Rubin v. State

47 Ill. Ct. Cl. 414
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedMay 5, 1995
DocketNo. 93-CC-0238
StatusPublished

This text of 47 Ill. Ct. Cl. 414 (Rubin v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rubin v. State, 47 Ill. Ct. Cl. 414 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1995).

Opinion

ORDER

Montana, C.J.

This cause comes on to be heard on the Respondents motion to dismiss and the Claimant’s response thereto, due notice having been given, and the Court being advised, it is hereby ordered that the Respondent’s motion is granted and this claim is dismissed for the reasons stated in the motion.

Frederick, J.

This cause coming on Claimants motion for rehearing, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, wherefore, the Court finds:

(1) That Claimant filed his complaint against the board of governors on August 7, 1982, claiming damages for alleged actions occurring in 1977 through 1980 at Western Illinois University.

(2) That the Court entered an order dismissing the cause on November 5,1992.

(3) That Claimant has failed to provide to the court any documentation to show the Court that Claimant was adjudicated an incompetent for any period from 1980 until August 7, 1992, sufficient to toll the statute of limitations in regard to the applicable notice and filing provisions of the law.

Therefore, it is ordered that the motion for rehearing is denied.

This cause coming on for hearing on Claimants motion to reopen case due to “Significant” evidence, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, wherefore, the Court finds:

(1) That Claimants complaint alleges that the acts complained of occurred from 1977 to 1980.

(2) That from Claimants allegations, it is impossible to tell when the two-year statute of limitations would have run but it appears it would have been some time between January 1, 1982, and January 31,1982.

(3) That section 13 — 211 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/13 — 211) controls the tolling of the statute of limitations for persons under legal disability. Estate of Rika v. Christ Hospital (1989), 187 Ill. App. 3d 752.

(4) That on July 1, 1982, the legislature changed the language of the tolling provision from persons who are "incompetent” to persons “under legal disability.” (Pub. Act 92-280, eff. July 1, 1982.) See Peach v. Peach (1966), 73 Ill. App. 2d 72.

(5) That Claimants pending motion raises an issue of whether he was under a legal disability beginning in 1980 through 1982.

(6) That depending on when Claimant’s alleged claim began, the standard for tolling the statute may differ because of the amendment to the statute.

Therefore, it is ordered:

(A) That the Commissioner assigned to the case shall hold a hearing solely on the issue of whether the statute of limitations has been tolled.

(B) The Claimant has the burden of proving when the statute of limitations began running, when it began to be tolled, when any “incompetency” or “legal disability” ended, and that he filed his claim within the statute of limitations or within a period when the statute of limitations was properly tolled.

(C) The Commissioner shall report to the Court as to the issues herein sought to be resolved.

OPINION

The Claimant filed his complaint sounding in tort on August 7, 1992. On September 27, 1993, the Court entered an order requiring the Commissioner to hold a hearing solely on the issue of whether the statute of limitations had been tolled. The Claimant had the burden of proving when the statute of limitations began running, when it began to be tolled, when any incompetency or legal disability ended, and that he filed his claim within the statute of limitations or within a period when the statute had been tolled. The inartfulness of the allegations of the complaint made it difficult for the Court to determine when the statute of limitations started and ended.

The allegations indicate the alleged occurrence happened at some point between 1977 and 1980. The complaint was filed on August 7, 1992. The cause was heard before the Commissioner. The medical records of Dr. Buchanan presented by Claimant were admitted into evidence. The Commissioner also heard testimony from the Claimant. Because this is a tort claim, without tolling the latest the statute of limitations would have run would have been January 31, 1982. See section 8(d), 22(g), Court of Claims Act, 705 ILCS 505/1, et seq.

Therefore, the only issue before the Court is whether Claimant was under a legal disability that prevented the statute of limitations from running. Section 22(g) also indicates that tort claims must be filed within two years after it first accrues saving to minors and persons under legal disability at the time the claim accrues, in which case the claim must be filed within two years from when the disability ceases.

We have scrupulously reviewed the medical records of Dr. Robert W. Buchanan and the testimony of Claimant. Dr. Buchanans records indicate he saw Claimant on August 22, 1984. At that time, Claimant presented “himself in a clean manner, dressed appropriately, and is somewhat hyperactive in his motor activity.” Dr. Buchanan also related that Claimant had no history of psychiatric hospitalizations. His diagnosis was severe borderline personality with paranoid ideation. Dr. Buchanan also gave an opinion that Claimant was disabled and unable to work during the years 1980 through 1982. Claimant testified that he became better in 1988. Claimant believed he had five years from 1988 to file his claim. He testified his disability ceased in 1988.

There was no medical evidence that Claimant was disabled after August 22, 1984. However, even if the Court were to accept Claimants version of when his alleged disability ended, the statute of limitations expired on January 2, 1991. As Claimant filed his claim beyond the expiration date of the latest statute of limitations date, the Court is without jurisdiction to hear his claim. See section 22(h) of Court of Claims Act. 705 ILCS 705/ 22(h).

For the foregoing reasons, the Claimants motion to reopen case due to significant evidence is denied and this cause is dismissed with prejudice.

On September 27, 1993, this Court entered an order directing the Commissioner to hold a hearing in regard to whether the statute of limitations had been tolled and when any incompetency or legal disability ended. The Commissioner held the required hearing on August 8, 1994. In reviewing all of the evidence and testimony, we find as follows:

(a) This is a claim sounding in tort.

(b) The Claimant never filed a notice of intent to sue pursuant to section 22 — 1 of the Court of Claims Act. 705 ILCS 505/1, et seq.

(c) That Claimant was admitted to the McDonough District Hospital on September 11, 1980, complaining of a multitude of strange persecutory delusions. He was discharged on September 15,1980.

(d) That in September of 1980 Claimant was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

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Related

Peach v. Peach
218 N.E.2d 504 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1966)
Estate of Riha v. Christ Hospital
544 N.E.2d 403 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1989)

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Bluebook (online)
47 Ill. Ct. Cl. 414, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rubin-v-state-ilclaimsct-1995.