Hollobow v. Energy Resources Corp.

418 N.E.2d 924, 94 Ill. App. 3d 331, 49 Ill. Dec. 904, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2281
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 17, 1981
Docket79-1329
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 418 N.E.2d 924 (Hollobow v. Energy Resources Corp.) 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
Hollobow v. Energy Resources Corp., 418 N.E.2d 924, 94 Ill. App. 3d 331, 49 Ill. Dec. 904, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2281 (Ill. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE PERLIN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendants, Energy Resources Corporation (hereinafter referred to as E.R.C.) and Barry Van Der Meulen, appeal from an order of the circuit court of Cook County granting the motion of Irving Hollobow and Lawrence Taslitz (hereinafter referred to as plaintiffs) for judgment in accordance with an alleged settlement agreement. We consider whether the trial court erred in entering judgment in accordance with an alleged settlement agreement without an evidentiary hearing.

In 1975 plaintiffs each purchased from E.R.C., for $25,000,25 limited partnership units of E.R.C. Oil and Gas Program No. 1975-1. In 1976 plaintiffs purchased from E.R.C., for $10,000, as tenants in common, 10 limited partnership units of E.R.C. Oil and Gas Program 1976-1. On January 20,1978, plaintiffs, pursuant to section 13 of the Securities Law of 1953 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 121/2, par. 137.13), mailed a letter to E.R.C. electing to rescind the purchase of limited partnership units of both the 1975-1 and 1976-1 programs and demanding a refund of the amounts paid, together with interest from the date of payment.

On February 10, 1978, plaintiffs filed an 11-count complaint against E.R.C., Van Der Meulen, and other defendants who are not parties to this appeal. Count VII of the complaint asked the circuit court to enforce the rescission election by plaintiffs pursuant to section 13 of the Securities Law of 1953, and to order defendants, E.R.C., Van Der Meulen and Robert Butler, 1 to refund the $60,000 purchase price for the 1975 and 1976 programs, with interest and attorneys fees. Although count VII did not identify either Van Der Meulen or Butler as a person liable to the purchaser under the provisions of section 13, 2 count VII did, however, allege that Van Der Meulen and Butler “knew or should have known that the projects * 0 * could not be completed on a ‘turn-key’ basis and that substantial additional funds would be needed to complete the wells.”

On March 31,1978, defendants filed a motion to strike and dismiss all but count VIII, alleging that section 13 was an exclusive, irrevocable election of remedy. On June 9,1978, the trial court dismissed all but count VII. 3

On June 30, 1978, counsel for defendants, David Schippers, wrote identical letters to plaintiffs offering to repurchase plaintiffs’ shares “pursuant to [their] letter of January 20, 1978 and Count VII of the complaint.” The repurchase offer proposed a refund of the entire purchase price, and 8% interest from the date of purchase to June 30,1978. Attached to the letter were two schedules computing the amount due and owing each plaintiff for each investment. As consideration for this agreement plaintiffs were required to return the liquidation distribution received from the 1975 — 1 Program and to terminate the litigation. The letters do not indicate upon whose behalf attorney Schippers was acting.

On July 6,1978 the trial court entered an order finding that plaintiffs had accepted defendants’ offer regarding Program 1976-1 and extending the 15-day statutory acceptance limitation, as to Program 1975-1, until further order of court. Plaintiffs acknowledged on July 10, by letter, their acceptance of the Program 1976-1 offer. No mention was made in this letter as to the 1975-1 Program offer.

On August 22, 1978, plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment based upon the repurchase offer contained in the June 30, 1978, letter written by Schippers and allegedly accepted by plaintiffs on July 6,1978. Attached to the motion were the letters of June 30,1978, the computation schedules, and affidavits of plaintiffs wherein they stated that they had mailed the rescission letter of January 20, 1978, and had received the attached letters of June 30,1978. Plaintiffs alleged that they had accepted the 1976-1 Program offer and requested that the court enter summary judgment in plaintiffs’ favor and “set this matter for prove-up regarding plaintiffs’ damages and attorney’s fees. Plaintiffs’ motion was continued several times. The first order of continuance, dated September 12, 1978, was prepared by defendants’ counsel Schippers and represented that “all matters in controversy had been settled.” However, the second order of continuance, dated September 25, 1978, was prepared by plaintiffs and represented to the court “that it is the desire of the defendants to refuse to go forth with said agreement.” Defendants’ counsel Schippers was not present in court on that date, and the court ordered that the “matter be continued until October 5,1978 at 9:00 a.m. for the presentation of a court order requiring the agreed upon payment to be made from defendants to plaintiffs, and for the presence of David Schippers, counsel for defendants.”

On October 6,1978, the court entered an order prepared by plaintiffs which provides in pertinent part:

“This cause coming on to be heard * 0 * for the presentation of an order of court requiring all [defendants named in Count VII of [pjlaintiff’s complaint to pay to [p]laintiffs the agreed upon settlement * * * the court being fully advised in the premises: Does Order: 1) That all [defendants jointly and severally pay to [p]laintiffs all sums paid by [pjlaintiffs to [defendants together with interest at 8% up to and including the date of payment together with attorney’s fees in the amount of $5,000, all as previously agreed upon by the respective parties; 2) This order entered over the objection of counsel for defendants, David Schippers; 3) Payment to be made on or before October 16,1978.”

This order states neither the terms of the agreement, nor the specific amount to be paid to plaintiffs by defendants. Nor does the order indicate the basis for the award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $5,000. On October 27, 1978, plaintiffs filed a petition for a rule to show cause why defendants should not be held in contempt of court for failure to comply with the court’s order of October 6,1978. The trial court never ruled upon this petition.

On November 2, 1978, plaintiffs filed a verified amendment to their original complaint alleging that E.R.C. is “controlled by and wholly owned or substantially wholly owned by Barry Van Der Meulen and/or Robert Butler; 0 6 e and [is] totally under the dominion and control of Robert Butler and Barry Van Der Meulen and, in fact, [is] their mere alter ego.” The amendment further alleged that (1) Barry Van Der Meulen, either in concert with or with the consent of Robert Butler, was in the process of liquidating the the assets of E.R.C. to the detriment of plaintiffs; (2) that on approximately August 8, 1978, Van Der Meulen “on his own behalf and on behalf of Robert Butler and on behalf of [E.R.C.], agreed to pay [p]laintiffs all monies which [pjlaintiffs previously paid to [djefendants plus interest at 8% per annum plus $5,000 in attorneys fees”; and (3) that Van Der Meulen “repudiated” the settlement agreement. The amended requested judgment against E.R.C., Van Der Meulen, Robert Butler, and Havoco of America, Ltd., in the amount of $60,000 plus interest, reasonable attorney’s fees and punitive damages.

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Related

Schroeder v. CMC Real Estate Corp.
510 N.E.2d 1045 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1987)
Madison Associates v. Bass
511 N.E.2d 690 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1987)
Hollobow v. Energy Resources Corp.
418 N.E.2d 929 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1981)

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Bluebook (online)
418 N.E.2d 924, 94 Ill. App. 3d 331, 49 Ill. Dec. 904, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2281, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hollobow-v-energy-resources-corp-illappct-1981.