Home Sav. and Loan Ass'n of Joliet v. Schneider

• Decision Date: 03 October 1985
• Docket Number: No. 61084,61084
• Citation: 91 Ill.Dec. 590,483 N.E.2d 1225,108 Ill.2d 277
• Parties: , 91 Ill.Dec. 590 HOME SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF JOLIET v. Roy E. SCHNEIDER et al. (Ernest L. HARRELSON et al., Appellees, v. Richard H. HATABURDA et al., Appellants).
• Court: Illinois Supreme Court

Page 1225

483 N.E.2d 1225

108 Ill.2d 277, 91 Ill.Dec. 590

HOME SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF JOLIET v. Roy E. SCHNEIDER et al.

(Ernest L. HARRELSON et al., Appellees, v. Richard H. HATABURDA et al., Appellants).

No. 61084.

Supreme Court of Illinois.

Oct. 3, 1985.

Anesi, Ozmon, Lewin & Associates, Ltd., Chicago, for appellants; Nat P. Ozman, Steven E. Nieslawski, of counsel.

Stefanich, McGarry & Wols, Ltd., Joliet, for appellees; Roman R. Okrei, Joliet, of counsel.

MORAN, Justice.

This action was filed in the circuit court of Will County by Home Savings and Loan Association of Joliet (Home Savings), seeking enforcement of a "due-on-sale" provision in a mortgage executed by Roy E. Schneider and Sue C. Schneider. Also named as defendants were Richard H. Hataburda and Patricia D. Hataburda, who assumed the mortgage from the Schneiders with Home Savings' consent. In addition, the complaint named as defendants Ernest L. Harrelson and Peggy J. Harrelson, who, without Home Savings' knowledge or consent, purchased the property on contract from the Hataburdas. The Harrelsons filed a cross-complaint against the Hataburdas, alleging fraud and misrepresentation in the sale of the property, and the Hataburdas counterclaimed against the Harrelsons for forcible entry and detainer.

The Hataburdas settled with Home Savings by paying off the balance outstanding on the mortgage. Home Savings therefore withdrew from the litigation. The Harrelsons' claims against the Hataburdas proceeded to trial, along with the Hataburdas' counterclaim. Shortly after commencement of the trial, however, the Hataburdas voluntarily dismissed their counterclaim.

At the conclusion of the trial the jury awarded the Harrelsons $32,000 in compensatory damages on the fraud counts of their complaint, and also awarded $50,000 in punitive damages. The jury returned no verdict on the Harrelsons' negligent-misrepresentation counts, and the trial court sent them back to reach a verdict on those counts. The jury then awarded an additional $15,000 in damages for negligent misrepresentation.

On appeal the appellate court affirmed the finding of liability for fraud (127 Ill.App.3d 689, 693-94, 82 Ill.Dec. 941, 469 N.E.2d 585), but vacated the award for negligent misrepresentation (127 Ill.App.3d 689, 694, 82 Ill.Dec. 941, 469 N.E.2d 585). The court noted that the fraud and negligent-misrepresentation allegations involved the same conduct, differing only in the scienter involved, and therefore the jury's initial award of damages for fraud precluded an award of additional damages for negligent misrepresentation. (127 Ill.App.3d 689, 694, 82 Ill.Dec. 941, 469 N.E.2d 585.) The court also held that, while the Harrelsons had demonstrated damages, the $32,000 in compensatory damages was not supported by the evidence. (127 Ill.App.3d 689, 696, 82 Ill.Dec. 941, 469 N.E.2d 585.) The court, however, upheld the award of $50,000 in punitive damages and remanded for a new trial solely on the issue of compensatory damages. This court granted the Hataburdas' petition for leave to appeal.

The Hataburdas (hereinafter defendants) raise four issues for review: (1) Does the record support a finding that the Harrelsons sustained damage due to the defendants' fraudulent conduct? (2) Does the record support an award of punitive damages? (3) Was the jury instructed properly on the standard for a punitive damage award? and, (4) May the punitive damage award be affirmed despite the remand of the question of compensatory damages? The Harrelsons (hereinafter plaintiffs) raise an additional issue on cross-appeal: Did the appellate court err in overturning the jury's compensatory damage award?

The property in question is located at 725 Geneva Street in Romeoville. Defendants acquired an interest in the property in 1976 when they assumed the mortgage on the property originally executed by Roy and Sue Schneider in favor of Home Savings. The mortgage agreement contained a "due-on-sale" clause, making it a breach of the agreement for the mortgagors to transfer their interest in the property without Home Savings' written consent.

In July of 1978, Patricia Hataburda advertised the property for sale. Peggy Harrelson answered the advertisement and met Mrs. Hataburda outside the offices of Bel Air Realty in Bolingbrook. Mrs. Hataburda showed Mrs. Harrelson two houses in Bolingbrook, but Mrs. Harrelson did not like either house. Several days later Mrs. Hataburda telephoned Mrs. Harrelson and arranged another meeting at Bel Air Realty. This time Mrs. Harrelson was shown the property here in question. Mrs. Harrelson was interested in the home, and when Mr. Harrelson returned home from a truck-driving trip, Mrs. Harrelson took him to see the property. Mrs. Harrelson then telephoned Mrs. Hataburda to find out what the monthly payments would be if they purchased the house.

Finally, in late September, 1978, both plaintiffs went to the defendants' home, where Mrs. Hataburda took them to a small room serving as her "office." Although Mrs. Hataburda did most of the talking at this meeting, Mr. Hataburda was present for part of the time. At this meeting Mrs. Hataburda presented the Harrelsons with a copy of the purchase agreement, calling for a $2,500 down payment, and a balance of $45,000 at a 9.75% annual interest rate. The contract called for monthly payments of $359.97 until the balance was paid in full. These monthly payments were the same amount that Mrs. Hataburda had told Mrs. Harrelson on the telephone. Mr. Harrelson asked when the home would be paid in full under the terms of the contract, and Mrs. Hataburda told him that the house would be entirely paid for in 30 years. Since the wording of the contract did not specify the 30-year period, Mr. Harrelson suggested that perhaps he and his wife should consult an attorney. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hataburda, however, assured him that everything was legal, that both of them were "real estate people" and knew what they were doing, and that no lawyer was necessary. Defendants did not inform plaintiffs of their mortgage agreement with Home Savings or the "due-on-sale" clause therein, although the contract with plaintiffs contained a similar provision. Also, defendants did not inform Home Savings of the sale, and in fact told Home Savings that they were renting the property.

In 1981 plaintiffs' home was vandalized, and they hired a contractor to repair the damage. Their insurer issued a check which named both the plaintiffs and Home Savings as payees. The plaintiffs had no idea why Home Savings was involved, and went to Home Savings' offices. They showed their installment contract to Dennis Wilson, then a vice-president at Home Savings. Mr. Wilson informed plaintiffs that they were in violation of the "due-on-sale" provision of the Schneider-Hataburda mortgage. Wilson also told plaintiffs that their contract did not amortize, that is, their monthly payments were not quite sufficient to cover the interest due and therefore there would never be a reduction in principal. Home Savings then filed suit to enforce the "due-on-sale" provision.

The contract, as...