State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 003 ][ Conference Committee Report 001 ]

90_HB0297enr

      735 ILCS 5/2-1008         from Ch. 110, par. 2-1008
      735 ILCS 5/13-209         from Ch. 110, par. 13-209
          Amends the Code of Civil Procedure.  Provides that when a
      party or potential party to an action  dies,  the  court  may
      appoint  a  special  representative for the deceased for that
      suit without the appointment being made in  separate  probate
      proceedings.   Provides  that  the  appointment shall be made
      upon the verified motion of a party entitled  to  participate
      in  the  deceased's  estate  or  upon  the motion of a person
      filing an action against the  estate  and  that  the  special
      representative  shall  give  notice of the proceedings to the
      heirs, legatees, and executors.  Provides that  the  proceeds
      from  a  judgment  or  settlement  for  the  estate  shall be
      distributed under the  Probate  Act  of  1975  and  that  the
      recovery of a judgment against the estate shall be limited to
      the  amount  of the estate's liability insurance.  Excludes a
      pending action  under  the  Wrongful  Death  Act  from  these
      provisions.
                                                     LRB9000213PTcw
HB0297 Enrolled                                LRB9000213PTcw
 1        AN ACT concerning court proceedings.
 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:
 4        Section 3.  The Liquor Control Act of 1934 is amended  by
 5    changing Section 6-21 as follows:
 6        (235 ILCS 5/6-21) (from Ch. 43, par. 135)
 7        Sec.  6-21.   (a) Every person who is injured within this
 8    State, in person or property, by any intoxicated person has a
 9    right of action in his or her own name, severally or jointly,
10    against any person, licensed under the laws of this State  or
11    of  any other state to sell alcoholic liquor, who, by selling
12    or giving alcoholic liquor, within or without the territorial
13    limits of this State, causes the intoxication of such person.
14    Any person at least 21 years of age who pays for a  hotel  or
15    motel  room  or facility knowing that the room or facility is
16    to be used by any person  under  21  years  of  age  for  the
17    unlawful   consumption   of   alcoholic   liquors   and  such
18    consumption causes the intoxication of the  person  under  21
19    years of age, shall be liable to any person who is injured in
20    person  or  property by the intoxicated person under 21 years
21    of age. Any person owning, renting, leasing or permitting the
22    occupation of any building or premises  with  knowledge  that
23    alcoholic  liquors  are  to  be  sold  therein, or who having
24    leased the same for other purposes,  shall  knowingly  permit
25    therein  the  sale  of any alcoholic liquors that have caused
26    the intoxication of any person, shall be liable, severally or
27    jointly, with the  person  selling  or  giving  the  liquors.
28    However,  if  such  building or premises belong to a minor or
29    other person under guardianship the guardian of  such  person
30    shall be held liable instead of the ward. A married woman has
31    the  same right to bring the action and to control it and the
HB0297 Enrolled             -2-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    amount recovered as an unmarried woman. All damages recovered
 2    by a minor under this Act shall be paid either to the  minor,
 3    or to his or her parent, guardian or next friend as the court
 4    shall  direct.  The unlawful sale or gift of alcoholic liquor
 5    works a forfeiture of all rights  of  the  lessee  or  tenant
 6    under  any  lease or contract of rent upon the premises where
 7    the unlawful sale  or  gift  takes  place.  All  actions  for
 8    damages  under  this  Act may be by any appropriate action in
 9    the circuit court. An action shall lie for injuries to either
10    means of support or loss of society, but not both, caused  by
11    an  intoxicated  person or in consequence of the intoxication
12    of any person resulting as  hereinabove  set  out.  "Loss  of
13    society"  means  the  mutual benefits that each family member
14    receives from  the  other's  continued  existence,  including
15    love,  affection,  care,  attention,  companionship, comfort,
16    guidance,  and   protection.    "Family"   includes   spouse,
17    children, parents, brothers, and sisters.  The action, if the
18    person  from whom support or society was furnished is living,
19    shall be brought by any person injured in means of support or
20    society in his or her name for his or  her  benefit  and  the
21    benefit  of  all other persons injured in means of support or
22    society. However, any person claiming to be injured in  means
23    of  support or society and not included in any action brought
24    hereunder may join by motion made  within  the  times  herein
25    provided   for   bringing   such   action   or  the  personal
26    representative of the deceased person from whom such  support
27    or  society  was  furnished may so join. In every such action
28    the  jury  shall  determine  the  amount  of  damages  to  be
29    recovered without regard to and with no special  instructions
30    as  to the dollar limits on recovery imposed by this Section.
