Opinion ID: 2002169
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: On March 23, 1993, plaintiffs filed an action in negligence against Depot Place. The complaint alleged that on April 5, 1991, James Guerino, an employee of Concrete Doctor, was injured by a falling I-beam, an integral part of a mechanical gate located on premises owned by Depot Place and leased to Concrete Doctor. Depot Place filed a third-party complaint against Concrete Doctor on February 5, 1996, seeking recovery on theories of liability under the Contribution Act, breach of contractual duties to inspect and maintain the premises under the lease, and indemnification based on an express indemnity provision in the lease agreement. Depot Place subsequently amended its third-party complaint to add contribution claims against Shackleford, Barton, Raupp, Waste Management and Semmerling. Depot Place alleged that each of the additional third-party defendants had some connection to the design, fabrication, construction, installation or maintenance of the allegedly defective mechanical gate. All third-party defendants filed motions to dismiss Depot Place's claims as time-barred under the two-year statute of limitations for contribution actions. 735 ILCS 5/13-204(b) (West 1996). The trial court granted the motions to dismiss with regard to the contribution actions, but refused to dismiss Depot Place's third-party action against Concrete Doctor for breach of contract and indemnification, which was subject to a 10-year statute of limitations. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's dismissal of the third-party contribution claims. Guerino v. Depot Place Partnership, 292 Ill.App.3d 1122, 240 Ill. Dec. 512, 717 N.E.2d 861 (1997) (unpublished order under Supreme Court Rule 23). On April 18, 1997, Concrete Doctor filed a fourth-party complaint for contribution against Shackleford, Barton, Raupp, Waste Management and Semmerling (collectively, fourth-party defendants) pursuant to section 2 of the Contribution Act (740 ILCS 100/2 (West 1996)). Shortly afterward, on June 11, 1997, plaintiffs, Depot Place and Concrete Doctor reached a settlement agreement. Concrete Doctor moved for a finding that the settlement was in good faith so that it could proceed with its fourth-party contribution action. Waste Management and Barton both filed objections, but on July 23, 1997, the trial court found the settlement in good faith. In September 1997, fourth-party defendants filed motions to dismiss Concrete Doctor's fourth-party contribution action under both section 2-615 and section 2-619 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-615, 2-619 (West 1996)), arguing that Concrete Doctor could not state a claim for contribution in tort when the only claims against it sounded in contract. The trial court granted these motions on December 17, 1997. In a consolidated appeal, the appellate court affirmed the trial court's finding of good faith as to the settlement, but reversed the trial court's dismissal of Concrete Doctor's complaint for contribution, thus reinstating the contribution action against fourth-party defendants. Nos. 2-97-1042, 2-97-1043, 2-98-0008 cons. (unpublished order under Supreme Court Rule 23). Fourth-party defendant Semmerling's petition for leave to appeal to this court, which argued that Concrete Doctor failed to state a cause of action under the Contribution Act, was denied. Guerino v. Depot Place Partnership (Levy Shackleford), 184 Ill.2d 556, 239 Ill.Dec. 607, 714 N.E.2d 526 (1999) (leave to appeal denied). However, fourth-party defendant Waste Management's petition for leave to appeal, which argued that the settlement agreement was not reached in good faith, was allowed. Guerino v. Depot Place Partnership (Levy Shackleford), 184 Ill.2d 556, 239 Ill.Dec. 607, 714 N.E.2d 526 (1999) (leave to appeal allowed). Shackleford, Barton and Raupp subsequently joined Waste Management's appeal. This court granted Semmerling's motion for leave to file a separate brief pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 318(a) (155 Ill.2d R. 318(a)).