Pantoja-Cahue v. Ford Motor Credit Co.

872 N.E.2d 1039, 375 Ill. App. 3d 49, 313 Ill. Dec. 650, 63 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 298, 2007 Ill. App. LEXIS 766
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJuly 18, 2007
Docket1-06-1234
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 872 N.E.2d 1039 (Pantoja-Cahue v. Ford Motor Credit Co.) 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
Pantoja-Cahue v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 872 N.E.2d 1039, 375 Ill. App. 3d 49, 313 Ill. Dec. 650, 63 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 298, 2007 Ill. App. LEXIS 766 (Ill. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

JUSTICE KARNEZIS

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff Mario Pantoja-Cahue filed a six-count complaint seeking damages from defendant Ford Motor Credit Company for Ford’s alleged breach of the peace and “illegal activities” in repossessing plaintiffs automobile from his locked garage. The trial court granted Ford’s motion to dismiss four of the counts pursuant to section 2 — 615 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2 — 615 (West 2004)). Plaintiff appeals, arguing the court erred in granting Ford’s motion to dismiss because he sufficiently alleged Ford committed a breach of the peace when a repossession agent, at Ford’s behest, broke into plaintiffs locked garage to take his vehicle in violation of (1) sections 2A — 108 and 2A — 525 of the Illinois Uniform Commercial Code (the Code) (810 ILCS 5/2A — 108, 2A — 525 (West 2004)); (2) plaintiffs contract with Ford; and (3) section 2 of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (Consumer Fraud Act) (815 ILCS 505/2 (West 2004)). He also argues he sufficiently alleged Ford ordered the repossession knowing that the issue of the vehicle’s ownership was pending before a court, in violation of section 2 of the Consumer Fraud Act. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand.

Background

In August 2000, plaintiff purchased a 2000 Ford Explorer from auto dealer Webb Ford. Plaintiff, a native Spanish speaker, negotiated the purchase with a Spanish-speaking salesperson at Webb. Plaintiff signed what he thought was a contract for the purchase and financing of the vehicle, with monthly installment payments to be made to Ford. The contract was in English. Some years later, plaintiff discovered the contract was actually a lease, not a purchase agreement. Plaintiff brought suit against Ford and Webb on August 22, 2003, alleging fraud. Ford brought a replevin action against plaintiff asserting plaintiff was in default on his obligations under the lease. In the late night/early morning hours of March 11-12, 2004, repossession agents entered plaintiff’s locked garage and removed the car.

On May 18, 2004, the court dismissed plaintiff’s claims against Ford without prejudice. On December 1, 2004, the court entered an order settling plaintiffs case against Webb. Pursuant to the settlement, Webb repurchased the car from Ford and tendered it back to plaintiff.

On May 17, 2005, plaintiff filed a complaint against Ford and “Doe Repossession Company/Agent,” an as yet unknown repossession agent acting on Ford’s behalf. On December 16, 2005, plaintiff filed the second amended complaint at issue here. Plaintiff sought damages for Ford and Doe’s “unlawful activities surrounding the wrongful repossession of Plaintiffs vehicle.” He alleged Ford and Doe’s breaking into plaintiffs locked garage to effectuate the repossession and Ford’s repossession of the vehicle knowing that title to the car was the subject of ongoing litigation variously violated section 2A — 525(3) of the Code (count I against Ford), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. §1692 et seq. (2000)) (count II against Doe), the unlawful trespass statute (count III against Ford and Doe), section 2 of the Consumer Fraud Act (count IV against Ford and Doe), Ford’s contract with plaintiff (count V against Ford) and section 2A — 108 of the Code (count VI against Ford and Doe).

Ford filed a section 2 — 615 motion to dismiss counts I, iy V and VI. The court granted the motion with prejudice on April 10, 2006. The court made its order final and appealable pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 304(a) (210 Ill. 2d R. 304(a)) and granted plaintiffs request to stay all pending matters pending appeal of its decision. 1 Plaintiff timely filed his notice of appeal on April 26, 2006, arguing the court erred in granting Ford’s motion to dismiss pursuant to section 2 — 615.

Analysis

A motion to dismiss filed pursuant to section 2 — 615 is based on the pleadings rather than the underlying facts. Neppl v. Murphy, 316 Ill. App. 3d 581, 584, 736 N.E.2d 1174, 1178 (2000). It admits all well-pleaded facts appearing on the face of the complaint and attacks the legal sufficiency of the complaint, alleging only defects on the face of the complaint. Neppl, 316 Ill. App. 3d at 584, 736 N.E.2d at 1178; Elson v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 295 Ill. App. 3d 1, 6, 691 N.E.2d 807, 811 (1998). Viewing the complaint in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, here plaintiff, we must determine whether it alleges sufficient facts to state a cause of action upon which relief may he granted. Ziemba v. Mierzwa, 142 Ill. 2d 42, 46-47, 566 N.E.2d 1365, 1366 (1991). In making that determination, we must take as true all well-pleaded facts of the complaint, draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in favor of the nonmoving party, and disregard mere conclusions of law unsupported by specific factual allegations. Krueger v. Lewis, 342 Ill. App. 3d 467, 470, 794 N.E.2d 970, 972 (2003); Ziemba, 142 Ill. 2d at 47, 566 N.E.2d at 1366. We do not consider the merits of the case. Elson, 295 Ill. App. 3d at 5, 691 N.E.2d at 811. Our standard of review is de novo. Neppl, 316 Ill. App. 3d at 583, 736 N.E.2d at 1178.

Uniform Commercial Code Section 2A — 525(3)

Plaintiff first argues the court erred in dismissing count I of his complaint for failure to state a cause of action for Ford’s violation of section 2A — 525(3) of the Code. In count I, plaintiff alleged “a breach of the peace occurred as [Fordj’s repossession agent broke into Plaintiffs locked garage in order to take the vehicle” and Ford’s agent “repossessed the subject vehicle by, among other things, breaking into Plaintiffs locked garage and causing substantial damage to Plaintiffs personal property in violation of [section 2A — 525(3)].” Section 2A— 525, titled “Lessor’s right to possession of goods,” provides in relevant part:

“(2) After a default by the lessee under the lease contract *** or, if agreed, after other default by the lessee, the lessor has the right to take possession of the goods. ***
(3) The lessor may proceed under subsection (2) without judicial process if it can be done without breach of the peace or the lessor may proceed by action.” (Emphasis added.) 810 ILCS 5/2A — 525(2), (3) (West 2004).

Pursuant to section 2A — 525(2), upon a lessee’s default, a lessor has the right to repossess the leased goods in one of two ways: by using the judicial process or, if repossession could be accomplished without a breach of the peace, by self-help. 810 ILCS 5/2A — 525(3). “If a breach of the peace is likely, a properly instituted civil action is the appropriate remedy.” People v.

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872 N.E.2d 1039, 375 Ill. App. 3d 49, 313 Ill. Dec. 650, 63 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 298, 2007 Ill. App. LEXIS 766, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pantoja-cahue-v-ford-motor-credit-co-illappct-2007.