Court Opinion

ID: 9715152
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:55:53.093697+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:32.030746
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE STOUDER, specially concurring: Although I agree with the result reached by the majority and the reasoning used to reach the result, I find it necessary to comment on the rule permitting the admissions of plaintiffs’ grantor to be admitted as substantive evidence. Although the majority properly states that the declarations and admissions of a former owner or possessor of property against his interest, made during the continuance of his interest or possession, are evidence against those subsequently obtaining possession or title from him, I believe this is an unwise rule rife with the possibility of abuse in that it does not contain adequate safeguards to guarantee trustworthiness. The factors considered in evaluating the testimony of a witness are the actuality and accuracy of (1) perception, (2) memory or recollection, and (3) narration or communication. To insure truthfulness regarding these factors and to expose inaccuracies caused by lack of sincerity or other reasons, a witness is required to testify at trial (1) under oath, (2) in person so that the trier of fact may observe his demeanor, and (3) subject to cross-examination. Hearsay evidence is excluded because hearsay statements lack these guarantees of trustworthiness. Of these guarantees, the inability to conduct cross-examination is the essential factor underlying the rule excluding hearsay. Grand Liquor v. Department of Revenue (1977), 67 Ill. 2d 195, 367 N.E.2d 1238. Despite the absence of these guarantees of trustworthiness, the relevant admissions of a party are admissible when offered by the opponent as an exception to the hearsay rule. Lack of opportunity to cross-examine is deprived of significance by the incongruity of the party’s objecting to his own statement on the ground that he was not subject to cross-examination by himself at the time. Thus, it is apparent that the acceptance of admissions in evidence is a product of the adversary system rather than an exception to the hearsay rule resting on circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness. E. Cleary & M. Graham, Handbook of Illinois Evidence §802.1 (3d ed. 1979). Several older cases have extended this adversarial concept so that the admissions by a predecessor in title made prior to the transfer of title are admissible against the transferee party. (See, e.g., Bald v. Nuernberger (1915), 267 Ill. 616, 108 N.E. 724; Lang v. Metzger (1903), 206 Ill. 475, 69 N.E. 493; Gage v. Eddy (1899), 179 Ill. 492, 53 N.E. 1008; City of Elgin v. Beckwith (1887), 119 Ill. 367, 10 N.E. 558.) It is this extension to which I object. While there is no doubting the utility of the admissibility of admissions by a party, this utility is overmatched by the lack of any guarantee of trustworthiness when the admissions of someone not a party are admitted as evidence against a party in the action. Where an admission of a party is introduced into evidence, the party against whom the statement is introduced has knowledge of the statement and has a chance to rebut or explain the statement if he .can. Where the admission of a grantor that has not been made in the presence of the grantee-party is admitted into evidence, the grantee-party has no means of rebutting or explaining the statement. It is far too easy for such an alleged statement to be fabricated. This is particularly true in view of the fact that the statement is admissible despite the lack of a guarantee of trustworthiness. Indeed, it opens the door for a situation extant in the present case, in which one party can testify that the grantor made an admission chargeable to the adversary party. Thus, the one party can testify to self-serving statements allegedly made by a grantor, and the party charged with this admission is helpless. Ignorant of the circumstances, he is unable to rebut or explain the statement. Nor are there any guarantees of trustworthiness which will protect the party charged with the admission. Therefore, to allow such statements into evidence is to place the party charged with the admission at a significant disadvantage. If there were some guarantee of trustworthiness, I would have no objection to admitting the evidence. For example, if the alleged admission of the grantor in a deposition, then there would be no reason not to allow the statement into evidence. (E.g., Bald v. Nuernberger (1916), 274 Ill. 123, 113 N.E. 117.) Or, if the admission was testified to by a disinterested witness, then the statement should be admissible. (E.g., Lang v. Metzger (1903), 206 Ill. 475, 69 N.E. 493; City of Elgin v. Beckwith (1887), 119 Ill. 367, 10 N.E. 558.) The foregoing cases merely enunciate the rule without in any way discussing the nature of the declarant’s testimony or the reasons for permitting such testimony other than by applying the doctrine of privity. But to permit an interested party to introduce into evidence an admission by a grantor against the adversary party which the latter is ignorant of, and for which there is no guarantee of trustworthiness, is to condone a situation rife with potential for abuse. Therefore, I would prefer to see the rule changed to prevent such situations.