Eckel v. Bynum

608 N.E.2d 167, 240 Ill. App. 3d 867, 181 Ill. Dec. 94, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 2012
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedDecember 11, 1992
Docket1-91-2006
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 608 N.E.2d 167 (Eckel v. Bynum) 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
Eckel v. Bynum, 608 N.E.2d 167, 240 Ill. App. 3d 867, 181 Ill. Dec. 94, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 2012 (Ill. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

JUSTICE MURRAY

delivered the opinion of the court:

This action was brought to foreclose a mortgage. The trial court entered a judgment of foreclosure for Gurpreet Padda, the plaintiff in the trial court. Defendants, Charles V. Bynum and Carol E. Bynum, appeal from the trial court’s judgment of foreclosure.

On January 22, 1973, Charles V. Bynum and his wife, Carol E. Bynum, executed a trust deed and installment note to their apartment building located at 5436 West Ferdinand, Chicago, Illinois. The statement “This is a Part Payment Junior Purchase Money Mortgage” appeared on the trust deed. On the note attached to the trust deed is typed, “This Instalment [sic] Note is secured by a Junior Purchase Money Mortgage.” On the trust deed, Charles and Carol Bynum are referred to as “Mortgagors” and the Chicago Title and Trust Company is referred to as “Trustee.” The trust deed refers to Reinhold Casper and his wife, Ruth B. Casper, as the persons that the installment note is paid to the order of. The installment note is made payable to the order of Reinhold Casper and Ruth B. Casper, and signed by Charles V. Bynum and Carol E. Bynum. The Bynums promised to pay to the order of the Caspers the principal sum of $37,000 with an interest rate of 71/2% per annum in installments of $343 or more per month, beginning February 1,1973, until the note is fully paid.

On April 25, 1989, for “Value Received,” Reinhold Lee Casper as personal representative of the estate of Ruth Casper, deceased, conveyed, transferred and assigned Ruth Casper’s interest in the trust deed and installment note to Gurpreet Padda (Padda).

Padda filed a complaint for foreclosure. On September 16, 1989, Carol Bynum (Carol) was personally served by a Cook County sheriff with summons and plaintiff’s complaint for foreclosure. Charles Bynum (Charles) was served with summons and plaintiff’s complaint for foreclosure by a Cook County sheriff, by substitute service on his wife, Carol, on September 16, 1989. On October 10, 1989, Charles filed an appearance which stated that “The undersigned, as attorney, enters the appearance of the defendant [sic], Charles V. Bynum and Carol E. Bynum.” Charles is not an attorney.

On November 29, 1989, plaintiff brought a motion to strike “defendants’ answer” which had previously been filed. Plaintiff’s attorney, Jack Levin, and Charles appeared on the record. The trial court granted defendant 14 days to respond to the motion and set the matter for hearing on December 21, 1989. The defendants’ answer does not appear in the record on appeal.

On December 21, 1989, Jerome Kornfeld, an attorney, appeared as attorney for Charles. An order was entered which stated that “Jerome Kornfeld be given leave to file his appearance on behalf of Charles and Carol Bynum.” The order also allowed plaintiff leave to amend the complaint, gave defendants 14 days to file a response to plaintiff’s motion to strike and dismiss defendants’ answer to the complaint, and gave defendants 14 days to respond to plaintiff’s motion to place mortgagee in possession. Finally, the order set the matters for hearing on January 17, 1990, “without further notice.” The order is signed by the trial judge with a handwritten date of October 21, 1989, over his signature. However, the clerk’s stamp bears the date December 21, 1989. On January 4, 1990, an appearance was filed on behalf of Charles. The appearance was signed by another individual “for Jerome Kornfeld.”

On February 22, 1990, Padda’s attorney filed a notice of motion that had been served upon Kornfeld & Associates moving the court for leave to amend the complaint instanter by amending paragraphs 2© and (k). Plaintiff also sent a notice of motion to Kornfeld & Associates, wherein the plaintiff moved “the Court for a hearing instanter on Plaintiff’s Motion for Mortgagee in Possession Appointment as well as Plaintiff’s Motion to set the matter for a trial on a date certain.” On that date, the trial court entered an order which provided that plaintiff be given leave to amend the complaint instanter and that defendants be given 28 days to file an amended answer or otherwise plead.

On March 1, 1990, plaintiff filed a copy of the notice of motion that had been sent to Kornfeld & Associates which indicated that the plaintiff was going to present an emergency motion for appointment as mortgagee in possession. Said motion was continued to April 2, 1990, for hearing. In addition, defendants were given 10 days to file an answer to plaintiff’s amended complaint.

On April 2, 1990, the trial court entered an order which, among other things, (1) granted plaintiff’s motion to place mortgagee in possession; (2) allowed Charles to remain in occupancy of his unit; (3) allowed Padda to collect all rents from all the tenants; and (4) provided that said rental income is to be used for the maintenance, upkeep and necessary repairs to the building, as well as utility expenses. In addition, Padda was ordered not to make any repairs or incur expenses in excess of $1,000 without prior permission from the court. The order further provided that the plaintiff shall provide the court with an accounting of income received and expenditures incurred every 90 days.

On June 21, 1990, Padda filed a motion seeking an order allowing him to repair the premises and to incur expenses in excess of $1,000. The trial court entered an order that (1) granted plaintiff leave to file an exhibit and/or affidavit in support of his motion; (2) granted defendant leave to file a response to plaintiff’s motion; and (3) set the matter for hearing on June 28, 1990. On June 28, 1990, the matter was continued to July 10,1990.

On July 10, 1990, plaintiff filed a notice of motion which had been sent to Kornfeld & Associates, Charles, and Daryl Barry, attorney at law. The notice of motion indicated that plaintiff was going to move the court for the entry of an order of default against Charles. After hearing, the trial court entered an order which granted Padda leave to make those repairs and expenditures as set forth in its motion. Padda’s affidavit indicates that $3,200 was required for the replacement and installation of hot water tanks and pipes; that the gas service had been cut off, the current gas bill was approximately $4,000 to $5,000 and that in order to reinstate service People’s Gas was requiring the payment of approximately $2,000; there was a charge for $1,400 for waste disposal services. The order further held that “Defendant is in default due to his failure to answer or otherwise plead in response to plaintiff’s amended complaint.” The matter was set for prove up on August 17, 1990, with “notice to be given to defendant.” On August 17, 1990, the matter was continued to August 29,1990, without further notice.

On August 29, 1990, a judgment of foreclosure was entered against the defendants in the amount of $83,198.63. At the hearing on August 29, 1990, plaintiff’s attorney tendered to the court the trust deed, note, assignment, the original complaint, the amendment to the complaint and a judgment of foreclosure. The court instructed plaintiff’s attorney to prepare a face sheet for the amended complaint and granted plaintiff leave to file the amendment to the complaint updating the figures. The judgment of foreclosure indicates that the rights of redemption shall expire on November 27,1990.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
608 N.E.2d 167, 240 Ill. App. 3d 867, 181 Ill. Dec. 94, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 2012, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eckel-v-bynum-illappct-1992.