Osage Corp. v. Simon

613 N.E.2d 770, 245 Ill. App. 3d 836, 184 Ill. Dec. 453
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 30, 1993
Docket2-92-0449
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 613 N.E.2d 770 (Osage Corp. v. Simon) 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
Osage Corp. v. Simon, 613 N.E.2d 770, 245 Ill. App. 3d 836, 184 Ill. Dec. 453 (Ill. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

JUSTICE QUETSCH

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendants, Michael and Heidi Simon, who are husband and wife, are coholders of the beneficial interest in residential property held in trust by La Salle National Bank (La Salle). Osage Corporation (Osage), as assignee of Beverly Bank Matteson (Beverly), sought a judgment foreclosing a trust deed on the property. First Cook Bank for Savings (First Cook) filed a counterclaim to foreclose a mortgage on the same property.

Osage received a judgment of foreclosure which defendants did not appeal. The trial court next awarded a judgment of foreclosure to First Cook, dismissing as legally inadequate the Simons’ affirmative defenses to First Cook’s claim (see 111. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 110, par. 2 — 615).

On appeal, the Simons argue that, because their affirmative defenses to First Cook’s action are legally sufficient, the court should not have entered judgment as a matter of law for First Cook. We hold that the Simons adequately alleged that First Cook’s mortgage was invalid because it was the result of duress against Heidi Simon. We reverse the judgment for First Cook and remand for further proceedings on First Cook’s action.

On May 14, 1990, Beverly filed a complaint to foreclose its trust deed on the property, alleging that the property secured a $65,000 note which was in default. Appended to the complaint were a copy of the trust deed, signed by an agent of La Salle, and a copy of the promissory note, which was also signed by a La Salle agent and named the Simons as “individual grantors.”

On June 21, 1990, First Cook filed its counterclaim, alleging the following. La Salle owned the property; the Simons owned the beneficial interest in the trust of which La Salle was trustee. The property was subject to a mortgage recorded February 6, 1990; this mortgage secured a debt of $185,890.47 for which Michael Simon alone was personally responsible. The mortgage was in default as the mortgagor had not timely paid principal and interest. As of June 18, 1990, at least $193,946.27 was due First Cook. First Cook requested a judgment of foreclosure plus attorney fees, costs, and expenses.

Attached to the counterclaim were (1) a copy of the mortgage; (2) a legal description of the property; and (3) a copy of the note, dated February 2, 1990, for $185,890.47. The note is signed by Michael Simon but not by Heidi Simon, and it lists Michael Simon as the borrower. An attached “exhibit,” also signed by Michael Simon, states that the loan is secured by a mortgage on the property, a lien on a car, and a man’s watch.

Horizon Federal Savings Bank (Horizon), one of the named defendants in the counterclaim, filed an answer stating that Horizon, presently in conservatorship with the Resolution Trust Corporation, currently held an interest in the property under a mortgage dated October 23, 1978, and recorded November 21, 1978. Horizon asserted further that it was the owner and holder of a note dated October 23, 1991, for an original principal amount of $100,000. The note was executed by Michael and Heidi Simon. Horizon stated that $82,866.60 was now due under the note, with additional interest still accruing. Also, Horizon stated that its mortgage securing the note was superior to any other interest in the property, including First Cook’s. Horizon attached a copy of the note, which was signed by both Simons as borrowers, and a copy of the mortgage, signed by both Michael and Heidi Simon and listing both Simons as the “mortgagor.”

On September 17, 1990, First Cook moved for a default judgment on its counterclaim, alleging that, after due notice, neither La Salle nor the Simons had filed an appearance or answered the counterclaim. On September 19, 1990, Beverly filed its answer to First Cook’s counterclaim, denying that its interest in the property was inferior to First Cook’s interest. On September 19, 1990, Beverly also moved for a default judgment on its complaint, asserting that La Salle and the Simons had been duly served but had made no appearance, answer, or pleading.

On September 19, 1990, the trial court granted First Cook a default judgment against La Salle and the Simons. However, the court also granted Beverly leave to file an answer to the counterclaim and gave the Simons until October 10, 1990, to answer the complaint and the counterclaim.

On March 27, 1991, Osage, as Beverly’s assignee, moved for summary judgment, alleging that the Simons had not answered the complaint. The trial court granted Osage summary judgment.

On March 27, 1991, First Cook also moved for summary judgment against the Simons on its counterclaim. That same day, the Simons received leave to file their answer to First Cook’s counterclaim. The Simons raised several affirmative defenses which contested the validity of First Cook’s mortgage. They admitted that Michael Simon was the guarantor of a valid and outstanding debt of $185,890.47 owed under a note to First Cook from American Sports, Ltd., whose president was Michael Simon. The Simons also admitted that, as of February 1, 1990, American Sports, Ltd., was in default of its obligations under the note.

The Simons, however, argued that the mortgage securing the otherwise unsecured obligation was invalid. They alleged that, on February 1, 1990, Michael Helikias and Robert Sherrill, respectively the vice-president and the owner of First Cook, demanded immediate repayment from Michael Simon, falsely claiming that Simon and Robert Loffredi, then president of First Cook, had conspired to obtain the money by defrauding First Cook. Helikias and Sherrill threatened that, unless the Simons immediately executed a note and mortgage for the amount in default, the officials would cause the matter to be turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Thus, according to the Simons, Michael Simon signed the note and mortgage as a direct result of duress by First Cook’s agents.

Attached as an exhibit to the affirmative defenses is a copy of a statement written by Michael Simon and signed by him and Loffredi. The statement, dated 4 p.m. February 1,1990, reads:

“I am signing these said notes *** under the duress of threat of prosecution if I do not sign the $185,890.47 mortgage note on my home.
I was further instructed by Michael Halekias [sic] and Robert Sherrill VR that if I do not sign these notes *** I would be turned over to the FBI immediately and I would be in jail tonight.
They also further stated in the presence of others that I had purposely obtained these loans with the intent to defraud First Cook Bank. Wich [sic] was never my intention. They also stipulated the President of the Bank was Quote in on this.”

On April 11, 1991, First Cook moved to dismiss the affirmative defenses as legally inadequate to allege a claim of duress. First Cook maintained that the mere threat to initiate a criminal proceeding by means available to all members of the community cannot constitute duress. On April 29, 1991, the trial court struck the affirmative defenses with leave to replead.

On May 13, 1991, the court entered a judgment of foreclosure and sale in favor of Osage.

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Bluebook (online)
613 N.E.2d 770, 245 Ill. App. 3d 836, 184 Ill. Dec. 453, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/osage-corp-v-simon-illappct-1993.