Court Opinion

ID: 9725781
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 12:10:14.541176+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:19.715280
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE SULLIVAN, dissenting: I concur with the majority as to our lack of jurisdiction to consider plaintiffs’ appeal from the judgment entered against them on defendants’ counterclaim. In the absence of a timely post-trial motion a notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after the date of judgment (87 Ill. 2d R. 303(a)), unless an extension of time to file the notice of appeal is granted pursuant to that rule. Here, since no post-trial motion was filed and no extension of time within which to file a notice of appeal was granted or requested, the notice of appeal filed herein was not timely. I disagree, however, with the majority opinion insofar as it reverses the summary judgment for plaintiff against defendant Elmore. While, as found by the majority, there existed questions of fact raised by defendants in their affirmative defense which should have precluded summary judgment as to defendants Page and Heinz, in view of our dismissal of the appeal from the judgment for Elmore on his counterclaim, the questions of fact raised by this affirmative defense no longer exist as to him. Defendants admit that the note on which plaintiffs’ complaint is grounded is unpaid, but they assert in their affirmative defense that in executing it they relied upon representations by defendant that certain renovation work had been completed on Cez’ars Inn when, in fact, it had not and they sought a setoff and recoupment “of any and all monies expended as a result of the failure of plaintiff to adequately perform the work contemplated in renovating Cez’ars, Inn.” The record discloses and it was admitted by defense counsel on oral argument that in count III of his counterclaim, defendant Elmore sought a recovery of his share of these same expenses and was awarded damages therefor by the jury. The appeal of the judgment entered on that verdict having been dismissed by us, there then was no longer any question of fact as to whether Elmore was entitled to recover for the expenses incurred in completing the renovation work and, thus, the summary judgment against him should be affirmed. I would affirm the entry of summary judgment for plaintiffs against defendant Elbert F. Elmore.