Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC v. Monarch Farms, LLC

2017 IL App (4th) 150807

82 N.E.3d 1234

ENBRIDGE PIPELINE (ILLINOIS), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.MONARCH FARMS, LLC; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.John L. Benjamin; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Estate of Dorothy Benjamin; John White, Tenant; Nonrecord Claimants; Unknown Owners; and Unknown Heirs or Legatees, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Monarch Farms, LLC; Julia B. Cresci, as Trustee Under the Provisions of a Trust Agreement Dated December 26, 2012, Known as the Julia B. Cresci Revocable Living Trust; the Julia B. Cresci Revocable Living Trust; William M. Butler; Wade E. Butler; Kathryn B. Reynolds; John Y. Butler; Bill Butler; Wade Butler; John Butler; Katie Moore; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Margot Y. Rudesill, as Trustee Under the Provisions of a Trust Agreement Dated November 10, 1987; Trust Agreement dated November 10, 1987; Kurt Rudesill, Tenant; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Kent Murphy; Linda Murphy; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Rosemary King, as Trustee of the Trust Under the Last Will and Testament of Allan King ; the Trust Under the Last Will and Testament of Allan King ; David A. King, Individually and d/b/a King Brothers; John J. King, Individually and d/b/a King Brothers; Nonrecord Claimants; Unknown Owners; and Unknown Heirs and Legatees, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Catherine Jordan Keller; Patricia Jordan; Carl D. Reum, Individually and d/b/a Reum Brothers Farm ; Roger L. Reum,, Individually and d/b/a Reum Brothers Farm ; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Doris J. Grunloh, as Trustee of the Doris J. Grunloh Revocable Living Trust Dated May 26, 2000, and Individually as Life Tenant; Doris J. Grunloh Revocable Living Trust; Gregory Grunloh; Douglas Grunloh; Scot Grunloh ; Todd Grunloh; 1st Farm Credit Services, as Mortgagee; Farm Credit Services of West Central Illinois, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Ulevia H. Prosser, as Trustee of the Ulevia H. Prosser Living Trust, Dated January 27, 1998; the Ulevia H. Prosser Living Trust Dated January 27, 1998; Raymond Dean Prosser, as Trustee of the Raymond Dean Prosser Living Trust Dated January 27, 1998; Busey Bank, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Terrence G. Killian and Timothy A. Killian, as Co-Trustees of the Tom and Jean Killian Family Trust Dated April 24, 2009; Tom and Jean Killian Family Trust Dated April 24, 2009; the Department of Revenue, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Leslie Dean Troyer; Mary Teresa Troyer; First National Bank of Sullivan, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Robert J. King, as Trustee of the Robert J. King Declaration of Trust; the Robert J. King Declaration of Trust; Mary E. Sweeney ; Ann M. Harvey; Stephen E. King; David A. King, Individually and d/b/a King Brothers; John J. King, Individually and d/b/a King Brothers; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Timothy A. Killian; Peoples Bank of Lexington, Illinois, as Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.C & C Webber Properties, Inc. ; Mark Freed ; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Killian Farms, Inc. ; MK Farms; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Al Killian; MK Farms; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Al Killian, as Trustee of a Trust Agreement Dated September 10, 1997, Known as the Al Killian Trust; the Al Killian Trust, Dated September 10, 1997; MK Farms, Inc.; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Korte Farm Partnership Trust, Dated December 26, 2011; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Betty M. Bittner, as Trustee of the Betty Bittner Revocable Trust Dated June 7, 2008; the Betty Bittner Revocable Trust Dated June 7, 2008; Victor W. Bittner, as Trustee of the Victor W. Bittner Revocable Trust Dated June 7, 2008; the Victor W. Bittner Revocable Trust Dated June 7, 2008; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, n/k/a Illinois Extension Pipeline Company, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.Bryan K. Hoggins; National City Bank, Mortgagee; Bank of New York Mellon Corporation; Trustee under the Pooling and Service Agreement, Mortgagee; Nonrecord Claimants; and Unknown Owners, Defendants-Appellants.

