Plaintiff Loses Bid to Repossess Dog Gifted to Ex: Illinois Replevin, Personal Property and Gift Law Basics

Koerner v. Nielsen, 2014 IL App (1st) considers the parameters of an inter vivos gift (a gift made during a giver’s lifetime) as they pertain to the question of who owns a dog after the break-up of a romantic relationship. The plaintiff gave her then-boyfriend (the defendant) a dog (a Stig) for Christmas.  About fourteen …

‘Winning’ Failure To Mitigate Defense Doesn’t Confer ‘Prevailing Party’ Status On Restaurant Tenant In Lease Dispute Att’y Fee Hearing Dispute

Alecta v. BAB Operations, Inc., 2015 IL App (1st) 132916-U, a case I spotlighted earlier for its analysis of lease assignment liability rules, also provides a valuable discussion of contractual attorneys’ fees provisions basics. (See case’s bullet-points on lease assignment issues here: http://paulporvaznik.com/bagel-shop-successor-tenant-hit-for-rent-damages-and-attorneys-fees-in-commercial-lease-case-il-first-dist/8491) The court affirmed a $70k-plus fee award for the landlord even though its …

Lost Profits and the ‘New Business Rule’ – A Short and Sweet One

Aside from delving into some unique issues that crop up in corporate guaranty suits, Williamson Co. v. Ill-Eagle Enterprises, Ltd., 2015 WL 802250, the case I featured yesterday (http://paulporvaznik.com/business-compulsion-duress-and-guaranties-signed-after-the-underlying-contract/7667) also provides some lost profits essentials adapted to a new(ish) business relationship. In the case, the home decor designer who vends to large retailers (think Bed Bath …