31    The  amount  recovered  in  every  such  action  is  for  the
32    exclusive benefit of the person injured in loss of support or
33    society and shall be  distributed  to  such  persons  in  the
34    proportions  determined  by  the verdict rendered or judgment
HB0297 Enrolled             -3-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    entered in the action. If the right of action is  settled  by
 2    agreement  with  the  personal  representative  of a deceased
 3    person from whom support or society was furnished, the  court
 4    having  jurisdiction  of  the  estate  of the deceased person
 5    shall distribute the amount of the settlement to  the  person
 6    injured  in  loss of support or society in the proportion, as
 7    determined by the court, that the percentage of dependency of
 8    each such person upon the deceased person bears to the sum of
 9    the percentages of dependency of all such  persons  upon  the
10    deceased  person.  For all causes of action involving persons
11    injured,  killed,  or  incurring   property   damage   before
12    September  12,  1985,  in  no  event  shall  the  judgment or
13    recovery under this Act for injury to the person  or  to  the
14    property of any person as hereinabove set out exceed $15,000,
15    and  recovery  under  this  Act  for loss of means of support
16    resulting  from  the  death  or  injury  of  any  person,  as
17    hereinabove set out, shall not exceed $20,000. For all causes
18    of action involving persons  injured,  killed,  or  incurring
19    property  damage  after September 12, 1985 but before July 1,
20    1998, in no event shall the judgment or recovery  for  injury
21    to  the  person  or property of any person exceed $30,000 for
22    each person incurring damages, and recovery  under  this  Act
23    for  loss  of  means  of  support resulting from the death or
24    injury of any person shall not exceed $40,000. For all causes
25    of action involving persons  injured,  killed,  or  incurring
26    property  damage  on or after July 1, 1998, in no event shall
27    the judgment or recovery for injury to the person or property
28    of any  person  exceed  $45,000  for  each  person  incurring
29    damages, and recovery under this Act for either loss of means
30    of  support  or  loss  of society resulting from the death or
31    injury of any person shall not exceed $55,000.  Beginning  in
32    1999,   every   January  20,  these  liability  limits  shall
33    automatically be increased or decreased, as applicable, by  a
34    percentage  equal  to  the  percentage change in the consumer
HB0297 Enrolled             -4-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    price index-u during the preceding  12-month  calendar  year.
 2    "Consumer  price  index-u"  means  the index published by the
 3    Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of
 4    Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods and
 5    services purchased by all urban consumers, United States city
 6    average, all items, 1982-84 = 100.  The new amount  resulting
 7    from  each  annual  adjustment  shall  be  determined  by the
 8    Comptroller and made available to the  chief  judge  of  each
 9    judicial  circuit.  The liability limits at the time at which
10    damages subject to such limits are awarded by final  judgment
11    or  settlement  shall  be  utilized by the courts. Nothing in
12    this Section bars any  person  from  making  separate  claims
13    which,  in  the  aggregate,  exceed  any one limit where such
14    person incurs more  than  one  type  of  compensable  damage,
15    including personal injury, property damage, and loss to means
16    of support or society.  However, all persons claiming loss to
17    means  of support or society shall be limited to an aggregate
18    recovery not to exceed the single limitation set forth herein
19    for the death or injury of each person from whom  support  or
20    society is claimed.
21        Nothing  in this Act shall be construed to confer a cause
22    of action for injuries to  the  person  or  property  of  the
23    intoxicated person himself, nor shall anything in this Act be
24    construed  to  confer  a cause of action for loss of means of
25    support or society on the intoxicated person  himself  or  on
26    any  person  claiming  to  be  supported  by such intoxicated
27    person or claiming the society of such person. In conformance
28    with the rule of statutory  construction  enunciated  in  the
29    general  Illinois saving provision in Section 4 of "An Act to
30    revise the  law  in  relation  to  the  construction  of  the
31    statutes",  approved  March 5, 1874, as amended, no amendment
32    of this Section purporting to abolish or having the effect of
33    abolishing a cause of action shall be applied to invalidate a
34    cause  of  action  accruing  before   its   effective   date,
HB0297 Enrolled             -5-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    irrespective  of  whether  the amendment was passed before or
 2    after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1986.
