Dowling v. Chicago Options Associates, Inc.

847 N.E.2d 741, 365 Ill. App. 3d 341, 301 Ill. Dec. 731, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 235
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 28, 2006
Docket1-04-1110
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 847 N.E.2d 741 (Dowling v. Chicago Options Associates, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dowling v. Chicago Options Associates, Inc., 847 N.E.2d 741, 365 Ill. App. 3d 341, 301 Ill. Dec. 731, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 235 (Ill. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE GARCIA

delivered the opinion of the court:

This appeal comes to us from supplementary proceedings instituted by the plaintiff, Brian Dowling, to enforce underlying judgments totaling $817,830.45 against the defendants, Chicago Options Associates, Inc. (COA), and Michael E. Davis. As a result of the supplementary proceedings, the circuit court entered a series of turnover orders directed to Davis and to third parties holding Davis’s assets. On appeal, Davis argues that the assets subject to the turnover orders were exempt or were otherwise improperly given to Dowling.

BACKGROUND

COA was engaged in the business of trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Davis was a shareholder and employee of COA, while Dowling was a trader employed by COA. In May 1995, the parties entered into an agreement (the 1995 Agreement) revising the compensation Dowling was to receive from COA in contemplation of Dowling investing in and becoming a shareholder of COA. However, the investment and shareholder discussions broke down and a dispute arose concerning the compensation Dowling was due under the 1995 Agreement. In May 1996, Dowling filed suit against COA and Davis seeking a portion of COA’s profits, plus interest, from 1994 through the 1995 Agreement’s termination date. A bench trial was subsequently held and in May and October 2002, the circuit court entered judgments totaling $817,830.45 in favor of Dowling. We take judicial notice that Davis and COA appealed from the underlying judgment, No. 1 — 03—3350, but their appeal was dismissed on June 14, 2004.

In January 2003, Davis’s ex-wife and minor children moved to Florida and the children began attending school. In February 2003, Davis and his wife moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Florida, purchased a home, and applied for Florida driver’s licenses. Davis and his wife also applied for a Florida real estate homestead tax exemption.

In March 2003, Dowling instituted supplementary proceedings against Davis and attempted to serve Davis at his residence in Chicago; however, because Davis had moved to Florida, service was not completed. On August 27, 2003, Dowling issued a citation notice to a third party, North Shore Community Bank and Trust (North Shore Bank), because Dowling’s attorney had learned that Davis’s residence in Chicago was actually owned by 4637 Manor, LLC (Manor LLC), and in the fall of 2002, Davis had obtained a $1.6 million loan from North Shore Bank using assets held by Manor LLC to purchase his residence in Florida. On September 1, 2003, Dowling issued a citation notice to a third party, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (Northwestern Mutual). Later, on September 19, 2003, Dowling issued citation notices to two other third parties: Schwab International (Charles Schwab), and Strategic Capital Trust Company. These citations concerned funds in a single account established with Strategic but held in a Schwab brokerage account. On September 23, 2003, Dowling issued a citation notice to Davis in care of attorney Landis.

On September 30, 2003, Dowling presented a motion for a turnover order for the cash value of Davis’s Northwestern Mutual life insurance policy (the life insurance policy). The life insurance policy had been established in 1992, had a net benefit of $587,067, and, on September 17, 2003, had a net surrender value of $95,059.58. The beneficiary of the life insurance policy was listed as the “Davis Trust.” 1 The document establishing the Davis Trust stipulated that it was irrevocable and directed the trustee to distribute the trust estate, including any assets from Davis’s life insurance policy, in equal parts to Davis’s children. Pursuant to the citation issued to Davis in care of attorney Landis, attorney Landis appeared in court on September 30, 2003, and procured the entry of a briefing schedule on Dowling’s motion for the entry of a turnover order directed to Northwestern Mutual.

Around October 7, 2003, Davis learned that Dowling had issued a citation to Northwestern Mutual. Davis also spoke with attorney Landis, but Davis contends that attorney Landis did not tell him that a motion for turnover of the cash value of the life insurance policy had been filed with the court or that a briefing schedule had been set. As a result of learning about Dowling’s citation to Northwestern Mutual, Davis contacted attorneys at DLA Piper Rudnick Gray and Cary (US), L.L.R (Piper Rudnick), to determine the status of Dowling’s supplementary proceedings.

On October 8, 2003, North Shore Bank delivered a copy of Davis’s real estate sales contract from his home in Florida to Dowling. The contract disclosed Davis’s current address, and on October 31, 2003, Dowling issued a citation to Davis at his address in Florida.

On October 21, 2003, Dowling presented a revised motion for turnover order directed to Northwestern Mutual. The circuit court granted Dowling’s motion instanter and entered a turnover order directing Northwestern Mutual to turn over the cash value of Davis’s life insurance policy.

On November 3, 2003, on Dowling’s unopposed motion, the circuit court entered an order imposing a lien on Davis’s membership interest in Manor LLC. The circuit court also ordered Davis to “cause the delivery of any and all certificates and/or evidence of Davis’s membership interest in the [Manor] LLC to [Dowling].” Also on November 3, 2003, because Davis did not appear in response to the citation served upon attorney Landis, the circuit court, on Dowling’s motion, entered an order of contempt against Davis, as well as a bench warrant for his arrest.

On November 12, 2003, pursuant to a citation to discover assets issued to Charles Schwab, and on Dowling’s unopposed motion, the circuit court entered a turnover order directing Charles Schwab to deliver the full cash surrender value of Davis’s individual retirement account (IRA) to Dowling. On November 14, 2003, Dowling presented the circuit court with a motion for a turnover order directed to Scudder Investments 2 requesting that the circuit court order Scudder Investments to turnover the net value of Davis’s 401(k) retirement plan (410(k)).

On November 19, 2003, Dowling filed a motion in the circuit court for turnover orders directed to Davis’s membership interest in Buck-horn Ranch, LLC (Buckhorn Ranch), and his stock in Boomis, Inc. (Boomis). Dowling asked the circuit court to order Davis to turn over his membership interests and stock directly to Dowling.

Also on November 19, 2003, Davis submitted to the circuit court’s jurisdiction and filed a motion to vacate the turnover order directed to Northwestern Mutual, claiming that the cash value of the life insurance policy was exempt. Piper Rudnick also filed a motion to vacate the turnover order directed to Charles Schwab, asserting that the account was exempt under Florida law and, alternatively, under Illinois law. Davis also requested that the circuit court vacate its contempt order and quash the arrest warrant issued for him. In support of his motions, Davis attached an affidavit which stated that he had moved to Florida in early 2003 because his ex-wife and children moved there.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
847 N.E.2d 741, 365 Ill. App. 3d 341, 301 Ill. Dec. 731, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 235, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dowling-v-chicago-options-associates-inc-illappct-2006.