NOS. 4-15-0807

4-15-0808

4-15-0809

4-15-0810

4-15-0811

4-15-0812

4-15-0819

4-15-0820

4-15-0821

4-15-0822

4-15-0823

4-15-0824

4-15-0825

4-15-0826

4-15-0827

4-15-0828

4-15-0829

4-15-0833

4-15-0834

4-15-0836

4-15-0839 cons.

Appellate Court of Illinois, Fourth District.

July 28, 2017

Thomas J. Pliura, of LeRoy, for appellants.

Gerald A. Ambrose, of Sidley Austin LLP, of Chicago, and Jacob E. Gancarczyk and John M. Spesia, of Spesia & Ayers, of Joliet, for appellee.

OPINION

JUSTICE STEIGMANN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.

¶ 1 In April 2014, the Illinois Commerce Commission (Commission) granted plaintiff, Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC, now known as the Illinois Extension Pipeline Company (IEPC), eminent-domain authority to acquire easements over certain real estate for the planned construction of an approximately 170-mile liquid petroleum (oil) pipeline project known as the Southern Access Extension (SAX).

¶ 2 During the months of June and July 2014, IEPC filed separate complaints for "condemnation of permanent and temporary easements for common-carrier pipeline" (condemnation complaints) against the following defendants: (1) Monarch Farms, LLC (McLean County case No. 14-ED-27, this court's case No. 4-15-0807); (2) John L. Benjamin (McLean County case No. 14-ED-43, this court's case No. 4-15-0808); (3) the Estate of Dorothy Benjamin and John White (McLean County case No. 14-ED-44; this court's case No. 4-15-0809); (4) Monarch Farms, LLC, Julia B. Cresci, the Julia B. Cresci Revocable Living Trust, William M. Butler, Wade E. Butler, Kathryn B. Reynolds, John Y. Butler, Bill Butler, Wade Butler, John Butler, and Katie Moore (McLean County case No. 14-ED-45, this court's case No. 4-15-0810); (5) Margot Y. Rudesill, the Trust Agreement dated November 10, 1987, and Kurt Rudesill (McLean County case No. 14-ED-52, this court's case No. 4-15-0811); (6) Kent Murphy, Linda Murphy, and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (McLean County case No. 14-ED-53, this court's case No. 4-15-0812); (7) Rosemary King, the Trust Under the Last Will and Testament of Allan King, and David A. King and John J. King, both individually and d/b/a King Brothers (McLean County case No. 14-ED-19, this court's case No. 4-15-0819); (8) Catherine Jordan Keller, Patricia Jordan, and Carl D. Reum and Roger L. Reum, both individually and d/b/a Reum Brothers Farm (McLean County case No. 14-ED-07, this court's case No. 4-15-0820); (9) Doris J. Grunloh, Doris J. Grunloh Revocable Living Trust, Gregory Grunloh, Douglas Grunloh, Scot Grunloh, Todd Grunloh, 1st Farm Credit Services, and Farm Credit Services of West Central Illinois (McLean County case No. 14-ED-09, this court's case No. 4-15-0821); (10) Ulevia H. Prosser, the Ulevia H. Prosser Living Trust, Raymond Dean Prosser, and Busey Bank (McLean County case No. 14-ED-24, this court's case No. 4-15-0822); (11) Terrence G. Killian, Timothy A. Killian, Tom and Jean Killian Family Trust, and the Department of Revenue (McLean County case No. 14-ED-26, this court's case No. 4-15-0823); (12) Leslie Dean Troyer, Mary Teresa Troyer, and First National Bank of Sullivan (McLean County case No. 14-ED-12, this court's case No. 4-15-0824); (13) Robert J. King, the Robert J. King Declaration of Trust, Mary E. Sweeney, Ann M. Harvey, Stephen E. King, and David A....