Opinion ID: 2215742
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Dismissal of Negligence Counts from Prior Complaint

Text: Barnett assigns error to the trial court's dismissal of her negligence counts from her second-amended complaint. However, Barnett did not stand on the dismissed counts and appeal their dismissal prior to pleading over, i.e., filing a subsequent amended complaint. When a complaint is dismissed, a plaintiff must stand by the complaint if he or she wishes to have the dismissal reviewed. If the plaintiff pleads over, he or she waives the dismissal and has no right to assign error thereto. Foxcroft Townhome Owners Ass'n v. Hoffman Rosner Corp., 96 Ill.2d 150, 155, 70 Ill.Dec. 251, 449 N.E.2d 125 (1983), quoting Cottrell v. Gerson, 371 Ill. 174, 179, 20 N.E.2d 74 (1939); see also Villareal v. Trevino, 30 Ill.App.2d 77, 81-82, 173 N.E.2d 582 (1961). Barnett insists that the negligence counts in her second-amended complaint are part of her fifth-amended complaint. However, Barnett did not reallege or otherwise incorporate those counts in her third, fourth, or fifth amended complaint. Rather, she proceeded on her willful and wanton counts alone. Where an amended pleading is complete in itself and does not refer to or adopt the prior pleading, the earlier pleading ceases to be part of the record for most purposes and is effectively abandoned and withdrawn. Foxcroft, 96 Ill.2d at 154, 70 Ill.Dec. 251, 449 N.E.2d 125, quoting Bowman v. County of Lake, 29 Ill.2d 268, 272, 193 N.E.2d 833 (1963). Allegations in a former complaint not incorporated in the final amended complaint are deemed waived. Foxcroft, 96 Ill.2d at 155, 70 Ill.Dec. 251, 449 N.E.2d 125. Thus, Barnett has waived appellate review of the dismissal of the negligence counts.