(9).) The movant is permitted to assert those grounds in an affidavit. (Noesges v. Servicemaster Co. (1992), 233 Ill.App.3d 158, 162, 174 Ill.Dec. 240, 598 L.Ed.2d 437.) The affirmative matter must be more than evidence offered to refute a well-pleaded fact. (Milz v. M.J. Meadows, Inc. (1992), 234 Ill.App.3d 281, 286, 175 Ill.Dec. 276, 599 N.E.2d 1290.) However, where the movant submits an affidavit which controverts a well-pleaded fact in the complaint, and the plaintiff fails to file a counteraffidavit, the facts set forth in the affidavit are accepted as true.

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Chicago Title & Trust Co. v. Weiss, 605 N.E.2d 1092, 238 Ill. App. 3d 921, 179 Ill. Dec. 78 (Ill. Ct. App. 1992).

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