 3        Each action hereunder shall be  barred  unless  commenced
 4    within one year next after the cause of action accrued.
 5        However,  a  licensed  distributor  or  brewer whose only
 6    connection with the furnishing of alcoholic liquor  which  is
 7    alleged  to  have  caused  intoxication was the furnishing or
 8    maintaining of any apparatus for the dispensing or cooling of
 9    beer is not liable under this Section, and if  such  licensee
10    is  named as a defendant, a proper motion to dismiss shall be
11    granted.
12        (b)  Any person licensed under any state or local law  to
13    sell  alcoholic  liquor, whether or not a citizen or resident
14    of this State, who in person or through an agent  causes  the
15    intoxication, by the sale or gift of alcoholic liquor, of any
16    person who, while intoxicated, causes injury to any person or
17    property  in  the  State  of  Illinois  thereby  submits such
18    licensed person, and, if an individual, his or  her  personal
19    representative,  to  the  jurisdiction  of the courts of this
20    State for a cause of  action  arising  under  subsection  (a)
21    above.
22        Service  of process upon any person who is subject to the
23    jurisdiction of the courts of this State, as provided in this
24    subsection, may be made by  personally  serving  the  summons
25    upon  the  defendant  outside  this State, as provided in the
26    Code of Civil Procedure, as now or  hereafter  amended,  with
27    the  same  force  and  effect  as  though  summons  had  been
28    personally served within this State.
29        Only  causes of action arising under subsection (a) above
30    may be asserted against a defendant in  an  action  in  which
31    jurisdiction over him or her is based upon this subsection.
32        Nothing  herein  contained limits or affects the right to
33    serve any process  in  any  other  manner  now  or  hereafter
34    provided by law.
HB0297 Enrolled             -6-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    (Source: P.A. 84-1308; 84-1380; 84-1381; 84-1438.)
 2        Section  5.   The  Code  of Civil Procedure is amended by
 3    changing Sections 2-1008 and 13-209 as follows:
 4        (735 ILCS 5/2-1008) (from Ch. 110, par. 2-1008)
 5        Sec. 2-1008.  Abatement; change of interest or liability;
 6    substitution of parties.
 7        (a) Change of interest or  liability.  If  by  reason  of
 8    marriage,   bankruptcy,   assignment,   or  any  other  event
 9    occurring after the commencement of a  cause  or  proceeding,
10    either   before  or  after  judgment,  causing  a  change  or
11    transmission of interest or liability, or by  reason  of  any
12    person interested coming into existence after commencement of
13    the action, it becomes necessary or desirable that any person
14    not  already  a party be before the court, or that any person
15    already a party be made party in another capacity, the action
16    does not abate, but on motion an order may  be  entered  that
17    the  proper  parties  be  substituted  or added, and that the
18    cause or proceeding be carried on with the remaining  parties
19    and new parties, with or without a change in the title of the
20    cause.
21        (b)  Death.  If  a party to an action dies and the action
22    is one which survives, the proper party  or  parties  may  be
23    substituted by order of court upon motion as follows:.
24             (1)  If  no  petition  for letters of office for the
25        decedent's estate has been filed, the court may appoint a
26        special representative for the deceased for  the  purpose
27        of  prosecuting  the action.  The appointment shall be on
28        verified motion of any  party  who  appears  entitled  to
29        participate  in the deceased's estate, reciting the names
30        and last known addresses  of  all  known  heirs  and  the
31        legatees  and  executor  named  in any will that has been
32        filed.  The court's determination that a  person  appears
HB0297 Enrolled             -7-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1        entitled to participate in the deceased's estate shall be
 2        solely for purposes of this Section and not determinative
 3        of  rights  in  final  disposition.  Within 90 days after
 4        appointment, the special representative shall notify  the
 5        heirs  and legatees of the following information by mail:
 6        that an appointment has been made, the court in which the
 7        case  was  filed,  the  caption  of  the  case,   and   a
 8        description  of  the  nature  of  the  case.  The special
 9        representative shall publish notice to unknown heirs  and
10        legatees  as  provided  in the Probate Act of 1975.  If a
11        will is filed within 90 days after the appointment of the
12        special representative, the same notice shall be given to
13        any additional executors and legatees named in the  will.
