Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy

Public Act 98-1042

Topic: 
Condominium Property Act
(Burke, D-Evergreen Park; Raoul, D-Chicago) amends the two acts that govern condos and common-interest communities so that communication may include “electronic transmission” for differing purposes under the two Acts. It creates procedures to do this that also require consent of the unit owner. It also prohibits secret ballots in elections for common-interest communities.

Public Act 98-946

Topic: 
Trusts and Trustees Act
(Dillard, R-Westmont; McAsey, D-Romeoville) amends the virtual representation section of this Act. It expands the use of settlement agreements in resolving disputes, ambiguities, and operational difficulties in trust administration. These settlements require unanimous written agreement by the trustee and all current and presumptive remainder beneficiaries. Effective January 1, 2015.

Public Act 98-966

Topic: 
Service of process
(Jacobs, D-Moline; Verschoore, D-Rock Island) amends the Code of Civil Procedure to require an employee of a "gated residential community" to grant entry into the community to an authorized process server who is attempting to serve process on a defendant or witness who resides within or is known to be within the community. This access would include common areas and common elements. The term "gated residential community" includes condominium associations, housing cooperatives, or private communities. Effective January 1, 2015.

Southern Financial Group, LLC v. McFarland State Bank

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Contracts
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 13-3378
Decision Date: 
August 15, 2014
Federal District: 
E.D. Wisc.
Holding: 
Affirmed
Magistrate Judge did not err in granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment in plaintiff’s action alleging that defendant breached contract by misrepresenting status of three out of 19 properties identified as collateral for loan portfolio purchased by plaintiff. Terms of contract limited plaintiff’s remedy of any breach to “repurchase price,” and plaintiff could not seek any damages under instant record, where plaintiff had already sold other collateral properties and obtained proceeds that exceeded price plaintiff had paid for entire loan portfolio. Ct. rejected plaintiff’s claim that remedies’ limitation clause contained in contract failed of its essential essence because it failed to provide plaintiff with any remedy for defendant’s misrepresentation.

Levin v. Miller

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Bankruptcy
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 12-3474
Decision Date: 
August 14, 2014
Federal District: 
S.D. Ind., Indianapolis Div.
Holding: 
Affirmed and vacated in part and remanded
Dist. Ct. did not err in dismissing five of seven counts that plaintiff-Trustee for bankrupt holding company filed against defendants-three directors of banks controlled by holding company, alleging that defendants violated certain fiduciary duties by failing to implement financial controls that would have protected holding company from defendants’ financial errors in their roles as directors of said banks. Under 12 USC section 1821(d)(2)(A)(i), said action in these counts belonged to FDIC, which was in process of collecting banks’ assets and paying their debts, since FDIC, as opposed to Trustee, owned any legal claim that depended on actions taken by defendants in their roles as banks’ directors. However, Dist. Ct. erred in dismissing remaining two counts, since those counts pertained to defendants’ conduct directed at holding company, and thus Trustee could properly pursue said claims on behalf of holding company.

Public Act 98-735

Topic: 
Condominium Property Act
(Smith, D-Chicago; Steans, D-Chicago) allows a governing board to adopt and amend rules and regulations (l) authorizing electronic delivery of notices and other communications required or contemplated by the Act to each unit owner who provides the association with written authorization for electronic delivery and an electronic address to which such communications are to be electronically transmitted; and (2) authorizing each unit owner to designate an electronic address or a U.S. Postal Service address, or both, as the unit owner’s address on any list of members or unit owners that an association is required to provide upon request. Effective January 1, 2015.

Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Inc. v. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Contracts
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 13-2860
Decision Date: 
August 12, 2014
Federal District: 
C.D. Ill.
Holding: 
Affirmed
In action seeking declaration that plaintiff did not owe prepayment charge pursuant to terms of loan agreement with defendant, Dist. Ct. did not err in finding that plaintiff owed prepayment fee where agreement called for said payment where, as here, plaintiff notified defendant of desire to prepay loan at time where terms of loan called for payment of interest at fixed rate. Ct. rejected plaintiff’s claim that no prepayment fee was required where loan agreement called for one-time adjustment of interest rate ten years into 20-year loan period, since: (1) contrary to plaintiff’s claim, one time adjustment of rate did not transform instant agreement into variable rate agreement that would preclude prepayment fee; and (2) plaintiff’s interpretation would render meaningless clause in agreement detailing circumstances for payment of said prepayment fee.

Public Act 98-821

Topic: 
Transfer on death instrument
(Barickman, R-Bloomington; Sims, D-Chicago) makes several changes to the Illinois Transfer on Death Instrument Act. (1) Makes the recording of a notice of death affidavit a permissive action that can be taken by the beneficiary to confirm title to the residential real estate but is not a mandatory requirement to perfect title. (2) Allows a bona fide purchaser for value and without notice before the recordation of a lis pendens for an action to set aside or contest the transfer on death instrument ("TODI") to take free and clear of any such action or contest. (3) Clarifies that acceptance of the TODI by the beneficiary during the owner's lifetime is not a requirement. (4) Eliminates the right of an agent acting under a durable power of attorney from creating or revoking a TODI. But it doesn't affect the agent's right or power to sell, transfer, or encumber the residential real estate if so authorized under the POA. (5) Clarifies that only substantial compliance with the execution formalities is required. Effective January 1, 2015.

Public Act 98-836

Topic: 
Small estate affidavit
(Bivins, R-Dixon; Demmer, R-Dixon) expands the small estate affidavit (SEA) statute to include much more detailed information about the known debts of the decedent. Requires the affiant to sign under a notary public to aid in the enforcement of the civil and criminal penalties for misusing a SEA. Syncs up the SEA and the Safety Deposit Act. It applies to estates in which the decedent's date of death is on or after January 1, 2015.