Universal Underwriters Insurance Ex Rel. Manley Ford, Inc. v. Long

574 N.E.2d 1284, 215 Ill. App. 3d 396, 158 Ill. Dec. 891, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1086, 1991 WL 113318
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 26, 1991
Docket4-90-0323
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 574 N.E.2d 1284 (Universal Underwriters Insurance Ex Rel. Manley Ford, Inc. v. Long) 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
Universal Underwriters Insurance Ex Rel. Manley Ford, Inc. v. Long, 574 N.E.2d 1284, 215 Ill. App. 3d 396, 158 Ill. Dec. 891, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1086, 1991 WL 113318 (Ill. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

JUSTICE KNECHT

delivered the opinion of the court:

Hung Quoc Do appeals from an order of the Champaign County circuit court dismissing his counterclaim against Manley Ford, Inc., for failure to state a cause of action. We affirm.

I. Facts

On November 9, 1987, defendant John D. Long went to Manley Ford, Inc. (Manley Ford), and took a 1984 Honda out for a test drive, accompanied by an agent from Manley Ford. Long drove west on Route 136E in Rantoul, following two other cars, the first car driven by Irene Johnson and the second car driven by Hung Quoc Do. All were in the inside westbound lane. Johnson slowed her car and stopped to wait for traffic traveling east, in preparation to turn left. Do failed to slow down and crashed into Johnson’s 1981 Buick Riviera. Long crashed into Do’s 1980 Chevrolet Citation. All three cars were damaged.

On August 3, 1988, plaintiffs filed a two-count negligence complaint against Do and Long respectively, seeking to recover for damages to the Honda. Do answered the complaint and filed a two-count counterclaim against Long and the auto dealership, seeking to recover $1,500 for the complete destruction of the Chevrolet Citation, and $2,200 the Dos had paid for repairs to Johnson’s Buick Riviera.

In February 1990, count II of Do’s counterclaim was dismissed on his motion, with leave to refile.

An amended count II was filed on March 1, 1990, and on March 6, 1990, plaintiffs filed a motion to dismiss amended count II of Do’s counterclaim for failure to state a cause of action.

On March 27, 1990, the circuit court issued a memorandum opinion and order granting plaintiffs’ motion to dismiss amended count II of Do’s counterclaim, but allowing Do to file a second-amended count II. On April 16, 1990, Do filed a second-amended count II of the counterclaim, alleging that an agent of Manley Ford was present in the vehicle operated by Long at the time of the accident:

“8. Counter-Defendant, MANLEY FORD, INC., by and through its agent, had the duty at aforesaid time and place to control and direct the operation of the motor vehicle by Counter-Defendant, JOHN D. LONG, to ensure that he did not operate the motor vehicle in a negligent manner.
9. Notwithstanding this duty, Counter-Defendant, MANLEY FORD, INC., by and through its agent negligently failed to prevent Counter-Defendant, JOHN D. LONG, from operating the motor vehicle in a negligent manner, although it knew or should have known that JOHN D. LONG was operating the motor vehicle in a negligent manner as hereinafter alleged, and failed to take action necessary to prevent said negligent operation by Counter-Defendant, JOHN D. LONG.”

Do went on to aHege Long’s negligent acts or omissions, i.e., Long failed to decrease speed to avoid a collision, to keep a proper lookout for stopped traffic, to observe the Johnson vehicle when it could and should have been observed, and to stop his auto in time to avoid the coHision when he should have seen it impending and had time and opportunity to avoid it — the same acts set forth in amended count II and deemed insufficient by the circuit court in its March 1990 dismissal order — and concluded that, as a direct and proximate result of Manley Ford’s negligence, Long drove the Honda into Do’s vehicle.

On April 19, 1990, plaintiffs moved to dismiss the second-amended count II of the counterclaim for failure to state a cause of action. At a hearing held April 23, 1990, the circuit court granted the motion and dismissed second-amended count II with prejudice, entering a Rule 304(a) finding (134 Ill. 2d R. 304(a)). This appeal followed.

II. MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CAUSE OF ACTION

InitiaUy, we note plaintiffs failed to designate whether the motions to dismiss were brought under section 2 — 615 or section 2— 619 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, pars. 2-615, 2-619).

“This procedure should not be countenanced by trial judges, and although not always fatal (Illinois Housing Development Authority v. Sjostrom & Sons, Inc. (1982), 105 Ill. App. 3d 247, 253, 433 N.E.2d 1350), it will require reversal if prejudice results to the nonmovant. [Citations.] ‘Meticulous practice dictates that a lawyer specifically designate whether his motion to dismiss is pursuant to this section [2 — 615] or section 2 — 619. [Citation.]’ ” (Premier Electrical Construction Co. v. La Salle National Bank (1983), 115 Ill. App. 3d 638, 642, 450 N.E.2d 1360, 1363.)

(See also Eddings v. Dundee Township Highway Commissioner (1985), 135 Ill. App. 3d 190, 199-200, 478 N.E.2d 888, 894-95.) Motions made pursuant to section 2 — 619 of the Code must be limited to the grounds enumerated therein. (See Phillips Construction Co. v. Muscarello (1976), 42 Ill. App. 3d 151, 154, 355 N.E.2d 567, 569; Cain v. American National Bank & Trust Co. (1975), 26 Ill. App. 3d 574, 585, 325 N.E.2d 799, 808; Rowan v. Novotny (1987), 157 Ill. App. 3d 691, 694, 510 N.E.2d 1111, 1113.) Failure to state a cause of action is not such an enumerated ground, but is instead a basis for a section 2 — 615 motion. Accordingly, we treat the motions as having been brought pursuant to section 2 — 615. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par. 2 — 615.

“In considering a motion to dismiss [brought pursuant to section 2 — 615], all well-pleaded facts in a complaint must be taken as true with all inferences from it to be drawn in favor of the nonmovant. (Beckman v. Freeman United Coal Mining Co. (1986), 151 Ill. App. 3d 47, 54; Album Graphics, Inc. v. Beatrice Foods Co. (1980), 87 Ill. App. 3d 338, 344.) A complaint should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it clearly appears that no set of facts could be proved under the allegations which would entitle the party to relief.” Meerbrey v. Marshall Field & Co. (1990), 139 Ill. 2d 455, 473, 564 N.E.2d 1222, 1230.

III. AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT LIABILITY WHERE OWNER IS IN VEHICLE

The record on appeal does not specify the circuit court’s reasons for granting plaintiffs’ motion to dismiss the second-amended count II of Do’s counterclaim with prejudice. The court’s March 27, 1990, memorandum opinion granting plaintiffs’ motion to dismiss amended count II, however, concluded that Cook v. Connelly Chevrolet Co. (1931), 261 Ill. App. 242, relied on by Do, did not reflect the modem trend in the law regarding the liability of owner-passengers. On appeal, Do again relies on Cook, arguing it is directly on point and urging this court to adopt its holding. Cook has no precedential value, however, as it is an appellate court case decided before 1935. Graham v. White-Phillips Co.

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574 N.E.2d 1284, 215 Ill. App. 3d 396, 158 Ill. Dec. 891, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1086, 1991 WL 113318, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/universal-underwriters-insurance-ex-rel-manley-ford-inc-v-long-illappct-1991.