14        At   any   time   that   an   estate  is  opened  with  a
15        representative other than the special representative, the
16        court may upon motion substitute the  representative  for
17        the  special  representative.   In  this case,  the court
18        shall  allow  disbursements  and  fees  of  the   special
19        representative and his or her attorney as a claim against
20        any  proceeds  received.  The proceeds of any judgment or
21        settlement shall be distributed under the  provisions  of
22        the  Probate  Act  of  1975.  This paragraph (1) does not
23        apply to actions pending under the Wrongful Death Act.
24             (2)  If a person against whom  an  action  has  been
25        brought dies, and the cause of action survives and is not
26        otherwise  barred,  his  or  her  personal representative
27        shall be substituted as a party.  If no petition has been
28        filed for letters of office for  the  deceased's  estate,
29        the court, upon the motion of a person bringing an action
30        and  after the notice to the party's heirs or legatees as
31        the court directs and  without  opening  an  estate,  may
32        appoint  a  special representative for the deceased party
33        for the purposes of defending the  action.   If  a  party
34        elects  to  have a special representative appointed under
HB0297 Enrolled             -8-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1        this paragraph (2), the recovery shall be limited to  the
 2        proceeds of any liability insurance protecting the estate
 3        and  shall  not  bar the estate from enforcing any claims
 4        that might have been available to it as counterclaims.
 5        If a motion to substitute is not  filed  within  90  days
 6    after  the  death  is  suggested of record, the action may be
 7    dismissed as to the deceased party.
 8        If the death of a party to a personal action is suggested
 9    of record and no petition for letters of office  for  his  or
10    her  estate  has been filed, the court, upon motion and after
11    such notice to the party's heirs or  legatees  as  the  court
12    directs,  and  without  opening  of  an estate, may appoint a
13    special administrator for the deceased party for the  purpose
14    of   prosecuting   or   defending  the  action.  If  a  legal
15    representative is appointed for the estate before judgment is
16    entered, and his or her appointment is suggested of record in
17    the action, the court shall order that the representative  be
18    substituted for the special administrator.
19        If  a  judgment  is  entered  or the action is settled in
20    favor  of  the  special  administrator,  he  or   she   shall
21    distribute  the  proceeds  as provided by law, except that if
22    proceeds in excess of $1,000 are distributable to a minor  or
23    person   under   legal  disability,  the  court  shall  allow
24    disbursements and fees to the special administrator  and  his
25    or  her  attorney  and  the balance shall be administered and
26    distributed under the supervision of the probate division  of
27    the court.
28        In  the  event  of  the  death of a party in an action in
29    which the right sought to be enforced survives only as to the
30    remaining parties to the action, the action does  not  abate.
31    The  death  shall be suggested of record and the action shall
32    proceed in favor of or against the remaining parties.
33        No action brought for the use of another abates by reason
34    of the death of the plaintiff whose name is used but  may  be
HB0297 Enrolled             -9-                LRB9000213PTcw
 1    maintained  by  the party for whose use it was brought in his
 2    or her own name upon suggesting the death of record  and  the
 3    entry of an order of substitution.
 4        (c)  Legal  disability.  If  a  party is declared to be a
 5    person under legal disability, that fact shall  be  suggested
 6    of  record and the prosecution or defense shall be maintained
 7    by his or her  representative,  guardian  ad  litem  or  next
 8    friend, as may be appropriate.
 9        (d)  Trustees;  public  officers.  If  any trustee or any
10    public officer ceases to hold the trust or  office  and  that
11    fact  is  suggested  of  record,  the action shall proceed in
12    favor of or against his or her successor.
13        (e)  Service of process. Parties against whom  relief  is
14    sought,  substituted  under  subsection  (a) hereof, shall be
15    brought in by service  of  process.  Service  of  process  on
16    parties  substituted  under  subsections  (b),  (c),  and (d)
17    hereof is not required, but notice  shall  be  given  as  the
18    court may direct.
19    (Source: P.A. 83-707.)
