Court Opinion

ID: 9706303
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:39:14.768608+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:27:24.968450
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE TRAPP, dissenting: In examining the liability for punitive damages by reason of the provisions found in section 73 of the Public Utilities Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 111 2/3, par. 77), the opinion embraces the general tort language of “wilful or wanton” conduct. The text of the statute, however, is restricted to the circumstance “if the court shall find that the act was wilful ° * Examination of the opinions in National Bank v. Norfolk & Western Ry. (1978), 73 Ill. 2d 160, 383 N.E.2d 919, and Churchill v. Norfolk & Western Ry. (1978), 73 Ill. 2d 127, 383 N.E.2d 929, discloses that the supreme court carefully restricted such liability to “wilful” conduct as distinguished from “wanton” conduct. In sum, one finds that each majority opinion uses the words “wilful and wanton" only when referring to the pleadings or to the arguments of counsel. Each opinion quotes the statutory language supporting the liability only in term of “wilful” conduct or “wilful and wrongful” conduct. National Bank states the legislative intent to punish “whenever an injury results from a defendant’s wrongful and wilful statutory violation” (73 Ill. 2d 160, 174, 383 N.E.2d 919, 924), and “to punish the tortious public utility for wilfully perpetrating a danger to the traveling public.” 73 Ill. 2d 160, 177, 383 N.E.2d 919, 926. I do not agree that this court should enlarge the boundaries of the language of the statute or of the opinions in National Bank and Churchill.