20        (735 ILCS 5/13-209) (from Ch. 110, par. 13-209)
21        Sec. 13-209. Death of party.
22        (a)  If  a person entitled to bring an action dies before
23    the expiration of  the  time  limited  for  the  commencement
24    thereof, and the cause of action survives:,
25             (1)  an  action  may  be  commenced  by  his  or her
26        representative before the expiration  of  that  time,  or
27        within  one  year from his or her death whichever date is
28        the later;
29             (2)  if no petition for letters of  office  for  the
30        decedent's estate has been filed, the court may appoint a
31        special  representative  for the deceased for the purpose
32        of prosecuting the action.  The appointment shall  be  on
33        verified  motion  of  any  party  who appears entitled to
HB0297 Enrolled             -10-               LRB9000213PTcw
 1        participate in the deceased's estate, reciting the  names
 2        and  last  known  addresses  of  all  known heirs and the
 3        legatees and executor named in any  will  that  has  been
 4        filed.   The  court's determination that a person appears
 5        entitled to participate in the deceased's estate shall be
 6        solely for purposes of this Section and not determinative
 7        of rights in final disposition.   Within  90  days  after
 8        appointment,  the special representative shall notify the
 9        heirs and legatees of the following information by  mail:
10        that an appointment has been made, the court in which the
11        case   was   filed,  the  caption  of  the  case,  and  a
12        description of the  nature  of  the  case.   The  special
13        representative  shall publish notice to unknown heirs and
14        legatees as provided in the Probate Act of  1975.   If  a
15        will is filed within 90 days after the appointment of the
16        special representative, the same notice shall be given to
17        any  additional executors and legatees named in the will.
18        At  any  time  that  an   estate   is   opened   with   a
19        representative other than the special representative, the
20        court  may  upon motion substitute the representative for
21        the special representative.   In  this  case,  the  court
22        shall   allow  disbursements  and  fees  of  the  special
23        representative and his or her attorney as a claim against
24        any proceeds received.  The proceeds of any  judgment  or
25        settlement  shall  be distributed under the provisions of
26        the Probate Act of 1975.
27        (b)  If a person against whom an action  may  be  brought
28    dies  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  limited for the
29    commencement thereof, and the cause of action  survives,  and
30    is not otherwise barred:,
31             (1)    an action may be commenced against his or her
32        personal representative after the expiration of the  time
33        limited  for the commencement of the action, and within 6
34        months after the person's death;
HB0297 Enrolled             -11-               LRB9000213PTcw
 1             (2)  if no petition has been filed  for  letters  of
 2        office  for  the  deceased's  estate, the court, upon the
 3        motion of a person entitled to bring an action and  after
 4        the  notice to the party's heirs or legatees as the court
 5        directs and without opening  an  estate,  may  appoint  a
 6        special  representative  for  the  deceased party for the
 7        purposes of defending the action.  If a party  elects  to
 8        have   a  special  representative  appointed  under  this
 9        paragraph (2), the  recovery  shall  be  limited  to  the
10        proceeds of any liability insurance protecting the estate
11        and  shall  not  bar the estate from enforcing any claims
12        that might have been available to it as counterclaims.
13        (c)  If a party commences an action  against  a  deceased
14    person  whose  death  is  unknown  to  the  party  before the
15    expiration of the time limited for the commencement  thereof,
16    and  the  cause  of  action  survives,  and  is not otherwise
17    barred, the action may  be  commenced  against  the  deceased
18    person's  personal  representative  if  all  of the following
19    terms and conditions are met:
20             (1)  After learning of the death, the party proceeds
21        with reasonable diligence to move the court for leave  to
22        file  an  amended  complaint,  substituting  the personal
23        representative as defendant.
24             (2)  The party proceeds with reasonable diligence to
25        serve process upon the personal representative.
26             (3)  If process is served more than 6  months  after
27        the  issuance  of  letters  of  office,  liability of the
28        estate is limited as to recovery to the extent the estate
29        is protected by liability insurance.
30             (4)  In no event can  a  party  commence  an  action
31        under    this    subsection   (c)   unless   a   personal
32        representative is appointed and an amended  complaint  is
33        filed  within  2  years  of  the  time  limited  for  the
34        commencement of the original action.
HB0297 Enrolled             -12-               LRB9000213PTcw
 1    (Source: P.A. 86-793; 86-815; 86-1028.)
 2        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 3    becoming law.

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